French connects them. The gospel unites us.

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Dear Fellow Member of WELS,

Easter reminds us that when everything seemed finished—when the stone was sealed, and hope looked lost—the risen Christ was already at work. Because Jesus lives, his gospel keeps moving forward, often in ways we don’t expect. That’s what we see happening through the work of WELS World Missions today.

Across French-speaking regions of Africa, people are reaching out to WELS asking for help with God’s Word. And by God’s grace, we can respond.

French is an official language in 29 countries worldwide, and remarkably, 21 of them are in Africa. That shared language makes French a key connection point for gospel outreach across borders and cultures. In many of these places, faithful, Bible-based teaching is hard to find. That’s why these contacts matter—and why the opportunities before us are significant.

One example comes from a French-speaking church body called Mission Évangélique Luthérienne au Congo (MELC). Its leaders searched for theological support, found WELS, and reached out because they wanted clarity grounded firmly in Scripture. They see the challenges around them—especially the spread of false teaching—and they want to grow in the truth of God’s Word.

Faithful mission work in situations like this isn’t rushed. It involves careful doctrinal conversations, opening Scripture together, verifying unity in teaching and practice, and walking patiently with those who want to learn. This kind of work doesn’t always draw attention, but it is essential if the gospel of the risen Christ is to be proclaimed clearly and faithfully.

The work also requires flexibility. Because of political unrest, WELS missionaries cannot currently travel into parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rather than stopping, conversations continue just across the border in Zambia, where it is safer to meet. There, missionaries and church leaders are able to build relationships, study doctrine together, and plan next steps. Trusting the Lord’s guidance, the work continues.

To support this growing outreach, we’ve made a focused investment in people and preparation. Missionary Jake Vilhauer, serving with the One Africa Team, received intensive French language immersion—including time living and studying in France and Cameroon. Because of that training, when French-speaking contacts across Africa reach out, we are ready to respond with clarity, compassion, and confidence in the gospel.

This is where you come in. We ask you to prayerfully consider supporting this work with a special gift. Your support makes it possible for WELS World Missions to carry out this work on the ground: engaging in careful doctrinal study, maintaining ongoing communication, and meeting face to face when those conversations matter most. And this need is not limited to one place. We are seeing similar requests for collaboration and support coming from countries like Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, and beyond—all from people asking for faithful Lutheran teaching rooted in God’s Word.

As we celebrate Easter, we rejoice that Christ is risen—and that his living gospel continues to open doors in places near and far. Thank you for standing with WELS World Missions as we share that message throughout Africa.

In Christ’s service,
Larry Schlomer
Administrator, Board for World Missions

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Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for working through us in new and exciting ways. Bless Missionary Jake Vilhauer as he leads ministry efforts with French-speaking people in Africa. Guide our synod’s process of working toward possible fellowship with the Lutheran church body in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We thank you for blessing our work with them so that they have been able to discover more great truths in your Word and combat false doctrine. May our French language outreach connect with many more people in the 29 French-speaking countries of Africa, so that even more may come to know the salvation you have earned for us. Amen.

You can help start the next new mission

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Dear Friend,

“Should we scale back 100 Missions in 10 Years?” That’s a question I hear frequently. With the number of pastoral vacancies and ever-increasing ministry costs, it’s a valid question. God has called us to be good stewards of the resources he has given us. So, as we count the cost of 100 in 10, do we need to be less aggressive and scale back our goal? I’ve thought about this—a lot—and I’ve come to this conclusion: No, at least not yet. Here’s why . . .

From the start, 100 in 10 was an aggressive initiative that stretched us all in our vision, our stewardship, and our trust in the Lord’s promises. Three years in, 100 in 10 is nearly keeping pace, having approved 28 new starts and 24 enhancements. We’re seeing the gospel’s power at work in places like Boston, Mass.; Marquette, Mich.; Queens, N.Y.; Houston, Texas; Kronenwetter, Wis.; Folsom, Calif.; and more, bringing hope and peace to the lost and hopeless.

The 100 in 10 initiative has also been a catalyst for exciting work throughout our synod. It has forged and strengthened partnerships across WELS. It has brought greater collaboration with others and sparked new ministry ideas and efforts. God’s people have responded generously, investing more than $4.3 million in the initiative. I have seen firsthand how the Lord is blessing efforts, transforming hearts, and impacting lives through the good news of salvation through Jesus.

The Lord has a history of doing this. We read about it in the pages of Scripture. We witness it in the history of our church body. Christ works through us to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. It really is a joy watching Christ work through his people to spread the light of his Word “from age to age,” which is “our chief endeavor” (“God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage,” Christian Worship).

This is where you come in. Planting new missions is costly but worth it! Financial gifts from God’s people help cover costs and make a difference. Our missionaries will tell you that and thank you profusely for your gifts. I can also tell you how major gifts from God’s people make a lasting impact, allowing us to plant new missions where we never thought we could.

On average, WELS Home Missions invests nearly $2 million in each new mission. Together, the ongoing gifts of God’s people help us keep planting “yet one more” so more people may hear the message of peace and hope we have through Christ. This is what 100 Missions in 10 Years has always been about: Christ working through us to reach the lost. As you consider how God has generously blessed you, will you consider giving a generous gift to Home Missions to plant “yet one more” mission so we can reach more people with the gospel?

Your gift helps support existing missions, strengthens outreach efforts, and ensures that new gospel outposts are planted in new communities across North America. Together—and only together—we keep pressing forward with boldness, trusting that the Lord will use our combined efforts as he sees fit and in ways we never imagined.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21).

In Christ,
Rev. Mark Gabb
Administrator, WELS Home Missions

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Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, you send out your church to proclaim your good news to all creation. We praise you for allowing us to participate in your mission and for blessing our efforts. Continue to guide our church body as we prayerfully aim to open 100 missions in 10 years and enhance 75 existing ministries. We thank you that, so far, we’ve been able to open 28 missions in the past three years. We pray that you would guide our mission churches on their path from new starts to thriving congregations so they can bless their communities for years to come. Amen.

Knighted for Ministry! Addressing the called worker shortage

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Dear Friend,

146, 132, 115, 102. These numbers are astounding. They represent the parish pastoral vacancies (146, 132) and teacher vacancies (115, 102) for the last two years. Many of you reading this know what it’s like. You’ve issued call after call and still haven’t received the pastor or teacher you need.

A question so many of us ponder and pray about is this: Where will we find more called workers to fill our pulpits and classrooms to proclaim Jesus as Savior? Martin Luther College (MLC), your WELS College of Ministry, is vital to preparing men and women for service in our congregations and schools. We are the Knights, and we are training faithful men and women to put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6) and be Knighted for Ministry!

MLC is the pre-seminary college for our future pastors. We also train staff ministers qualified in many different areas of ministry. And we are the primary provider of qualified teachers for Lutheran schools. In fact, we’re the only college whose graduates are both synod-certified and qualified for state teaching licensure.

Although the called worker shortage numbers are astounding, the good news is that the immediate future looks brighter. Why? Our enrollment has grown, which means that in the next few years we will assign more teachers and staff ministers and send more men on to the seminary to finish their pastoral training.

How is MLC doing this? Primarily, we trust the Holy Spirit’s work in the hearts and minds of young people. But we also do whatever we can to encourage them! One helpful tool is the Congregational Partner Grant Program. CPGP is a tuition assistance program where MLC matches the financial support students receive from their home congregations. For the 2025-26 school year, MLC is matching congregational grants up to $1,600—a total of $1.9 million in tuition assistance!

Where does MLC find the dollars to offer these matching grants? From God’s people, like you, who have a strong desire to equip more young (and not-so-young) people for full-time ministry in God’s kingdom. Yes, you play a vital role in Knighting for Ministry! In fact, 90 percent of MLC students benefit from this generous matching grant program! As you can imagine, the program continues to grow each year as more students sign up for this critical tuition assistance.

How can you help us continue the momentum? First, please keep praying for more workers in the harvest field. Second, please continue encouraging qualified men and women to consider a ministry vocation. Finally, if you are moved by the Spirit, can you help us with a gift so that we can meet our matching commitments to our students this school year?

Many Lutheran schools continue to grow as more families seek a Christian education for their children. What a blessing! But that means there is a growing need for more teachers. Additionally, there are still far too many congregations without a pastor or staff minister to share the life-changing gospel message in their communities. Let’s keep working together! We are all YouKnighted in this mission to train and equip more future pastors, teachers, and staff ministers for the harvest field.

With you in God’s service,
Rich Gurgel
President, Martin Luther College

P.S. Your gift will help us Knight more and more for ministry—perhaps in your congregation or school!

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Prayer: Jesus, Lord of the Church, as members of your body, we each have a role in your kingdom. Move us to encourage people to study for public ministry and to support them through our words and gifts. May the offerings of our congregations and the matching gifts from Martin Luther College remove obstacles for those studying to become pastors, teachers, staff ministers, and missionaries. Help us toward the goal of eliminating much of the financial debt for newly graduated called workers so they can better focus on serving you and others in ministry. Amen.

Running with perseverance

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Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:1-3).

Dear Friend,

In this race called life, 2026 is another mile marker. How is your race going?

The truth is, “running with perseverance” can be very difficult. While the Father washed our sins away in Baptism and made us his own children, while we have the powerful assurances of the Spirit’s Word, while the Lord feeds our faith with his own body and blood in the bread and wine of Communion, we are still sinners living in a sinful world. Instead of staying focused on Jesus, we’re tempted to get off track. We start to become entangled in sin and pick up burdens that are a drag on our mission of serving Christ and others.

The inspired writer of Hebrews encourages us to throw off the sins and distractions that hinder us from our heavenly goal. We have all we need in Christ, who endured the cross for our sins and rules everything for our benefit. These other things only get in the way if we let them. Though the sinful nature lures us to the false satisfaction of idols, though our weakness of faith causes us to fear the threats of our enemies, with our eyes fixed on Jesus through his good news in Word and sacraments, we can run this race with perseverance. We know where we’re going and why we’re here. This helps us not to grow weary or lose heart. I pray that our Lord Jesus strengthens you as you run his race in 2026.

As you do this, would you help WELS continue its proclamation of Christ’s gospel across the world? Your donation to WELS Mission and Ministry supports all the work of our synod, including ministerial education, opening missions, and supporting the local ministry of our churches and schools.

It’s a particularly exciting time to be a WELS member with all the opportunities God is giving us. We have a bold new strategic plan, “Christ through us,” which you can read at christthroughus.net. We are on track to open 100 new home missions by 2033. The Holy Spirit is blessing world mission work so that it is estimated we’ll enjoy fellowship with one million people outside the United States within ten years. Advances in technology are helping us train gospel ambassadors, communicate in other languages, and reach people in countries where we don’t have a physical presence.

The race is indeed marked out for us. Our champion, Jesus, is on the throne. His Word and Spirit guide our lives. Heaven awaits us at the finish line. And we have the privilege of inviting others. It’s not an easy journey, but it’s the adventure of a lifetime! We praise God for all you do for our Savior’s kingdom and for considering making the Lord’s work through WELS a part of that again this year!

In Christ,
Kurt Lueneburg
WELS Director of Christian Giving

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Prayer: Lord, help us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, who endured the cross for our salvation and now sits victoriously on heaven’s throne. May your good news in Word and sacrament strengthen and empower us to throw off everything that hinders, including the sins that lead us away from you. Bless us, our churches, and our synod this coming year so that, by your grace, we can continue training workers and sending them out into the world to proclaim your name. Amen.

Pioneering the gospel in unreached areas

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Dear Christian Friend,

As we approach Christmas—a season when we celebrate the birth of our Savior and the hope he brings to the world—we’re reminded that more than 6.5 billion souls, over two-thirds of humanity, live in places where the name of Jesus is scarcely known. These are not just numbers; they are individuals, families, and communities waiting to experience the life-changing hope found in the gospel. This Christmas, as we rejoice in the gift of Christ, we remember our calling as his ambassadors, sent to proclaim the saving message of Jesus to every nation under heaven. Through us, Christ reaches the nations.

For 175 years, God has blessed WELS with opportunities to bring the gospel to new lands. Yet the mission remains unfinished. Millions are born and die each year without access to the truth we hold so dear. With renewed urgency and prayerful confidence, we look to the future, asking God to use us to reach lost souls with his Word of salvation. This is “Christ through us”—a mission that knows no borders, limits, or barriers too great for God’s grace.

As part of WELS’ long-range strategic plan, we’ve set a goal to “Pioneer missions in high-risk and unreached areas.” This is a bold commitment to go where the gospel is least known and access is most restricted. We trust God to open doors and prepare hearts.

God has opened two remarkable new mission fields. In Senegal, One Africa Team Missionary Dan Kroll has accepted a relocation to begin outreach among the Wolof people—a tribe where 99 percent identify as Muslim. The work will begin with learning language and culture, building relationships, and seeking every opportunity to share the gospel. Plans are underway to add a second missionary to the Senegal team, joining Kroll in immersion and outreach. Together, these missionaries will plant seeds of faith, train local leaders, and gather believers who will share Christ in their own communities.

Senegal is just one example of the vast need in the “10/40 window”—a region stretching from West Africa to East Asia between 10 degrees north and 40 degrees north latitude, home to the greatest concentration of unreached people groups on earth. In this window, billions live without access to the gospel. The spiritual darkness is profound, and the need for new workers, resources, and prayer is greater than ever. The opportunity before us is urgent: to bring the light of Christ to those who have never heard his name, to offer hope where there is none, and to answer the call to reach the lost.

Will you help us pioneer these new world mission fields? Your gift to the New World Mission Fields Fund will support outreach to the Wolof tribe in Senegal and other high-risk, unreached areas. This Christmas, as you reflect on God’s greatest gift to us, consider sharing that gift with those who have yet to hear the good news. Together, we can answer Christ’s call to go, to send, and to pray—trusting that his promise will not fail.

With hope, humility, and boldness, we entrust our efforts to the Lord of the harvest, confident that he will accomplish far more than we could ever ask or imagine. This is Christ through us.

In Christ’s service,
Rev. Larry Schlomer
Administrator, WELS World Missions

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Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the resolve of WELS World Missions and our synod to “pioneer missions in high-risk and unreached areas.” Guide, protect, and bless Missionary Dan Kroll as he begins work in Senegal, Africa, among the Wolof tribe, which is 99 percent Muslim. We ask you to also go with Rev. John Hildebrant, who has accepted the call to serve on the Asia-Oceania Team, focusing on outreach to the Hindi, one of the largest unreached populations in the world. He will begin his ministry with a one-year immersion experience in India. According to your will, Lord, work through us to reach the ends of the earth with the good news of your redemption. Amen.

Join the global gospel movement this Christmas

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Dear Christian Friend,

This Christmas, as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, we’re reminded that more than 6.5 billion people live where the name of Jesus is scarcely known. The “Commission” priority of WELS’ long-range strategic plan calls us to extend our confessional Lutheran witness beyond familiar borders, forging partnerships and equipping a global missionary force to share Christ’s love with a world in need.

Now is the time to unite in prayer, generosity, and action, supporting efforts that spark the movement of the gospel across continents. Watch this short video to see how the “Commission” priority is shaping our mission.

Will you join us in this global movement?

God has provided a new mission opportunity in Senegal. Missionary Dan Kroll will soon begin outreach among the Wolof people, a tribe where 99 percent identify as Muslim. The work starts with learning language and culture, building relationships, and sharing the hope of Christ. You’ll soon receive a mailing with more details.

Will you help us bring the light of Christ to those who have never heard his name? Your gift to the New World Mission Fields Fund will directly support outreach in Senegal.

Thank you for your faithful support. Your prayers and gifts make it possible to bring the gospel to places where Christ’s name is barely known. As we celebrate the birth of our Savior this
Christmas, may the light of his love fill your heart.

In Christ’s service,
Rev. Larry Schlomer
Administrator, WELS World Missions

P.S. Read a special Forward in Christ article that shares inspiring stories of pioneering missions—including Dan Kroll’s work in Senegal and other efforts to reach the unreached.

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