The Rev. Samuel Morsching remembers his call day well.

It was April 25 in the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus on the campus of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. One hundred fifty seminarians were called one-by-one to receive their first assignment into full-time ministry, and Morsching sat listening politely to where his seminary brethren were headed to begin their careers. To California, Florida, New York — the pastors were sent one-by-one to spread the message of Gospel.

When Morsching received his assignment in southern Minnesota, he was a little shocked to hear he would be going back home.

“After that I don’t remember where anyone else was going,” he said.

For Morsching, 26, serving in the southern Minnesota district of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is like being back home. After spending the past four years at Concordia Seminary, the New Prague, Minn., native is back to small town living, working to build the faith of his congregation at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Litchfield.

Read more in the Sept. 20 Independent Review.