21 STUDENTS ADMITTED TO BACHELOR’S AND MASTER’S PROGRAMS
Tartu Academy of Theology and the Lutheran Church Seminary launched the new academic year together with a festive service and ceremony on September 10. Bishop Ove Sander, Rector of the Seminary, preached during the service, and Archbishop of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church, Urmas Viilma, welcomed all the students at the ceremony.
It was a joyful and encouraging day, as 21 new students began their journey in theological education with the goal of contributing to church life in Estonia: 16 in the Bachelor’s program and 5 in the Master’s program. The vast majority of them are planning to become pastors or serve in pastoral care.
We pray that God would grant them wisdom and endurance, as the path to becoming a pastor is quite long—especially for Bachelor’s students. After completing the three-year BA program, they must continue with a two-year MA program, followed by an additional year of pastoral training, including an internship.
Altogether, we have 127 students enrolled in our joint academic program with the Lutheran Church Seminary. That number may seem small at first glance, but in context, it’s quite significant.
Given Estonia’s population size, having 127 students is proportionally similar to a college in the U.S. with over 30,000 students all studying theology.
Please join us in praying for these students as they grow in knowledge and faith, and for the teachers who guide and support them. May the Lord richly bless this new academic year.
50 NEW STUDENTS AT BIBLE SCHOOL
On September 22, we gave thanks for God’s great miracle—that from small and humble beginnings, something big can grow. When we launched the Bible School in autumn 2020, we couldn’t have imagined such a blessing or that we would come this far. Now, we’ve started our 6th year with 50 new students!
Since 2020, a total of 350 people have taken part in Bible School, all eager to grow in their understanding of God’s Word. Half of the students attend online, while the other half come every Monday evening to the Home of Hope to enjoy learning and fellowship with fellow Christians.
Bible School is a wonderful opportunity for people who don’t wish to pursue a BA or MA degree but still want to deepen their knowledge of the Bible. It also offers the flexibility of online learning for those who need it.
Each evening’s program consists of a one-hour introduction to a book of the Bible, followed by a second hour of deeper teaching based on Luke and Acts, studied chapter by chapter. In between, there is a 30-minute coffee break for fellowship.
This year, six of our participants are not members of any church, and we also have good number of young adults and youth joining us.
We are praying that these students will become good seed for the continued proclamation of God’s Word in Estonia. Our goal is to equip them with knowledge and encouragement so they can take responsibility in their home congregations and communities by leading small Bible study groups. Please join us in this prayer.
OUR SITUATION
Thank you for your prayers and support.
At the moment, we’re still significantly behind our budget—by $59,359. The good news is that over the past three months, income has been fairly stable. The challenge is that income during the second quarter of this year was unexpectedly low.
We kindly ask for your help in covering this deficit.
Regular gifts throughout the year help us maintain stable funding. With online giving through Charity Lutheran Church, it’s easy to set up recurring monthly donations.
Our mission has been active for 33 years. Let’s continue this work together for generations to come.
