Dear heavenly father,

Dear heavenly father,

We thank you for providing these young men and women with caring parents, teachers, and pastors who have encouraged them on their way to service for you. May you continue to guide them as they begin their service to Christ Jesus carrying the gospel message to all parts of the world. Encourage, guide, and bless them with a servant’s heart that they may joyfully and enthusiastically proclaim his name, Our Savior, to the world. In his name we pray, Amen.
Joan M Richards

Dearest Lord of the Church, we glorify your name!

Dearest Lord of the Church, we glorify your name!

You have gifted us with our workers and our worker training program. We thank you for your providence!

Please, as only you are able, continue to bless and keep Martin Luther College. Provide her with all necessary servants: a Christ-centered leadership staff, spirit-filled and scripture-loving professors and instructors, and the silent army of servants who move her along each day.
Prove your fatherly care over the students who fill her classrooms. As they are away from their families, comfort them with the certainty of adoption as sons and daughters of the King. May there be peace, friendship, laughter, and joy among the brothers and sisters in Christ on campus!

When they do return home, grant them all traveling safety. May those hearts who long to have them back in open arms, receive them with all eagerness and celebration. Offer these students the opportunity to exercise what you teach to them within their own home congregations that they might witness the Word at work!

Finally, among those of us who look back at your campus with fond memory of our own instruction, privilege us with the opportunity to participate in the support of these servants and students. Whether financially, personally, or in prayer, permit us to play a role in your grand plan for Martin Luther College.

Dearest Lord of the Church, we glorify your name! Amen!

Lord Jesus, thank you for a wonderful college …

Lord Jesus, thank you for a wonderful college …

that trains young men and women to be pastors, teachers and staff ministers. Continue to be with the students and professors to work while it is day and to have a joyful attitude day after day. Please allow the students and staff to let their light shine in all they do, so more may come to know you and your love. I thank you for this college!

Lord of the Church, you have told us that the harvest is plentiful …

Lord of the Church, you have told us that the harvest is plentiful and the workers are few.

You also told us to plead with the Father to send out workers into the harvest field. Because you say so, we do so.

Lord, please continue to bless Martin Luther College with students willing to serve in the fields. Provide teachers who can prepare them for service in your Church.

We know that your Church will bud and flourish regardless of us. We also know that it is not our strength or our power, but your Word that bears fruit. We cling to that promise also. Let your Word come down like rain and snow. Let it bring forth fruit. Continue to allow us to be a part of that. Keep us faithful in our task: learning your Word so that we might scatter your seed faithfully.

We ask all things in the name of Christ. We say, “Your will be done.” And we know your will is good, for we have seen Christ on the cross for us and so we know your will and desire: that all would be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. Amen.

~ Pr. Benjamin Tomczak, Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church and School, Sioux Falls, SD

Dear Holy Spirit, You have blessed us …

Dear Holy Spirit, You have blessed us …

with a next generation to pass on Your Word of Truth to and to train to take that Word, on our behalf and to Your glory, to this crooked generation, to straighten them out for time and eternity with the beautiful message of sins forgiven through the perfect life, innocent death, and glorious resurrection of our Beautiful Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for MLC! In Jesus’ name I pray!

~ Robb Robbert, Wasilla, Alaska

Lord Jesus, Savior of the Nations …

Lord Jesus, Savior of the Nations …

Lord of the Church, King of kings, and Lord of lords!

You have promised to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. Today I come humbly to your throne of grace and ask you to fulfill that promise among us. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us as we celebrate your gifts to the church–men and women who are willing to prepare for public ministry. Remind us of the blessing that MLC is to our synod. Enable us here at MLC to carry out our mission of training a corps of Christian witnesses who meet the ministry needs of WELS.

Confident that you hear and answer our prayers I place all our needs in your hands. Amen.

~ Pastor Michael Otterstatter – VP for Mission Advancement at MLC