Central Illinois District to Celebrate CTS Years in Springfield

Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (CTSFW), is sharing the following invitation on behalf of the LCMS Central Illinois District. To Graduates or Attendees of Concordia Theological Seminary, Springfield,

On or around July 1, 1976, Concordia Theological Seminary began the task of moving from Springfield, Illinois, to Fort Wayne, Indiana. The move, prompted by a directive from the Synod convention in Anaheim, California, the previous summer, was accomplished with no known difficulties, and “Spring/Wayne” became “Fort Wayne,” and is to this day.

That brings us to the specific purpose of this letter: to invite all of you to a program of thanksgiving for the 101 years of Concordia Theological Seminary, Springfield, from 1875–1976, and the successful move to Fort Wayne. Invited dignitaries include some current and former members of the Fort Wayne faculty, some current St. Louis faculty members who have a connection to the Springfield seminary, and local and civic leaders, past and present, from the Springfield community.

The event will be held at Trinity Lutheran School (515 South MacArthur Blvd., Springfield, Illinois, 62704) on Friday, September 4, 2026. There is plenty of free parking, and there are no stairs to climb. Trinity has special significance, as they donated the property for the seminary to the Synod. The program will be from 5–7 p.m. and will include a catered dinner. We ask for a $15.00 donation per plate to cover Trinity’s expenses. Out of respect for the occasion, we ask that proper church attire be worn.

To obtain an accurate count for meal and facilities’ arrangements, we ask that you RSVP by Friday, August 21, 2026, if you intend to come, to the Rev. Ralph Woehrmann (Springfield ’74) at ralphwoehrmann@gmail.com. (No phone calls, please.)

Central Illinois District President Mark R. Eddy, on behalf of Ralph Woehrmann

P.S. We are sorry for the delay in getting this invitation out. A couple weeks of internet issues have been frustrating. We’ll plan on a few late reservations to accommodate you.