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1 Table of Contents Pages 1 Brief Historical Background 1 2 President of the Lutheran Church of South Sudan 2 3 Academic Dean 4 Office of Registrar 5 TLS Faculty in Pictures 6 Group of Choirs Brief Historical Background Trinity Lutheran Seminary is a theological seminary of the Lutheran Church of South Sudan. The seminary was established in September 2014 in Western Ethiopia city of Gambella as a result of brutal and deadly violence that claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced missions internally and forced millions more to cross borders for safety. Ethiopia hosts 280,000 refugees forced to flee atrocities and violence in South Sudan. The Lutheran Church of South Sudan has also relocated its head office to Gambella as a result of the same violence. The aims of the Trinity Lutheran Seminary is to prepare and equip faithful pastors to raise above the diving walls of the conflict and to proclaim the Gospel of hope, peace, love and reconciliation. The seminary offers certificate and diploma programs and partnered with Mekane Yesus Seminary to offer of Bachelor of Theology (BTH) and Master of Divinity (MDiv). The Trinity Lutheran Seminary has also partnered with Institute of Lutheran Theology (ITL), an independent Lutheran theological seminary in the United States. The ILT s Dean of Educational Ministry, Rev. Doug Morton, will spent summer (June 27 July 22) 2016 teaching Greek New Testament. The Institute of Lutheran Theology plans to offer master s certificate to the Trinity Lutheran Seminary students and faculty as part of the partnership. The Trinity Lutheran Seminary spent the first two years at the Presbytery while planning to build multipurpose facility at its new compound. A goal has been set for the seminary to complete building of two classrooms, a library and office spaces at the new compound before the next academic year. 1

2 President of the Lutheran Church of South Sudan Friends in Christ, It is a privilege and honor to stand before you graduating the first cohort of the LCSS Trinity Lutheran Seminary. This is the first graduating class of the seminary. God works mysteriously. Reflecting back on the path to the establishment of this seminary is both exciting and emotional. It was a little over two years ago when brutal and deadly violence rocked our beloved South Sudan and driven 280,000 refugees to Ethiopia. The refugees arrived weak, exhausted and broken in body, mind and soul. They lost everything to the war, but God. Today, Ethiopia has once again become a home for the South Sudanese refugees. My sincere and heartfelt gratitude goes to our host country, Ethiopia, and especially to the Gambella State President, Gatluak Tut Khot, for outstanding hospitality hosting and providing security for thousands of refugees in the state. Ethiopia is truly a home away from home. As mentioned above, God is mysterious. This mysterious God transformed refugee weaknesses and brokenness into strength and courage to proclaim Gospel with boldness. St. Paul echoes this transformation. The power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Over the last two years, the Lutheran Church of South Sudan was privileged to shine light of the Gospel in the 2

3 darkest valley and shadow of death (Psalm 23:4). The church proclaimed victory over suffering and death through Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57). We are grateful to God for the establishment of the growing congregations in the refugee camps and in Gambella region; and of the seminary, the Trinity Lutheran Seminary. The aims of the seminary is to prepare and equip faithful pastors to rise above the diving walls of the conflict and proclaim the Gospel of hope, love, healing and reconciliation. Today, the vision and dream come true by graduating the first cohort of the seminary. The establishment of the Trinity Lutheran came as a result of tireless efforts from the leadership of the Lutheran Church of South Sudan that set short and long term vision for the church. The vision was to prepare and equip faithful pastors to meet immediate spiritual needs of the refugees traumatized by war, coupled with raising future leaders for the church. I extended profound joy and gratitude to the first committee tasked to create the curriculum for the seminary. These dedicated individuals include the first Academic Dean of the seminary, Rev. Mathew Riek Joak, the President of Western Gambella Bethel Synod of the EECMY, Rev. Ding Gach Gor, two faculty members of the Mekane Yesus Seminary, and the Mekane Yesus Board Member to Accreditation for Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA). This huge undertaking could not have been possible without the blessing and guidance from the Mekane Yesus Seminary President, Rev. Dr. Belay Olam. Our international friends in Christ and partners in ministry from North America and Europe have also played crucial roles in addressing the spiritual needs of the refugees. The same sincere heartfelt gratitude goes to LCSS North American Advisory Board, member congregations of the 1 Lutheran Congregations for Mission in Christ (LCMC) and North American Lutheran Church (NALC), staff and faculty of the Institute of Lutheran Theology and the Double Key Foundation in Holland for praying for and walking with the Lutheran Church of South Sudan and the people of South Sudan during such a difficult time. Their prayers and financial supports enabled the LCSS to proclaim the with boldness amidst of brokenness and despair. June 25 th is a historical day in the history of the Lutheran Church. It was June 25, 1530 that Augsburg Confession, the 28 articles that constitutes the basic confession of the Lutheran Churches was presented to the Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Augburg in Germany. 2 June 25, 2016 also marked a historical day for Lutheran Church of South Sudan s Trinity Lutheran Seminary that graduates the first cohort after successful completion course works. The leadership of the LCSS and of seminary is working with our international partners to create welcoming learning environment for the young seminary. Many of you are aware of the brick making machine to be imported for the building of the seminary and of the church. The LCSS ran into some obstacles with Ethiopian custom that demands outrageous tariff. Nevertheless, the LCSS is not only still working on the import of the machine, but also set an immediate goal to 2 Proper citation 3

4 complete building of two classrooms, a library and two office spaces with cement blocks before the beginning of the next academic year. Finally, I would like to take exception opportunity to congratulate the graduating class of 2016 for hard work. The time you spent at the seminary is worth the challenge. Please allow me to acknowledge sacrifices your spouses, children and parents made allowing you to spent time away from home for theological study. Your passion, dedication and hard work have earned you recognitions beyond classrooms. The seminary has prepared and equipped you to advance God s Kingdom on earth and conferred upon you the certificates of completion of your study. You will soon be ordained and called into the ministry of the Word and Sacrament. Thanks for accepting to proclaim the Gospel with boldness and to fulfil the Great commission. I am proud of our achievement. I am also grateful for the outstanding staff and faculty of the Trinity Lutheran Theological Seminary. Rev. Jordan M Long President 4

5 Academic Dean On behalf of the Trinity Lutheran Seminary and of the Lutheran Church of South Sudan, I am grateful for the opportunity to address the 2016 Graduates of this young theological seminary. The only way to know God and to shepherd God s flocks is to be biblically and theologically prepare and equip for the proclamation of the Gospel; and that is what you accomplished at the Trinity Lutheran Seminary. It is incredible to reflect back on how far you began theological study and where you successfully and amazing complete courses of study. During your two years of study, you participated and passed different class assignments, activities, chapel worships, conferences and workshops. These activities helped form and equip you for future ministry in the Lutheran Church of South Sudan. In such a long journey, you have come across different challenges and difficulties. Nevertheless, God s abundance compassion, love, guidance, courage and strength have carried you to the completion of your study. The seminary faculty have tirelessly invested tremendous theological knowledge in you to be the best 5

6 ambassadors for Christ and to advance God s Kingdom with boldness. This transformation of has pruned and revitalized your knowledge; making you different persons than you started. Hereafter people will come to you seeking answer for their questions. They will come to you not because you have answer for every question, but because you have the Word of God that gives hope to the hopeless, heals the sick, cheers up the worried, loves the discounted, forgives the sinners and transforms lives into everlasting life. As the Academic Dean of of the Trinity Lutheran Seminary, I want to assure all your families, friends, sponsors and well-wishers that you have done a great job and have completed all the academic requirements for the graduation. I am so congratulatory to confer upon you graduating certificates with all the rights, honors and privileges as well as with its obligations and responsibilities. You are now theologians obliged to fight inequality, prejudice and gender equality against women. The seminary is overconfident in you because of the works well done. W believe there are areas of progress in our works and so aspire for higher standard. The seminary has strategic plan and will play a greater role of capacity development. The plans to offers bachelor and master degree programs to improve the capacity of faculty, pastors and staffs. The Trinity Lutheran Seminary partners with other institutes and seminaries to fulfilled this strategy plan. We are thankful to our partners in ministry who have prayerfully and financially stood with us. These partners include member congregations of the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC), North American Lutheran Church (NALC), Institute of Lutheran Theology (ILT), Double Key Foundation (DKF), individuals and many other organizations. I ask forgiveness from countless generous donors whose name have not been mentioned. As the Dean of the seminary, I invite all to join Trinity Lutheran Seminary s 2016 Commencement. This is the day the LORD has mad; let us rejoice and be glade in it (Psalm 118:24). It is time to fulfill the Great Commission: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit behold, I am with you to the end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20). My fellow new graduates, you are the future of our church. You have accomplished you goal. Go in peace and serve the Lord! Gatluak Dup Bichok (MTLC) 6

7 TLS Academic Dean Message from the Registrar On behalf of Registrar s Office of the Trinity Lutheran Seminary, I congratulate all new graduates of the seminary. The theological preparedness obtained from this institution will bring changes in character and attitude and will improve evangelical witness to the Gospel in the congregations the new graduates will serve. It is time to transform the classroom experience into pastoral skills. As God was with Moses in the wilderness, He will neither leave your nor forsake you (Joshua 1:5) in your new ministries. God has prepared and called you to faithfully proclaim the Gospel and shepherd God s flocks. As you graduate from this theological seminary, the seminary s staff and faculty expect you to be biblically and theological grounded in your and serve congregations with knowledge. Again, I congratulate you and praise and glory be to God for your accomplishment. Rev. Simon Ruot Riang TLS Registrar 7

8 Acknowledgement of the Mission Team The Lutheran Church of South Sudan is blessed with outstanding growing international relationships and partnerships. The LCSS has partnered with Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC), North American Lutheran Church (NALC), Institute of Lutheran Theology and Double Key Foundation in Holland. Today, we are privileged to acknowledge the presence of a mission team from the United States. Rev. Doug Morton, Rev. Dr. Brad Miller, Pamela Stourenburg and Susan Mckenzie have joined us in celebrating the graduation of the first cohort of the LCSS Trinity Lutheran Seminary. This is the second visit for Rev. Morton and Dr. Miller from the Institute of Lutheran Theology. These remarkable theologians are here to teach Greek New Testament and to offer seminars; a fruitful growing relationship between the Institute of Lutheran Theology and the Lutheran Church of South Sudan. Pamila Stourenburg and Susan Mckenzie from Grace Lutheran Church (LCMC) are faithful women inspirited and moved by tragic civil war in South Sudan. They are here to listen to the histories from vulnerable victims 8

9 of the war, the children, most of whom are orphans and the women, most of who are widows and to assist in anyway possible. Please join me in welcoming our mission team. TLS Class of 2016 in Pictures Faculty 9

10 Students and Faculty 10

11 The first Cohort: 2016 Certificate program Martha Nyarak (God is great) Rev. David Bum (Hope with Jesus Christ) Jacob Tongyik Deang (Lord is my ways) Martha Nyabang Gach (Fear of the Lord is beginning of wisdom) Second Year Students 11

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13 First Year Students Lutheran Church of South Sudan Compound (TLS) 13

14 Fence Mission Trip at Kule Refugee Camp Congregation 14

15 Kule one refugee camp Lutheran Church of South Sudan worship Orphan Children at Class Room 15

16 Lutheran Church of South Sudan has been licensed to minister to South Sudanese refugees camps in Ethiopia Trinity Lutheran Church LCSS offers Nuer Bible to TLS lecturers and Leaders Donation of Double Key Foundation Organization in Holland (Hollman Student Bibles) 16

17 Donation of King of King Lutheran Church of United State of America Donation of Institute of Lutheran Theological 17

18 Trinity Lutheran Seminary 2016 ceremony 18

19 Church leaders from Lutheran Church of South Sudan 19

20 Lutheran Church of South Sudan (Income generation for orphan women at Makuey District town of Nyinenyagn) 20

21 Mission Trip from Institute of Lutheran Theology and Partner of North America 21

22 Choirs 22

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