Title: More than Eight Million Dollars Given to ELCA Seminary
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

May 6, 1998

MORE THAN EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS GIVEN TO ELCA SEMINARY
98-16-103-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "Good morning!  In fact, extraordinary morning!"
the Rev. H. Frederick Reisz, Jr., president of Lutheran Theological
Southern Seminary, greeted reporters April 21 in Columbia, S.C.  He
announced that an anonymous gift of $7,622,737.45 -- the largest single
contribution ever to a Lutheran seminary in North America -- and a planned
gift of $625,000 had been given to the seminary.
     Southern is one of eight seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America.  The $7.6 million gift is more than twice as much as
what had been the largest single gift to an ELCA seminary.
     "This historic gift is more than twice our annual budget of $3.2
million," said Reisz.  "The major portion of this extraordinary new
resource will be used as endowment funds for the long- range financial
strength of our seminary.  These funds will provide scholarships for our
students."
     The unrestricted money will also be used to install modern media
technology for distance learning and to supplement faculty resources.  A
portion will be used to complete work on the Virginia Casey Interactive
Education Center and to begin construction on half of the Wilson L. Smith
Family Village of student housing.
     "Through this gift, a humble anonymous donor has emphasized the
importance of the seminary's mission of theological education and the
formation of women and men for the ministries of the church, for spiritual
leadership in society and for ethical loving service in the world," said
Reisz.  "This gift is a tribute to the dedication of Southern Seminary's
faculty and staff for 168 years and honors the excellence of our students.
This amazing gift is from a generous donor who has utilized what God places
in human hands in order to benefit the
church for generations to come."
     The seminary is in the midst of a three-year appeal to raise $10.6
million for campus improvements.  Gifts and pledges had already exceeded
$11.8 million by the end of 1997.
     In addition to the anonymous gift, the Rev. Carl and Miriam Fisher
announced a planned gift which will eventually bring $625,000 to the
seminary.  Carl Fisher is president of Southern's alumni association.
     "Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary is a professional graduate
school of about 180 students.  We educate for ministry not only Lutheran
students, but have students studying here from more than a dozen Christian
denominations. Our students come from across the nation to study here in
Columbia and prepare for servant leadership in the church," said Reisz.


For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html