On February 4th the rector of a large church in the northeast wrote his parishioners about a beloved associate accepting a call to become a rector elsewhere.   His letter spoke of the community's love over the past several years for this priest associate, the many gifts he brought to the ministry of the parish, and the parish's gift to him of preparation to shepherd a new flock.  His last Sunday was announced as was a reception to celebrate his ministry and time to enjoy memories with him.  The question of a parish gift was addressed. "I know what he would really like: some assistance in paying down his seminary student loans," wrote the rector.   

Seminarian debt affects the whole Church.  A senior seminarian expressed her pleasure that her original sense of a call to serve a rural parish remains with her.  She then conveyed frustration at not being able to investigate such a call because rural parishes cannot pay her enough to service her seminary debt.  The Church, her parishes and parishioners lose when a solvable problem, the burden of seminarian debt, cause those with the courage to say "yes" to God to say "no" to specific needs of the Church.  

Within its advocacy ministry for seminarians, SIM has focused on raising awareness of the cost to all Episcopalians of the high levels of debt incurred by many seminarians to answer their calls to serve God in The Episcopal Church.  For the past six years, SIM in conjunction with the Church Pension Group has invested in anonymously gathering indebtedness data from middler year seminarians.  This year for the first time SIM and CPG are using an online survey.  The multi-year data reveal a daunting trend reflected in the challenges of the beloved associate moving on to a new call, but with old debt, and the seminarian without the resources to consider parishes with the traits of her enduring sense of call.  

Theological Education Sunday was February 7th.  The readings for last Sunday included Isaiah's timeless response, "Here am I; send me!"   Our seminarians have answered that call.  Please help SIM minister to them.

Faithfully,

Tom Moore
Executive Director
SIM