Marsha Zimmerman, CTS Relocation Coordinator

Since August 2005, I have been serving as the Relocation Coordinator here at Concordia Theological Seminary. What a special privilege it has been to interact with current and prospective students as they make their journey to and through the seminary experience. As they reflect, question, and search for answers I am reminded of my own seminary experience—packing up a family with three children under the age of six and once again returning to academic life. Through it all, God daily provided us with the things needful.

As you prayerfully consider coming to the seminary, it is only normal to be concerned about the logistics of such a move. Here at CTS we try to help address the most pressing of these concerns: housing, daycare, food, clothing, schooling, etc.

Fortunately, Fort Wayne is a very affordable and easily navigated town in which to live. We are blessed to have very reasonable home prices and a sufficient number of rental homes and apartment complexes near the seminary. The city’s long and historic Lutheran heritage is evident in the fact that there are 11 Lutheran elementary schools and a Lutheran high school within the city limits. Some seminary families opt to homeschool and we provide a support group here on campus for that as well. The Fort Wayne Community School system provides 34 elementary schools, 11 middle schools, and six high schools.

Through the generous and loving gifts from the community and the church-at-large, we are able to operate both a Food and Clothing Co- op. We estimate that the Food Co-op can provide roughly 70 percent of the dietary needs of students’ families. The Clothing Co-op provides families with many of their clothing and household needs.

Since dad will be a full-time student and mom may be working, daycare for the little ones can be a real concern. We have an on-site daycare that provides quality Christian care that should be within a seminarian’s family budget.

I would invite you to visit our campus and experience the wonderful community here. Won’t you consider joining us for our Spring Prayerfully Consider Invitational being held March 23-25, 2006? God does know the specific needs and concerns facing your family. Together we will help you address them.

Blessings as you consider the vocation of full-time church work, Marsha Zimmerman

For more information please phone Marsha Zimmerman, Relocation Coordinator, at 1-800-481-2155, or e-mail her at Zimmermanmj@ctsfw.edu.

From Volume 9, Issue 1, Winter 2006