The Lord’s Day
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| On October 13, 1846, the American Home Missionary Society commissioned the Rev. Peter and Mrs. Sophie Flury of Switzerland to minister among German immigrants in the village of Dubuque, Iowa. The German Evangelical Church was established in Dubuque on December 25, 1848, and in 1852 the Rev. Adrian Van Vliet became its pastor. Later that year, he tutored two young brothers for the ministry. During the next twelve years, he prepared about twenty young men who established German-speaking churches in the surrounding areas. In 1854, the German Evangelical Church became the German Presbyterian Church.
In 1864, Adrian Van Vliet assigned responsibility for his program to the Presbytery of Dubuque and the Presbytery of Dane (Wisconsin), forming the German Theological School of the Northwest. In 1870, the General Assembly assumed responsibility for the renamed German Presbyterian Theological School of the Northwest. It continued to train pastors for the German-speaking churches in the Midwest. In subsequent years, the seminary expanded, the name changed, and the English language was adopted for instruction. In 1920, the institution became the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary (UDTS). Until the admissions policy was altered in 1928 to permit Methodist students to enroll, the seminary trained young men solely for ministry in the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. The seminary eventually admitted students from any denomination as well as women. Adrian Van Vliet’s original vision of training pastors has not changed. Men and women have gone to all parts of the nation and around the world, and many students from other countries have been trained in this seminary. UDTS has also prepared more Native Americans for the ordained ministry than all other seminaries combined. Committed to the mission of preparing faithful pastors, the faculty called to scholarship in the service of the church continues to make a significant contribution to theological literature. —Joel L. Samuels, university archivist, University of Dubuque Theological Seminary |
 2 Sam. 11:26—12:13a Have Mercy on Us, Living Lord PH 195 God, Be Merciful to Me HB 282 Ps. 51:1–12 PH 196, PPCS 47 Eph. 4:1–16 The Church’s One Foundation PH 442, HB 437 John 6:24–35 Here, O Our Lord, We See You Face to Face PH 520 Here, O My Lord, I See Thee Face to Face HB 442 |
 Eternal God, the God who reigns from age to age, we give thanks for the vision of those who cared deeply for the spiritual mentoring of immigrants, preparing men and women to be faithful pastors. We give thanks for the expansion of this seminary, preparing clergy and laity to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and nurture his disciples. We pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to work through this seminary. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. |
