Leadership Changes at LSPS
Jul 29, 2009
Rev. Dr. Wayne Menking
Rev. Dr. Jay Alanis
News release from Wartburg Theological Seminary
Lutheran Seminary Program in the Southwest Director Rev. Dr. Wayne Menking Announces Resignation; Rev. Dr. Javier Alanis Appointed as Interim Director
DUBUQUE, IA - July 28, 2009 - The Executive Director of the Lutheran Seminary Program of the Southwest (LSPS), the Rev. Dr. Wayne Menking, has announced his resignation to accept a position as the Director of Clinical Pastoral Education at Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas effective August 7. Dr. Menking was appointed as Director of LSPS in August of 2001.
Under his leadership, he led the program into national recognition in its commitment to training leadership for multicultural and Hispanic settings. In addition, he has led the program's growth toward being centrally focused on Theological Education for Emerging Ministries (TEEM).
The Lutheran Seminary Program of the Southwest (LSPS) is an extension program of Wartburg Theological Seminary and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) and is located in Austin, Texas.
The President of LSTC, the Rev. Dr. James Kenneth Echols, and the President of Wartburg, the Rev. Dr. Duane Larson said, "We are grateful for Dr. Menking's many contributions to LSPS. During his tenure he demonstrated excellent pastoral care, administrative, and fundraising capabilities. As Wayne goes on to supervise a Clinical Pastoral Education program, we look forward to his continued relationship with ELCA seminaries and the formation of leaders for the Church. He was especially successful in helping LSPS to focus its mission for the multicultural reality of the Southwest and all the church."
Larson said further, "We are sad to see Wayne leave LSPS. But we celebrate too that he will enjoy more time with family at his home in Fort Worth. Eight years of commuting to Austin were symbolic of the great sacrifices he made to move the LSPS mission forward."
The Rev. Dr. Javier Alanis has been appointed as the Interim Executive Director of the Lutheran Seminary Program of the Southwest (LSPS). Dr. Alanis joined the faculty of LSPS in January of 2000 and has served as the Associate Professor of Theology, Culture and Mission, as well as Associate Academic Dean. Dr. Alanis' academic interests include contextual borderland theology, Latino spirituality and the ethics of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Luther King, Jr.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as Interim Director of LSPS and will strive to meet the goals of the program to the best of my ability. I look forward to working with all of our partners in a collaborative manner so as to fulfill our common mission of preparing pastors for service in the church," stated Dr. Alanis.
Presidents Echols and Larson said, "We are confident in Dr. Alanis' leadership abilities and his interest and connections that will strengthen the TEEM program and its focus on the Hispanic cultural setting."
The Rev. Dr. Eliseo Perez will assume Dr. Alanis' former duties as Coordinator of TEEM and Professor of Systematic Theology at LSPS.
In this time of transition, the Texas Louisiana Seminary Appeal continues to raise support and awareness for theological education specifically in its unique form at LSPS. This campaign focuses on raising dollars to prepare leaders for the Church through the TEEM program at LSPS and theological education at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and Wartburg Theological Seminary.
A celebration of Dr. Menking's years of leadership at LSPS will be held later this fall at the Austin campus.
