Christmas was in the air as our seminary families gathered for our annual Christmas potluck. Food in abundance, family fellowship and the singing of Christmas carols were followed by the pilgrimage across campus to the Christmas Emporium.

The elves were waiting. With almost 200 children in our seminary family, the helpers had much to do before that special walk to the Christmas rooms where each child was presented with a gift for his or her age group; teens received gift certificates to a movie or mall. Mom and dad were given a gift certificate to a local restaurant. It was moving to see the excitement in the eyes of the children unwrapping the gifts and the appreciation expressed by the parents.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Fairborn, Ohio (near Dayton), has held the tradition of giving each seminary wife a gift. The wives fill out a wish list and, just prior to Christmas, wrapped gifts with the seminary wife's first name on it signed by a stranger arrive and fill a room. What a feeling to be in that room!

The Student Adoption Program is also in full force. ANYONE can be a part of this by contacting the seminary. When one adopts a seminary family for Christmas, the possibilities are endless: a monetary gift, a gift certificate to a chain grocery, filling station or restaurant, purchased book for the next class, a box of necessary items we all use, etc.

Many families that can't make it home for Thanksgiving or Christmas because of distance, jobs, etc., have developed lasting friendships with other seminary families with whom they can sit around the table, laugh, care, love and grow while here. The directive by Christ to be His hands and feet lives on at CTS!

Betty Wachholz, Relocation Coordinator for CTS

From Volume 3, Issue 5, Winter 1999