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Title: ELCA College President Schmalenberger Resigns ELCA NEWS SERVICE March 12, 1996 SCHMALENBERGER RESIGNS The Rev. Jerry L. Schmalenberger has announced that he will retire as president of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, Calif., on Sept. 1, 1996. "There is no compelling negative reason at PLTS or elsewhere for my decision to resign." Schmalenberger stated in a Feb. 17 letter to the PLTS board of directors. "I seek a quieter lifestyle than that of the seminary presidency, and I want very much to live for a while off center stage, out of the spotlight -- much more simple than at the present time. It is my call to a different discipleship." Schmalenberger quoted a study of seminary presidents by Erskin Clarke which stated the main reasons for their leaving as ..."the accumulation of grievances by others, the accumulation of fatigue by the incumbent, and having reached the age of last opportunity." He stated those fit his situation perfectly. Schmalenberger came to PLTS in 1988 from 29 years as a parish pastor, his last parish being St. John's Lutheran Church in Des Moines, Iowa. In the past eight years he taught parish ministry classes at the seminary and traveled widely over the western United States, preaching nearly every weekend in a local congregation and enlisting financial support and new students for the seminary. For information contact: Ann Hafften, Dir., ELCA News Service, (312) 380-2058; Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Dir., (312) 380-2955; Lia Christiansen, Asst. Dir., (312) 380-2956