Paul Bruns

Paul Charles Bruns

Born: October 11, 1938 in Rockford, IL

Baptized: November, 27, 1938 at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Rockford by Rev. E. C. Kieninger

Confirmed: April 6, 1952 at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Rockford by Rev. E. C. Beversdorf

Schooling:

Grades K-3 at Harlem Grade School, Rockford, IL 1944—48

Grades 4—8 at St. Paul’s Lutheran School, Rockford, IL 1948—52

Grade 9 at Lincoln Junior High School, Rockford, IL 1952-3

Grades 10—12 of High School at Concordia College, Milwaukee, WI, 1953—56, and graduated in 1956

Freshman & Sophomore years of College at Concordia College, Milwaukee, WI, 1956—58, and graduated in 1958

Junior & Senior years of College at Concordia Senior College, Fort Wayne, IN 1958—1960 and received the Bachelor of Arts degree in June 5, 1960

1 & 2 years at Concordia Seminary, St Louis, MO 1960—1962

Vicarage at Trinity Lutheran Church, Cheyenne WY under Rev. H. W. Niermann 1962-3

Year 4 at Concordia Seminary, St Louis, MO 1963-64

Called by the Missionary Board of the Synodical Conference as a Missionary to Nigeria, West Africa on April 22, 1964

Graduated from Concordia Seminary, St Louis, MO with the Master of Divinity degree in May 29, 1964

Postgraduate at the Kennedy School of Missions (at the Hartford Seminary Foundation), Hartford, CN 1964-5

Postgraduate at Wycliffe SIL, Purley Surrey, Mersthem, England July—September, 1965

Postgraduate at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 1967-68

Postgraduate at Wycliffe SIL, Norman, OK July—August, 1968

Postgraduate at several more Wycliffe Seminars 1966—72

Married: to Ruby Lydia Rakow at St. John’s Lutheran Church by Rev. E. Wendling on July 21, 1962 (Message by Rev. Arnold Rakow)

Ordained: by Rev. E. C. Beversdorf, and then Commissioned by Rev. Dr. H. A. Mayer as a Missionary to Nigeria at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Rockford, IL on June 27, 1965

Received Honorary Doctor of Divinity at Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne, IN by Rev. Dr. H. A. Mueller May 17, 1991

Missionary service:

Missionary to the Bokyi people, Cross River State, Nigeria l965—87

Wrote a Bokyi Lutheran Catechism together with Eugene Ekpang titled: Byem Mbyi Badatange Ke Ekwabashi Nyi Lutiran, 1979

Part time Translations Consultant for the United Bible Societies, serving the translation projects in the Southeastern area of Nigeria 1979—89

Edited a Bokyi Lutheran Liturgy and Song Book together with Timothy Oduyaya titled: Nwet Mu Ekwabashi Nyi Lutiran Eti, 1980

Wrote God’s Plan for Christian Marriage (TEE format) together with Ruby, 1984, 89 & 92

Professor at Jonathan Ekong Memorial Lutheran Seminary, Obot Idim, Qua Ibom State, Nigeria 1987—97

Wrote a 3-year Old Testament series of sermon outlines titled: Byiraa Byibonge Eset Ke Ekwabashi Lutiran Emumu, 1990

Wrote TEE mission leadership training materials for the LC-MS Board for Mission Services 1997—2000 Retired from the Board for Missions Services in 2000