Decommissioning service set as part of seminary move to Hickory campus

Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary will host a special decommissioning service on Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 3 p.m. to commemorate the move of the seminary from Columbia, South Carolina, to Lenoir-Rhyne University’s Hickory campus.

"This decommissioning service is a moment for remembering, grieving, and dreaming. We will give thanks for the rich history of LTSS and look forward to a strong future as part of the LR community on the Hickory campus,” said the Rev. Dr. Chad Rimmer, dean and rector of the seminary. “We are grateful for the support of our alumni, friends, and the broader community as we embark on this next step in our pilgrimage together.”

The service will feature Bishop Sue Briner ’03 of the Southwestern Texas Synod as presiding bishop and Rev. Dr. Chad Rimmer as the preacher. The event will include holy communion and a liturgy of decommissioning the LTSS space.

A reception will follow the service. Overflow seating will be available in Reinartz Hall, where the service will also be live streamed and viewable online (live stream details will be shared as the event draws closer).

In March, Lenoir-Rhyne announced that the seminary would move to the university’s main campus in Hickory in January 2025. More information about the transition is available at www.lr.edu/ltss-future.