Our new home

The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) is pleased to announce its summer 2023 relocation to the campus of Catholic Theological Union (CTU) at 5416 South Cornell in Hyde Park. This news follows the seminary’s decision, shared in a joint public announcement last May, to sell its current facility in Hyde Park to the University of Chicago.

“This move is a pivotal moment in our history as we position our school to be a thriving global seminary that forms leaders sent into the world,” said LSTC President James Nieman in a video message to the campus community. “Our school will be on stronger financial footing, able to invest in strategic areas while opening the door for innovation and growth.”

Under the terms of a mutual letter of intent, LSTC will be able to lease from Catholic Theological Union through at least 2048. This agreement grants LSTC access to the space on CTU’s fourth floor. While a portion of this space is already designed and finished, LSTC has engaged the CVG Architectural firm to complete the remaining west half of the fourth floor, including offices, classrooms, meeting rooms, gathering areas, and a chapel.

“We’re delighted to have the Lutheran School of Theology join us in our building,” said Barbara Reid, OP, President of CTU. “Sharing our space with LSTC will bring numerous benefits to both schools, building on our existing modes of collaboration through the Association of Chicago Theological Schools. This agreement also demonstrates a responsible use of space and resources in the spirit of Pope Francis’ vision of Laudato Si.”

For more information regarding the new location, please watch President Nieman’s video message to the campus community. You can stay up-to-date regarding the sale and relocation of LSTC by visiting our relocation website at lstc.edu/relocation.

When you enter LSTC’s Augustana Chapel, it is likely the first thing to catch your eye, not solely for its grandeur but also its beauty. Standing twenty-five feet tall and sixteen feet wide, the Ruth and Paul Manz Organ has undoubtedly etched its image and sounds in the memory of anyone blessed to experience it.

Named in honor of the late and legendary Professor Emeriti Paul Manz and his wife Ruth, for nearly two decades, this glorious organ has offered up the sounds of praise from the corner of 55th and University to the gates of heaven. Gifted to LSTC through the generosity of donor support, its music has filled our halls and hearts with worship, welcoming in the spirit of God. Through the wind sounds of this instrument and the talented musicians playing it, many souls have been touched, and lives changed.

Now, as LSTC enters Phase 4 of our campus relocation plan—nearing the close of our campus sale and soon to announce our new relocation site in Hyde Park—we must also begin the search for a new home for our beloved organ.

While we would love to take the organ to our new location, its size, custom-built for Augustana Chapel, is too large and will not fit in our new space. Through our agreement with the University of Chicago, the organ must be moved by May 12, 2023.

That is why we’re reaching out to you, our network of alumni, friends, churches, and supporters. Many in our community share our deep connection to the Manz Organ because of its central role in the seminary’s life since 2004.

While we currently have a qualified prospect who has expressed very strong interest, we want to ensure our broader community knows the organ is being sold and can bid for it too.

We want this powerful instrument to continue as a gift to the wider church. We believe the relationship to its namesake and roots within the Lutheran community make it a natural fit with potential buyers in our extended community.

Can you help us share this news with individuals or faith communities who might be interested in purchasing the Manz Organ by sending them a link to our Manz Organ Sale website at LSTC.edu/ManzOrganSale?

Because time is of the essence, potential buyers must make their final offer by January 15, 2023. For questions related to the organ sale, please email marcomm@lstc.edu with the email subject Manz Organ Sale.

Stay updated on LSTC’s sale and relocation by visiting LSTC.edu/relocation.

Following the campus relocation meetings with students, faculty, and staff, the LSTC Board of Directors (BOD) convened on Wednesday, Oct. 26, in a special two-hour meeting to select the site with which LSTC would pursue its further long-term lease negotiations—taking the seminary one step further to determine its new home.

The BOD heard presentations from LSTC tenant representatives Avison Young; a summary of the campus relocation meetings by Pastor Erik Christensen and Keisha Dyson, executive director of Strategic Marketing and Communications; followed by a recommendation to the board by President James Nieman.

Because information related to the site negotiations is sensitive and will remain so until negotiations are final, the board’s decision will not be announced publicly.

“I am grateful for the leadership of and participation in our entire review process, stretching back to last May,” Nieman said. “Likewise, I am thankful for the wise discernment of our board of directors in setting direction for our school and showing such care in their role in shared governance.”

The seminary plans to announce a decision regarding the new campus location early in the new year.

Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) is preparing to lead theological education well into the 21st century, rooted by our Lutheran traditions, guided by our mission and strategic plan, and inspired by a world in need of ministry marked by diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.

The pandemic led us to rethink where we work, how we connect, and what we teach as we tried to be even more sound stewards of our resources. As a result, LSTC emerged as a stronger faith community – and a school still in motion as we learn to be a new kind of seminary.

You likely heard by now—LSTC is moving. After three years of Board review, two years of strategic planning, and one year of negotiations, the sale of our main education facility will close later this year. We will cede ownership of our fifty-six-year-old home, leasing back part of it through mid-2023, then relocating to other Hyde Park space that will better serve our mission and community into the future.

Relocation is only one way we are working deliberately to both lift new leaders and remove barriers to ministry that some experience when answering their call to serve. It also is part of our planful, bold recommitment to forming visionary leaders who can engage the demands of ministry nimbly and adapt to new opportunities flexibly.

True to our heritage as a learning community, we are still on the move, committed to and curious about God’s future for us and our whole church. We are still the seminary we have always been, and now see ourselves ready for the road ahead.

Our decision to sell our current building and relocate to CTU’s campus supports Dynamic Formation, the third area of our strategic plan which addresses emerging realities in theological education, including the role physical space plays in how people teach, learn, work and worship in a changing world. In recent years, and together with our Board of Directors, LSTC evaluated whether our mission required LSTC to continue as a property owner-operator. This evaluation made it clear the operational and financial burdens of property management took energy and focus away from LSTC’s ability to form visionary faith leaders called into the world. The Board of Directors therefore decided to sell and relocate to a space better suited for our educational mission.

Since 1966, Hyde Park has been our home. The surrounding community and our partners enrich LSTC’s ability to form visionary faith leaders who are prepared to shape the world through innovative, inclusive ministry. We are moving to CTU and staying in Hyde Park because it is core to our mission, provides a rich educational setting for ministry, and shows our commitment to ecumenical collaboration and cooperation.

LSTC and CTU, while separate institutions, will work together through the formation of “Life Together” groups. Each group will be comprised of students, faculty, and staff, and organized by themes that have been identified as important to our campus communities. These groups will help us establish ways of working together as a community, anticipate aspects of our shared life that call for further attention, and identify opportunities for partnerships and collaboration.

LSTC and CTU are not merging and will remain structurally distinct, separately governed institutions residing in the same facility. Where synergies exist, however, we do look forward to the prospect of future collaborations to create administrative efficiencies and to work cooperatively on new and mutually beneficial innovations.

While nothing is guaranteed until we close the sale and lease new space, we expect to remain in a leaseback position with UChicago until we relocate closer to mid-2023.

The map above identifies the areas we are leasing back for offices, classrooms, and meeting rooms. The spaces being leased back are in white. The locations not being leased are in grey. The lease-back spaces were determined following an extensive architectural space planning process involving faculty, staff, students, and board members and fully encompasses the dedicated space needs of the seminary at this time.

We will also have full access and use of the Chapel and the JKM Library. Other shared spaces (e.g., the Grand Hallway and the Shelf) will be available as shared spaces in the coming year.

There will be no changes to our stock of residential housing because of this sale. We will continue to provide affordable residences for students who desire it, including safe and appropriate housing for international students. Our existing apartment buildings will remain owned and operated by LSTC after the sale closes.

We will continue to offer support resources like Katie’s Closet and Duty Free. Katie’s Closet and Duty Free have in fact already been relocated to 1154-56 E. 54th Place, First Floor. All students in housing have access to this new site through the back gate and up the back stairs. We are working on a variety of other options to get students who don’t live in housing access very soon, and we are making plans to install a ramp in the coming months to make these resources fully accessible. Katie’s Closet/Duty Free is open Monday – Friday from 2:30 – 5:30 p.m. No appointment is necessary if you have food, clothing, or household needs. For more information regarding Katie’s Closet, email katiescloset@lstc.edu.

Within the current agreement, a significant portion of the JKM Collection will be absorbed into the University of Chicago’s library collections. The letter of intent affirms LSTC students, faculty and staff will continue to have access to the JKM Collection once the sale closes, and we feel confident the collection will be well cared-for moving forward.

The Gruber Rare Book Collection, and other rare books owned by the seminary, are distinct from the JKM Library collection and thus will remain in LSTC’s possession. These precious materials will be relocated to whatever becomes LSTC’s future location.

LSTC is committed to ensuring that any material assets that do not move with us remain in caring, responsible hands. This priority will guide our planning, including decisions about which assets will remain with us.

LSTC expects to relocate closer to mid-2023, following the completion of a full 2022-23 academic year.

LSTC will distribute information through the seminary’s standing communications channels, including this webpage and LSTC’s Epistle magazine, E.Pistle newsletter, social channels, and other regular programming, such as events, when appropriate.

While we would love to take our beautiful organ with us, its size is too large and will not fit in our new space. Through our agreement with the University of Chicago, the organ must be moved by June 30, 2023. The organ will remain in the chapel until the end of classes May 12, 2023. Additionally, the Ruth & Paul Manz Organ Recital Series will continue through this academic year.

For questions related to the organ sale, please email marcomm@lstc.edu with the email subject line “Manz Organ Sale”.