Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Reverend Dr. Dale A. Meyer upon the occasion of his retirement as president of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. In May of 2005, Dr. Meyer became the 10th president of Concordia Seminary. Over 15 years later, on June 30, 2020, Dr. Meyer will start a new season in life, retiring and turning over the reins of this beloved institution to new leadership. His contribution to the seminary was immense. During his tenure, Concordia's long-term debt was eliminated, its endowment quadrupled, and it earned top marks from its most recent accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission and the Association of Theological Schools. From the start of his tenure to the end, Dr. Meyer worked alongside his wife, Diane; the faculty; and key staff to cultivate a culture that was service oriented and external facing. This meant instituting activities designed to instill a spirit of community volunteerism into first-year students. This meant adding benches on campus and expanding holiday displays each year so visitors knew they were welcome at this place. It meant working with his wife, Diane, and Gayle Zollmann-Kiel, coordinator of campus grounds, to create community gardens for people to enjoy all summer and fall, thereby feeding the community both spiritually and figuratively. And it meant, during the current pandemic, having the bell tower on campus play music to lift the spirits of all those around.…”