Each new school year there is excitement at the seminary. Some of that excitement comes from the students and faculty being reunited after the break or students being introduced to new coursework and studies as they continue to learn. Sometimes the greatest joy is witnessed in the first year students as they begin their seminary journey.

This year the Lutheran Church of Uganda (LCU) has sent new students to the seminary from the Eastern Deanery, the Midwest, and a new area from the Northern Deanery. The LCU has also welcomed more South Sudanese students from the refugee settlements in Northern Uganda to study at the Lutheran Theological College Uganda (LTCU).

When listening to the students, it gives great encouragement of how the Holy Spirit is growing the church in Uganda. Several of the year one students have a great love for languages and are eager to use those skill sets in preaching and teaching in their home regions.

Others understand their position as new students at the LTCU as an opportunity for evangelism work with family, friends and neighbors. They are able to share about how the Lord has called them to study at the seminary as a way to share about the Lord’s work in Uganda through the LCU.

All the men are eager to learn more in their classes and already generate great discussion as they grow as theologians. Their excitement is also encouraging to the other year two and year four students. Even though they are excited about being called to serve in this way, they do not enter the seminary lightly. They are also aware of the challenges of studying full time. Please pray for these men as they embark on their seminary studies, as they learn, grow in the faith and faithfully serve God’s people in Uganda.

Life and Mission Update

Besides serving in our daily roles at the seminary, this past September and October we were able to participate in other ministry opportunities.

This past September the Lutheran Church of Uganda (LCU) held their Partners Conference, which occurs every two years. This allows the LCU to provide ministry updates to the partnering LCMS congregations, an opportunity to provide strategic mission and vision for the next two years and for partners to share updates from short team visits. We are thankful we were able to support the LCU leadership by attending, as well as interacting with the partners who have a love for the people and the LCU’s ministry.

While in the United States we were also briefly able to connect with family, friends and congregations that support the Lord’s work in Uganda in various ways. We praise God for those moments!

Each year we are also grateful for the opportunity to gather together with other LCMS missionaries from the East and South Africa region. This year we met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and were taught by Dr. Jeff Oshwald from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. Our topic was “Reading Acts as Scripture” which was a welcomed and reassuring topic.

It is always very encouraging when our team is able to gather. We support each other with conversation, prayer and joining together in worship. Studying Acts was a great reminder of how we live and serve together as members of the Church, while focusing on Christ. For many of us, this was poignant as we live and serve alongside church bodies in East Africa and work together to carry on Christ’s mission of the church.

Mark and Megan Mantey serve the Lord through The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod as career missionaries in Uganda. Mark serves as the project manager for the seminary, and Megan is the seminary’s instructor of Christian education and counseling. You can follow their work at www.facebook.com/MissionMindedManteys.