The Donor’s

Report
July 1, 2008 - December 31, 2009
 About the

Donor’s Report
This donor’s report is a transitional version of the seminary’s

annual report. It is different in three very distinct ways.

The first way is that this is an 18-month report instead of the

usual 12 months. This is the result of an intentional desire to create

a more donor-friendly report in the future by changing from a fiscal

year report to a calendar year report. Next year, plans are in place

to have a January-December 2010 report. Please bear with us as we

make the transition in our reporting to you and also keep in mind

that this report is for July 1, 2008 - December 31, 2009.

The second transition is that for the first time, the report is

primarily an electronic publication available at www.ltss.edu. In

an effort to help save the earth’s resources, and the gifts you have

entrusted to the seminary, the report is not being mass produced and

mailed. A limited amount of printed copies are available by calling

803-461-3296 or sending an email to andrewboozer@ltss.edu.

The third is the separation of the report to donors and the lists

of donors. This separation enables you to download the documents

more quickly and makes them more printer-friendly if you choose to

do so. The documents also have a search feature to help you easily

find the information that is most important to you. You may view

each of these documents at www.ltss.edu/donorreport.

 From the President

Dear Friends,

Greetings in the name of Jesus, the Christ.

We could not have done it without you.

I am always careful about sentences like that since it

is often easy to overstate the case and overestimate the
present at the expense of the past. But the sentence is true.
Without your help, without your gifts, without your words
of encouragement, without your advocacy for the seminary,
without your invitation to others to be donors, I simply don’t
know how we would have been able to continue through the
past eighteen months.

During the past eighteen months, we have seen a decline in

synodical support and the yield from invested funds has nearly
disintegrated. Our students continue to shoulder their portion
of the load through tuition payments (often made with student
loan money), faculty and staff have taken voluntary 10%
salary reductions, and we defer maintenance to another time.

Your generous gifts, though, have filled enough of the vacuum so that our mission of teaching,
forming, and nurturing women and men for public ministry continues. And we are not just limping
along – this mission continues in strength with professors who are dedicated to preparing the best leaders
for service and a staff that learns every day how to do more with less and work together to support the
work of the seminary.

Thank you seems too small a comment to make, but I know no other words. You have made a
difference: in the life of the Seminary, in the lives of students, in the vocation of dedicated teachers of the
church, and in the well-being of the church.

We trust God’s promises and this year you have been a part of the way in which the promise of 2
Corinthians 8.9 has been fulfilled for us:

“God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of
everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.”

Thank you for being a part of God’s providence and may we learn from your example how to share
abundantly with others.

In Christ,

Marcus Miller, President

Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary
 LTSS at a Glance
It’s no secret that the 18 months represented in the report

represent one of the worst global economic environments in almost a

century.

However, things are not all bleak for Southern Seminary.

Your gifts enabled the seminary to make significant gains in key

areas, including overwhelming support of the New Life Fund, the

seminary’s annual fund for operational support. You helped lessen

the blow caused by the major decline in endowment income. Thank

you!

In the areas the seminary can most control, like Gifts and Grants,

Operations, Tuition and Fees, you see stability and growth. It’s our

goal to keep this momentum going as we look forward to a more

stable and growing economic climate.

It is also important to note that the rise in tuition income in

2009 was not due to tuition increases (your seminary’s Trustees

acted boldly to freeze tuition and rent levels to lessen the burden

on our future Christian leaders), but rather an increase in student

enrollment. Thanks be to God!

While it’s not all good news, please take a moment celebrate with

the seminary and the 1,960 other donors in the success that you have

enabled for this special place.

You make the seminary what it is today—a place to teach, form,

and nurture the future leaders of Christ’s Church.

 2009-2010 Budget Resource Stewardship

Student Education & Support Programs

$1,853,714

Student Support & Administration

$1,466,793

Grants & Scholarships

$400,000

Physical Plant & Maintenance

(including debt service) $1,230,831

$4,951,338

By The Numbers*

Sources of Support
$1,004,383
Total Gifts the New Life Fund

$2,109,834
Gifts for Endowed Scholarships &
Student Assistance

29%
Alumni Giving Percentage

4,708
Gifts made to the seminary

1,961
Total donors to the seminary
(1,268 to the New life Fund)

$386.60
Average Gift Amount to
the New Life Fund

* Data from July 1, 2008 - December 31, 2009

 18-Month Timeline
July 2008
September 2008
162 students begin the academic
year, a 5% increase from the
previous year. As the year begins,
the seminary community held a Rite
of Naming and Dedicating for the
Hillcrest Apartment Complex. At
the worship service and ceremony,
the playground and 12 apartments
were named after seminary donors
and friends and was representative
of more than $1.2 million of gifts.
January 2009
The seminary’s operating budget is
cut significantly, eliminating 20%
of non-classroom staff positions.
Over 80% of the remaining faculty
and staff voluntarily agree to a
10% pay reduction and reduction
in pension contributions.
May 2009
Anniversary classes gave gifts in
excess of $35,000 at Alumni Day.
The following day 41 women and
men received theological degrees
at commencement , including 2
honorary degrees to President
Michael Creed Maxey of Roanoke
College and Bishop Philip Lok Oi
Peng of the Lutheran Church of
Malaysia and Singapore.
September 2009
168 students begin the Fall
semester, a 3% increase from the
previous year. For the second
straight year, the seminary takes
significant strides in reaching the
an enrollment goal of 200.
December 2009
During 2009, $700,449.86 was
given by 1,028 donors to
the New Life Fund, a 34% increase
in dollars and 14% increase in
donors from calendar year 2008.
With momentum from the 2007-
2008 fiscal year, which was at
the time the second best year on
record for the New Life Fund at
$407,651, the seminary is hopeful
for a prosperous 2009 fiscal year
to include growth of annual gifts
to the New Life Fund, growth
through endowment income, and
accelerated debt retirement on the
Hillcrest Apartment Complex.
December 2008
With the world’s economy reeling,
donor gifts pour in to help offset
losses from endowment income.
Total calendar year 2008 gifts
to the New Life Fund reached
$469,200.97 by 880 donors.
March 2009
Grants for seminary operational
support from St. Paul Lutheran
Church, Columbia, SC, and the
Charles A. Cannon Charitable
Trusts totalling a combined
$150,000.
June 2009
As the fiscal year ends at the end
of June, donors give total gifts of
$709,546 to the New Life Fund, a
43% increase from fiscal year 2007-
2008. This represents the best year
on record for the New Life Fund.
October 2009
The Board of Trustees adopts
a proposal to create a seminary
futures group to develop a new
economic model for theological
education at LTSS. The committee
will report back the board of
trustees at the March 2010 meeting.
 From the Chair of the Board of Trustees

Dear Friends of Southern Seminary,

In the 1970s Andrew Gold wrote a popular song entitled,

“Thank You for Being a Friend.” His song captures my
gratitude for your friendship with Southern Seminary.

The recent global economic crisis has proven to be a

wake up call to Southern Seminary’s Board of Trustees. At
our October retreat we surfaced a number of issues needing
attention. To address these issues, we directed “that the Pres-
ident and Board Chair form a future’s committee to develop
a new economic model for theological education at LTSS.”
This committee’s initial meeting was held on December 2. A
final report is due to the LTSS Board at its March meeting.

Your continuing friendship will be vital to the implemen-

tation of our new economic model, because we cannot count
on increased support from either churchwide or synodical
sources. Neither can we turn to large tuition increases.

How can you help? Here are some possibilities:

• Increase your contributions to the New Life Fund. Thanks to you, in recent years your gifts have
grown this fund to the $500,000 level. We need to double this response.
• Make another friend of LTSS. Invite others to join you on an annual basis in designated support
of Southern Seminary.
• If you are an LTSS graduate, encourage another graduate to become a friend through contribu-
tions to the Annual Fund.
• Advocate with your congregation to add an LTSS line item in your congregation’s annual budget.
Help your congregation to become a more active friend of LTSS.
• Include Southern Seminary in your estate plans.

“All This and Heaven Too” was the name of Andrew Gold’s album that included “Thank You for
Being a Friend.” The album title reminds me of God’s amazing grace that surrounds and empowers us
in this life and ushers us into the life to come. I thank God for these and all good gifts, even as I thank
God for your gifts already given and your willingness to raise new friends of Southern Seminary.

Your seminary board is committed to these and other initiatives that will strengthen our seminary in
its mission “to teach, form, and nurture women and men for public ministry in a context that is Christ-
centered, faithfully Lutheran, and ecumenically committed.” Thank you for being a friend of Southern
Seminary!

Your Friend,

William B. Trexler, Chair

Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary Board of Trustees
 Ways To Give
Undesignated Gifts
Undesignated gifts support the
general operating expenditures
of the seminary. These gifts help
the seminary today as funds
are applied to current financial
priorities.
Pledges
Monetary gifts may be pledged
over a period of time that the
donor arranges with the semi-
nary.
Designated Gifts
Donors may designate their
gifts for a particular purpose or
program, and the seminary ap-
plies those funds in accordance
with the giver’s stipulations.
Common designations include
scholarships, faculty chairs, and
perpetual funds that provide an-
nual operating funds.
Stocks and Securities
Long-term appreciated securi-
ties or stocks are a convenient
method of contribution and may
be advantageous to the donor
pursuant to IRS regulations.
Gifts of stocks and securities can
be designated or undesignated as
the donor chooses.
Real Property
Marketable real estate, personal
property, long-term capital as-
sets, or gifts in kind of estab-
lished value may be contributed
with tax benefits accruing to the
donor. As with any other gift,
the purpose can be designated or
undesignated.
Planned Gifts
Many of our donors choose to
make legacy gifts through ben-
eficiary arrangements on new or
existing life insurance, annuities,
IRAs, and other retirement pro-
grams. Other donors include the
seminary in their last will and
testament. Donors who desire
to receive income from an asset
during their lifetimes and leave
a remainder at the end of their
lives often choose to use a Chari-
table Gift Annuity or a Chari-
table Remainder UniTrust. Both
vehicles provide tax deductibility
for eligible donors and an in-
come stream for the donors for
as long as they live. The semi-
nary is the beneficiary of several
of these planned charitable giv-
ing vehicles through the ELCA
Foundation and the Lutheran
Community Foundation.

Annual Giving
by Individuals
The Rev. John Bachman
Club, $10,000+
17 members, gave $660,658.95,
including 9 giving $143,854.93
to the New Life Fund
Founders’ Club, $5,000+
14 members, gave $91,447.90,
including 10 giving $46,276.00
to the New Life Fund
Trustees’ Club, $1,000+
147 members, gave $238,968.94,
including 105 giving $140,759.94
to the New Life Fund
Presidents’ Club, $500+
111 members, gave $74,493.90,
including 87 giving $53,203.00
to the New Life Fund
Deans’ Club, $250+
141 members, gave $45,852.61,
including 119 giving $37,031.61
to the New Life Fund
Faculty Club, $100+
524 members, gave $69,454.14,
including 393 giving $49,643.00
to the New Life Fund
Stewards’ Club, $1+
603 members, gave $21,774.15,
including 404 giving $14,297.65
to the New Life Fund
Giving Societies Reports
Annual Giving
by Religious
Organizations
The Rev. John Bachman
Club, $10,000+
12 groups, gave $1,808,003.59,
including 9 giving $1,90,178.37
to the New Life Fund
Founders’ Club, $5,000+
2 groups, gave $$14,326.39,
including 2 giving $14,326.39
to the New Life Fund
Trustees’ Club, $1,000+
38 groups, gave $74,448.73,
including 22 giving $47,237.83
to the New Life Fund
Presidents’ Club, $500+
43 groups, gave $24, 274.33,
including 17 giving $9,283.94
to the New Life Fund
Deans’ Club, $250+
26 groups, gave $7,946.10,
including 11 giving $2,988.96
to the New Life Fund
Businesses, Corporations,
Faculty Club, $100+
32 groups, gave $4,707.06, and Other Groups
including 19 giving $2,644
to the New Life Fund
Stewards’ Club, $1+
25 groups, gave $763.00
including 19 giving $548.00
to the New Life Fund
The Greever Society
for Lifetime Giving
Visionary Club, $100,000+
23 members have given lifetime gifts
totaling $36,643,914.05.
Sustainer Club, $50,000+
76 members have given lifetime gifts
totaling $14,379,618.65.
Founder Club, $25,000+
140 members have given lifetime gifts
totaling $7,043,177.94.
Other Gifts
Southern Legacy Society
189 members have arranged a planned
gift to the seminary.
Estate, Foundation, &
Trust Gifts
39 estates, foundations, and trusts
made gifts to the seminary since July
2008, totaling $2,225210.16.
27 businesses, corporations, and other
groups made gifts totaling $85,216.94.
Alumni Giving
474 alumni gave $401,986.58,
including $265,861.47 to the
New Life Fund.
 Fall 2009 Enrollment
Enrollment: 167
112 Full-time 55 Part-time
Programs of Study
116 Masters of Divinity
26 Master of Arts in Religion
7 Master of Sacred Theology
18 Non-degree or other
Ecumenical Student
Body:
118 ELCA
22 United Methodist
17 Baptist
4 Episcopal
1 Catholic
1 Presbyterian
4 Other
Faculty
The Rev. Dr. Marcus J. Miller
President
The Rev. Dr. Virginia C. Barfield
Dean and Vice President
of Academic Affairs
The Rev. Dr. Daniel M. Bell Jr.
Professor of Theological Ethics
The Rev. Dr. Julius Carroll
Associate Professor of
Contextual Education
Dr. I. Brent Driggers
Associate Professor of New
Testament
The Rev. Dr. Daryl S. Everett
Dewey F. Beam Professor of
Pastoral Care
Dr. Lynn A.Feider
Director of the Library &
Professor of Bibliography
The Rev. Shauna Hannan
Assistant Professor of Homiletics
The Rev. Dr. Mary B. Havens
H. George Anderson Professor of
Church History
Diverse Enrollment:
101 men
66 Women
139 Caucasian
24 African-American
2 Asian
1 Tanzanian
1 Swedish
Widespread Ministry:
24 ELCA Synods are represented
Region 9 Synods:
30 South Carolina
29 North Carolina
20 Southeastern
11 Florida-Bahamas
4 Virginia
Dr. Robert D. Hawkins
Leonora G. McClurg Distinguished
Professor of Worship and Music,
Dean of Christ Chapel
The Rev. Dr. Lamontte M. Luker
Professor of Hebrew Scriptures
Dr. Susan W. McArver
Professor of Church History &
Educational Ministry, Director of
Center on Religion in the South
The Rev. Dr. Brian K. Peterson
Associate Professor of New
Testament
Dr. Michael J. Root
Professor of Systematic Theology
The Rev. Dr. James Thomas
Associate Professor of Church &
Ministry, Director of
African American Ministries, North
Carolina Lutheran Men in Mission
Professor of Bible of Mission
Dr. David S. Yeago
Michael Peeler Professor of
Systematic Theology
 From the Dean

To All of Our Partners in Mission,

It is a privilege to pause and thank each of you for your

participation in this ministry we have at Lutheran Theologi-
cal Southern Seminary.

Each of you help us daily as we “teach, form, and nur-

ture women and men for public ministry in a context that is
Christ-centered, faithfully Lutheran, and ecumenically com-
mitted.”

As I gazed out my office window a few weeks ago, I

saw the blue sunlit sky and the campus was fairly empty
and quiet. The three J-term courses were nearing their end;
some students were literally spread across the globe and the
nation as they participated in cross cultural experiences; and
faculty were reading and writing in preparation for the start
of a new semester.

Now, this campus has come to life again. The 70 stu-

dents who were new in the fall semester have returned with
the nearly 100 colleagues who walked with them through their first classes. An invigorated faculty
walks into newly arranged and freshened classrooms to do what they do better than many could
imagine. The staff and administration are once again reminded why we do what we do.

The sky is still blue and sunlit and the winter chill hangs on, but the spring semester is in full
swing and the campus is once more full of life. Seniors just received their regional first call assign-
ments and middlers await internship site announcements.

Your contribution may have paid a portion of tuition for the junior who traveled to a Hon-
duran village to assist in a medical clinic and help repair homes. The endowment fund provided
by your family may have assisted one of our professors as she researched the material that is now
part of a brand new course offering. Your gracious gift may have paid the power bill that kept the
lights on and the computer running in my office. Your gift may have helped control the cost of
continued lunch service in the refectory.

Some of these things may not seem that glamorous to you, but to those of us who live, work,
play and pray here on campus, these gifts are our lifeblood.

Your encouragement, gifts, and prayers make all of these life moments possible for all of us.
For you and your generosity, we offer out thanks to God.

Sharing in Christ’s service,

Ginger Barfield
Dean and Vice President of Academic Affairs
Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary
 4201 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29203-5863
803.786.5150 www.ltss.edu

The Seminary’s Mission:

To teach, form, and nurture women and men for public ministry
and Christian leadership in a context that is Christ-centered,
faithfully Lutheran and ecumenically committed.