Video message from Rev. Dr. Chad Rimmer on LTSS move to Hickory
Video Transcript
Friends, grace and peace be yours in the name of Christ.
自1830年以来，路德神学院一直在履行其教学使命, form and nurture leaders for public ministry. My great-grandfather, WG Cobb, was in the entering class when Beam Hall first opened in Columbia in 1911. This is his diploma on my wall, signed by Dr. Voigt in 1914. And since LTSS moved to Columbia, a member of each generation of my family has been here, from my great-grandfather, to my grandfather, my uncle and now me as rector and dean. Across those 113 years, 你们中的许多人和你们的家人也以慈爱的方式照料着全球网赌十大网站挚爱的神学院的使命.
During these two centuries, from our beginnings in Pomaria to Lexington, to Newberry, to Walhalla, to Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia, Mt. Pleasant, and finally Columbia, South Carolina, we have faced financial challenges, wars, 以及威胁全球网赌十大网站延续路德教会和普世神学教育和形成传统的流行病. 但全球网赌十大网站总能找到一种方法来坚持下去，辨别和遵循最好地管理这一赋予全球网赌十大网站的礼物和召唤的意义.
现在，南方朝圣历史的下一个阶段开始了.
Today, 几乎所有教派的神学院都在与神学教育领域的强劲逆风作斗争. In response, and after prayerful, careful discernment, the 勒努瓦-雷恩大学董事会决定于2025年1月将LTSS迁至位于Hickory的大学主校区. 当董事会在3月份的会议上采取行动时，这一举措将正式生效.
The reasons for this decision are clear. 神学和高等教育普遍面临的全球性压力意味着大学, graduate schools and seminaries have to be nimble and agile these days. There have been 105 major closings, mergers, 仅2016年以来，公立和私立高等教育机构之间的收购或整合. 近年来，ELCA神学院也需要采取一些重大行动. 考虑到全国神学职业的大趋势，全球网赌十大网站在LTSS面临的预算赤字是无法克服的. And by moving the seminary, we will save about $2.每年节省100万美元的运营成本，并消除哥伦比亚大学校园的重大延期维护成本, which is far larger than our current program requires. 虽然许多人忠心勇敢地带领全球网赌十大网站的神学院度过了艰难的岁月, 包括COVID-19大流行带来的社会心理和财政压力, the time has come to realize that without bold action, the mission of the seminary is not sustainable.
But with this move, 全球网赌十大网站可以维持全球网赌十大网站深爱的神学院的下一个篇章，使它成为公众事工的活实验室, 在哪里，学生将有机会在充满活力的培育和社区生活中培养他们的事工能力, and interdisciplinary opportunities. When the seminary moves to Lenoir-Rhyne’s Hickory campus, 为事工做准备的学生将有更多机会接触与事工相关的课程, including Spanish language; business; counseling; environmental and health sciences, 并且还可以利用校园设施进行娱乐, arts and culture. 全球网赌十大网站将为本科生和下一代牧师和神学家开辟新的渠道, 并扩大全球网赌十大网站为世俗和神职人员领袖提供的终身学习机会. At the same time, the Lineberger Library will move with us to Hickory, 确保全球网赌十大网站的学生继续有机会获得最好的资源，为全球网赌十大网站加强全球网赌十大网站的呼吁，从事变革神学教育和培育.
There is both sorrow and hope in this news. 全球网赌十大网站将告别一些几代忠实领袖曾经学习过的地方, worshipped and been formed. 但全球网赌十大网站的使命——为教会的公共事工培养领袖——将保持不变. 坐落在一个有着悠久历史的路德教会高等教育的校园里, 全球网赌十大网站将更有能力完成神学院的战略计划，指导全球网赌十大网站培育的方式, educate and form leaders for public ministry in today’s world.
We first shared the news of our move to Hickory with the faculty, staff and students, ELCA Bishops, LTSS Advisory Council and Alumni Board, 全球网赌十大网站正在制定一个尽可能具有参与性的过渡进程. In the coming weeks, 全球网赌十大网站将有机会听到你们讲述全球网赌十大网站在哥伦比亚纪念LTSS历史的方式. 全球网赌十大网站将以感恩的仪式来纪念全球网赌十大网站的朝圣之旅，感谢这块神圣的土地和那些因全球网赌十大网站的学习而变得神圣的地方, worship, fellowship and service. Through these liturgies, 全球网赌十大网站将从校园各处带来教堂和其他文物的碎片, to honor both the grief and promise of this moment. 全球网赌十大网站将在未来几周提供市政厅放大，当然，在4月的校友日举办空间.
Friends, this is not a closure, nor is it a reorganization. It is a pilgrimage. 就像全球网赌十大网站的前辈一样，全球网赌十大网站将能够在一个新的地方唱全球网赌十大网站的歌. 我尊重全国这么多人对LTSS的爱、悲伤和渴望. 我祈祷，在这些日子里，你们对这所神学院的爱将激励你们走到一起，展示全球网赌十大网站心中的希望, 并成为这一大胆举措的一部分，以维持LTSS，以便子孙后代也能体验到同样的体验.
在全球网赌十大网站从哥伦比亚大学到山胡桃大学的旅程中，毫无疑问，全球网赌十大网站一路上将面临挑战. Even as we attend to the practical and logistical aspects of our move, 我致力于帮助大家关注全球网赌十大网站所面临的更大的趋势——高等教育的趋势, 主流教会的趋势和牧师职业的趋势——所以全球网赌十大网站可以用创造力来面对它们, innovative teaching and learning, vibrant formation and dynamic partnerships.
Along the way, I will encourage you to keep your eyes on 2030. This year will be the 200th anniversary of Southern’s founding. 2030 will also be the 500th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession. 这一举动将确保全球网赌十大网站以一种展望未来200年的方式庆祝神学院200周年. 全球网赌十大网站将体现出路德教传统的精髓它源自于教会之间的联系, the academy and the public space. Semper reformanda. 此举将使LTSS成为这一忠实传统下一阶段的旗舰.
我期待着庆祝这些周年纪念日，欢迎在世界各地为事工而组建的新班级的学生. Our move to Hickory will make that goal, and many others, possible.
Peace Friends.
