“I knew I wanted to become a Lutheran teacher by my senior year of high school for a couple reasons,” Aaron Hentges shares. “I felt God was calling me, both through my instructors and pastors and my heart. I would never have become a teacher if not for teachers and coaches who demonstrated a Christ-like love for me consistently for four years.”

For Aaron, his career path has recently brought him back to where it all started—St. Paul Lutheran High School in Concordia. After several years of teaching History at The Lutheran High School of Kansas City, Aaron is now beginning his new role as Director of Admissions and teacher for his alma mater. It’s now his opportunity to do for others what his teachers did for him.

As is our tradition each fall, the Missouri District is pleased to celebrate Tomorrow’s Teachers & Preachers—the campaign to promote church work vocations and give a boost to our scholarship endowment. For more than 40 years, students from Missouri preparing for service in the church have benefitted from these scholarships to help defray the cost of tuition at schools within the Concordia University System or either LCMS seminary.

Aaron Hentges himself was a recipient of one of these scholarships while in college and is well aware of the impact it can make. Even beyond the collegiate experience, he also notes this assistance will have an impact for years to come. “A scholarship could help jump start families that have a greater level of financial freedom without college debt. A scholarship will allow for education, but an education allows for the building of strong families of faith.”

It’s for this reason—the impact on families present and future—that Tomorrow’s Teachers & Preachers is in place. Today I invite you to continue your encouragement for these upcoming workers by joining the effort. Would you please prayerfully consider making a gift to the scholarship endowment that will provide support to those furthering their education in preparation for these roles in God’s kingdom? Gifts can be made online at mo.lcms.org/donate, via mail, or through your congregation’s offering plate.

We boldly take these steps today so that—by God’s grace and with His guidance—the ministries of the LCMS will be served by an abundance of workers for years to come. Thank you for caring for these servants and the generations they will serve.