Each summer WELS youth gather in camps across the country. Many attendees describe their time at WELS camps as life changing. Here is camper Anne Ortmeier’s story and then photos and information from some of the WELS camps that took place this summer. To see a full listing of WELS camps, go to wels.net/events.

Since the age of five I have attended, volunteered, or worked at three WELS sleep-away camps, a YMCA sleep-away camp, two summer day camps (one WELS and one YMCA), and a YMCA outdoor environmental education program. That’s more than 142 weeks of my life spent at one camp or another. Why subject myself to bug bites, sunburn, and infrequent showers? Why go back year after year to share a cabin with nine young girls or walk through the woods at night to the bathrooms?

Because of the Holy Spirit. Because I have seen faith blossom over songs sung at campfire and during quiet nighttime conversations. I have seen children lend a helping hand or an encouraging word to a friend in need. I have seen Jesus Cares campers singing praises to God with their whole heart. And I have felt my own faith grow throughout the years as well. Each camp opportunity I had was placed before me by a God who knew exactly what I needed to develop into the person I am today.

Because of the things I have learned. Camp Phillip taught me about servant leadership and having to be available to my campers 23 hours a day for 6 days a week. (We got one hour off every day.) Camp Bird taught me that family is more than being related by blood. The staff I work with there has been my “camp family” for 30 years. And even in the secular camps that I have worked at, I have learned that when proclaiming my faith publicly is not an option, I can still witness through my actions and attitudes.

Because of the kids and the stories. Oh, the stories! To see the face of an inner-city student from Detroit go for her first horseback ride. To share in the elation of a camper who masters a high ropes course element. To be the lifeguard who encourages the boy taking his swim test that, “Yes! You can make it this year.” What an honor to serve my God as he works through me to touch the lives of these young people.

Camp Bird, Crivitz, Wis.

This past July more than 420 WELS youth attended Camp Bird. “Camp Bird for Lutherans is, and has been, my second home since I was 12 years old,” notes one camper turned counselor. “Camp Bird is an amazing place to come and empty ourselves of the burdens of daily life and let God fill us with his Holy Spirit.”

Camp 4 Star, Olympia, Wash.

The four stars in Camp 4 Star’s name represent the four Pacific Northwest churches that brought the camp to life in the summer of 1959. Camp 4 Star now serves WELS/ELS members from around the greater Seattle area.

Camp Lor-Ray, Muskegon, Mich.

Answer a question in Bible study, soak a counselor! Bible leaders at Camp Lor-Ray engage campers during daily Bible study sessions.

Urban Explorers, Wautoma, Wis.

Urban Explorers brings children from Milwaukee to experience Christian camping in a rural setting. Pictured are the 32 campers and some of the staff from the June 21–24 camp.

Training Camp, Ingleside, Ill.

“Just like football players go to their various training camps to prepare for the next football season, so we invite the children within our churches and schools to Training Camp to prepare for their lives as Christians,” says Michael Zarling, camp director and pastor at Epiphany, Racine, Wis.

Rocky Mountain Christian Camp, Leadville, Colo.

“Build something out of paper!” counselors challenged campers. Rocky Mountain Christian Camp began in 1969 to serve WELS congregations in the Colorado area.

Author:
Volume 104, Number 9
Issue: September 2017

Copyrighted by WELS Forward in Christ © 2021
Forward in Christ grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be printed for use in a WELS church, school, or organization, provided that it is distributed free and indicate Forward in Christ as the source. Images may not be reproduced except in the context of its article. Contact us

Melanie Rittierodt, a senior at Evergreen Lutheran High School, Tacoma, Wash., felt motivated to uplift the girls at her school, and it all started with a Pinterest post. Rittierodt saw a post on her newsfeed about a motivational mirror and decided to start one in the girl’s bathroom at her school.

“I just wanted to show my love for my Savior,” says Rittierodt, a member at Light of Life, Covington, Wash. “And I wanted to show the girls that sometimes the simplest ways to lift someone up are through what you write and what you see.”

Rittierodt recruited girls in her class to help write encouraging words on sticky notes to post on the mirror. The notes include anything from Bible passages to inspirational quotes and sayings. Instructions on the mirror tell girls to take a note if they want it and to add new notes as well. Although it started out with just the senior girls writing messages, it has expanded to include notes from other people, including visitors from other schools.

Ted Klug, principal at Evergreen Lutheran High School, said he has seen a positive impact from the motivational mirror all throughout the school.

“In the midst of this storm of life called high school, sometimes the biggest foe to a teenager is the mirror,” Klug says. “But as [teenagers] grow and change, a few things stay the same—God’s love for them and his Word.”

In the fall, Rittierodt is going to San Diego State University, but she says she hopes students continue to post encouraging notes after she graduates.

And she wants to start a new motivational mirror at her college. “I’m hoping this will help me proclaim my faith more and use the gifts that God gave me,” she says.

Gabriella Moline

Author:
Volume 104, Number 6
Issue: June 2017

Copyrighted by WELS Forward in Christ © 2021
Forward in Christ grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be printed for use in a WELS church, school, or organization, provided that it is distributed free and indicate Forward in Christ as the source. Images may not be reproduced except in the context of its article. Contact us

A Builders For Christ project is building more than homes on the White Mountain Apache Reservation in Arizona. It’s also building learning opportunities for local residents and a chance for volunteers to show Christian love in action.

Anna Sherod, Kingdom Workers’ field manager for the White Mountain and San Carlos Apache Reservations in Arizona, discovered this opportunity when church and community members approached her for help with their homes after they noticed construction projects to improve WELS church properties on the reservation. She started looking at housing statistics and realized that many homes were in extreme disrepair, overcrowded, and unsafe to live in. This led to a connection with the local Tribal Housing Authority, who was fighting an uphill battle to keep up with requests for help. “We talked to them about how we could piggyback on efforts that were already happening and try to add extra manpower to them,” she says.

Enter Builders For Christ (BFC), an arm of Kingdom Workers that offers volunteer labor to help build churches and other facilities. BFC volunteers came in for four weeks in 2016 and six weeks in 2017 to rebuild houses on the reservation. In 2017, 26 BFC volunteers over the course of those six weeks worked on three homes from demolition to dry wall, complete with electrical and plumbing hook-ups—close to move-in ready. “By us putting in extra labor on these three homes, [the Tribal Housing Authority] is able to save enough money to renovate another three homes in this calendar year,” says Sherod.

But that’s just a start in the difference these volunteers are making. Through community focus groups, Sherod also discovered that there is 75 percent underemployment or unemployment on the reservation. “People needed things to do in the community that were constructive and meaningful,” she says. These building projects gave local church and community volunteers an opportunity to work on something productive, keep up their construction skills, and get further job-skill training from experienced BFC craftsmen.

“And whenever you get a BFC team in a location, you’re going to have incredible opportunities for fellowship and spiritual strengthening,” says Sherod. Besides daily conversations between the workers, lunchtime devotions conducted by pastors from the local WELS churches offered hope and comfort from God’s Word.

Projects like these don’t only help the local communities—they also motivate and encourage the BFC volunteers. Howard and Nancy Wilch, members at Trinity, Jenera, Ohio, volunteered both years to help on the Apache reservation. “We were blessed with the opportunity to not only rebuild Apache homes, but more important we were blessed with the opportunity to share our faith with the Apache people,” says Howard. “During Holy Week we were able to attend church with our fellow believers in Christ and were able to take Communion together. What an awesome experience to share Christ with both our volunteers and the Apaches.”

Kingdom Workers spreads the gospel by mobilizing Christians to create locally sustainable ministries addressing spiritual and physical needs in communities around the world. Do you want to volunteer? Learn about available Kingdom Workers’ opportunities at kingdomworkers.com/opportunities.

Author:
Volume 104, Number 6
Issue: June 2017

Copyrighted by WELS Forward in Christ © 2021
Forward in Christ grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be printed for use in a WELS church, school, or organization, provided that it is distributed free and indicate Forward in Christ as the source. Images may not be reproduced except in the context of its article. Contact us

In late March 2017, the Board for Home Missions approved funding for four new Home Mission starts and three ministry enhancements for existing congregations.

Every winter, the board reviews proposals for funding and, based on how much money is available, determines where these gifts to ministry can best serve the Lord’s church. The $554,000 of new project funding for fiscal year 2017–18 is possible through a portion of Congregation Mission Offerings, an endowment payout from the WELS Church Extension Fund, and gifts to the “Every Neighbor, Every Nation” mission campaign.

Shepherd of the Valley, Westminster, Colo., received funding to call a second pastor to start a second campus in the new growing community of Candelas. The multi-site concept, a growing model for congregations around the synod, allows a church to expand its ministry footprint but keeps both sites under one financial budget and one leadership team.

Phil Kieselhorst, pastor at Shepherd of the Valley, says, “The second site campus pastor will focus on organizing and leading consistent outreach efforts, training and coordinating the core group, following up on prospects, teaching and preaching, and providing pastoral assistance to new members.” Current Shepherd of the Valley members already have been canvassing and reaching out to new residents for two years. The congregation is positioned to be one of the first neighborhood churches in this growing area.

At Mt. Lebanon, Milwaukee, Wis., new funding will help with calling a second pastor, allowing Aaron Bublitz, the congregation’s current pastor, to focus on the pastoral needs of Mt. Lebanon’s elementary school students and their families. The school is part of Milwaukee’s School Choice program, and many of the students come from unchurched families in the neighborhood. Since 2011, 128 people have been baptized through the school, including students and their family members.

“Up until now we have been trying to serve a congregation of 400 souls and a school of 220 (many of whom are unchurched), and at the same time aggressively reaching out to our neighborhood, with one pastor and one part-time staff minister. The Lord has blessed us with a vibrant ministry and a ripe mission field, but it has been difficult to take advantage of all the opportunities God has placed before us because of resources,” says Bublitz. “This support from the Board of Home Missions will allow us to double our pastoral staff to share the means of grace and equip our congregation to serve, allowing us to reach more people with the life-saving and changing gospel.”

Three additional new mission starts will be funded in Hendersonville, N.C.; Huntersville, N.C.; and Chattanooga, Tenn. In multicultural ministry, Immanuel, Waukegan, Ill., will receive funds to assist with a growing Hispanic ministry. King of Kings, Little Rock, Ark., also received funding to call a full-time pastor.

“Home Missions is about reaching as many of our neighbors as possible with the gospel,” says Keith Free, administrator for Home Missions. “This can be through starting new churches, expanding multicultural outreach, or reaching more families through enhancing existing ministries. This year, Home Missions has been blessed to be able to support different types of ministry work that all have the same goal—sharing God’s Word with our neighbors.”

To learn more about WELS mission work, visit wels.net/missions.

Author:
Volume 104, Number 5
Issue: May 2017

Copyrighted by WELS Forward in Christ © 2021
Forward in Christ grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be printed for use in a WELS church, school, or organization, provided that it is distributed free and indicate Forward in Christ as the source. Images may not be reproduced except in the context of its article. Contact us

Ever ask yourself, “Who are these people who write for Forward in Christ?” Through this series you can find out.

Simply titled “Devotion,” every issue of Forward in Christ includes a meditation on a Scripture passage penned by a contributing editor. The newest writer for this series is Peter Prange, pastor at Bethany, Kenosha, Wis.

Prange was born in Janesville, Wis., on April 18, 1972, to Pastor Victor and Ana Prange. He became God’s child through Baptism on April 30. He spent his grade school years in local public schools and attended Northwestern Preparatory School and Northwestern College in Watertown, Wis. He completed his training for the public ministry at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis. His vicar year was spent at three New Orleans area congregations. In May 1998, he graduated and was assigned to Good Shepherd, Jacksonville, Fla. In addition to his time in Florida, Prange also served at Jerusalem Lutheran Church and School, Morton Grove, Ill., and Living Word, Johnson City, Tenn.

Why did he become a pastor? Prange comes from a long line of pastors on both sides of his family. “It’s kind of in the blood, though I was never pushed into pastoral ministry,” he says. “Good models, good teachers, and, most of all, a gracious Savior led me to pastoral ministry. Any competency I have comes from him alone (2 Corinthians 3:5).”

Prange met his wife, Tarren, when he was in Florida, and the couple was married in December 2003. Tarren works in the Infant Special Care Unit at the Evanston Hospital in Illinois. She is currently pursuing her license to become a nurse practitioner. The Pranges are blessed with two children, Lucas, 12, and Grace, 10.

Prange uses his free time for “family, theological reading, listening to various kinds of music, and cheering his family’s beloved Chicago Cubs.” A special interest is family and church history. He’s not new to writing either, co-authoring Jars of Clay: A History of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (1863-2013) for the seminary’s 150th anniversary. He also was a member of the committee that produced Christian Worship: Supplement.

Prange currently serves on the WELS Commission on Inter-Church Relations, which represents the synod in doctrinal discussions with US and worldwide Lutheran church bodies. “In recent years there has also been increasing coordination with the WELS Board for World Missions and Board for Ministerial Education as we work together to encourage and, when appropriate, carefully shepherd burgeoning confessional Lutheran churches and communities around the world, especially in second and third world countries,” he says. “This development in the last ten years has been really astonishing to see.”

Prange’s devotions will appear several times throughout the year. “My prayer is that these devotions will highlight the profound gift of grace our Savior so freely gives to broken people like us and that his grace is a dramatic reflection of the fact that his thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are our ways his ways.”

He closes, “Simply . . . I’m privileged to serve our Savior and his people.”

Ann Ponath

Author: Ann Ponath
Volume 104, Number 5
Issue: May 2017

Copyrighted by WELS Forward in Christ © 2021
Forward in Christ grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be printed for use in a WELS church, school, or organization, provided that it is distributed free and indicate Forward in Christ as the source. Images may not be reproduced except in the context of its article. Contact us

WELS has 41 serving around the world. But, according to Larry Schlomer, administrator of WELS World Missions, that number doesn’t tell the whole story.

“The pastors and leaders those missionaries train are the heart of WELS world missions,” he says. “A growing army of over four hundred men are now serving as national pastors in countries all around the globe. One hundred seventy more are currently in training, and we have requests to train nearly three hundred more. Praise God for the answered prayers as these workers prepare for service in his harvest field.”

That’s why an important part of WELS World Mission work is training national leaders. Here WELS missionaries and friendly counselors share photos and information about several worker training programs around the world as well as insights on the importance of training these national leaders:

South Asia

Currently 14 men are studying to be national pastors in a country in South Asia. Christian Leaders’ Workshops are also held for the 42 leaders of the 42 congregations in the area.

Friendly counselor Mike Duncan says these national leaders are key to outreach in the area. “Local leaders are ‘the engine that drives the train.’ The apostle Paul said to the pastor, Timothy, ‘The things you heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others’ (2 Timothy 2:2). Notice the numbers of the book, chapter and verse—two, two and two. One person teaches another (two people) and that person teaches another (two people) and that person teaches another (two people). We multiply leaders in our worker training—two becomes four, four becomes eight, eight becomes sixteen. This means more outreach, more evangelism, more expansion of the church into new districts and countries.”

Bulgaria 

Outreach to Roma is an effort to share the gospel with the western world’s most mistreated ethnic group, a group numbering about 10 million people who are scattered across Europe. “The fact that I am a Roma makes me uniquely suited because I know the psychology of the gypsies,” says Itsov. “I think it will be easier for them to listen to me than to a nongypsy.”

Learn more about worker training programs in Hong Kong and Cameroon in the April edition of WELS Connection.

Academia Cristo

In Latin America, education is done through the website Academia Cristo, which offers free Spanish video and audio resources for those new to the faith, Bible studies and materials for local lay leaders to use in their communities, and live online training. In Colombia, Most Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Medillin, part of WELS’ sister synod in Colombia, started house churches in four different cities in 2016 from contacts made through Academia Cristo. Check out the site at academiacristo.com.

Author:
Volume 104, Number 4
Issue: April 2017

Copyrighted by WELS Forward in Christ © 2021
Forward in Christ grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be printed for use in a WELS church, school, or organization, provided that it is distributed free and indicate Forward in Christ as the source. Images may not be reproduced except in the context of its article. Contact us

On Feb. 15, almost 800 people attended the premiere of A Return to Grace: Luther’s Life and Legacy, a new feature-length film that explores the life of Martin Luther and his quest for truth.

Three congregations—Mount Olive, Appleton, Wis.; Holy Word, Austin, Tex.; and Peace, Mankato, Minn. (an Evangelical Lutheran Synod congregation)—served as pilot locations, hosting screenings in local movie theaters for their congregation and community.

“Our congregation is looking at this year and next year as a way to key in on what it means to be a Lutheran,” says Jasper Sellnow, one of the pastors at Mount Olive. “This movie is a good way to start this conversation.”

The movie also provides opportunities for local community outreach. “It gave a lot of our members something to invite their friends to that was less intimidating than inviting them to church,” says Don Patterson, pastor at Holy Word. “The presentation is so clear that anyone who comes finds that it’s all about Jesus and his grace.”

Funding from Thrivent Financial made it possible to produce the movie. Learn more about the film and hosting a screening at wels.net/reformation500.

5 lesser-known facts attendees learned about the man Martin Luther

• He suffered from depression.
• He was estranged from his father.
• He and his wife, Katie, had six children, two of whom died at young ages.
• He advocated for training girls as well as boys, bringing reform in education.
• He was a prolific writer. A large percentage of the literature printed on the new printing presses was his writings, making Luther a local celebrity.

5 takeaways from the movie

“Every Lutheran should see this film to understand where we came from and to see how one man was willing to stand up for what he believed in.”—Leslie Granberg, teacher at Immanuel, Greenville, Wis.

“It was a real pleasure to see our own WELS pastors sharing our history and God’s grace for us on the screen. It reminded me that God’s Word really is our great heritage and made me proud to be part of a church that clings to it.”—Adam Gould, member at Holy Word

“I like how this movie re-centered my focus on things above—it’s not my words or actions exactly, but what I can do to spread God’s truth in my little reaches of the world. I may not be breaking away from a national religion or translating the Bible for an entire language, but God has me in my life where I need to be to reach who he wants me to reach!”—Ashley Crane, member at Holy Word

“The film features so many things about Luther you don’t get in books—his bout with depression and the way in which he aged, the way his father’s death impacted him. It was very insightful.”—Joel Zank, pastor at Mount Olive

“It was fantastic . . . really well done. One of the things I really appreciated was my daughter is ex-Catholic, and after she watched the film I had the chance to talk to her about all the things Luther taught us.”—Brian Zuberbier, member of Mount Olive

Author:
Volume 104, Number 4
Issue: April 2017

Copyrighted by WELS Forward in Christ © 2021
Forward in Christ grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be printed for use in a WELS church, school, or organization, provided that it is distributed free and indicate Forward in Christ as the source. Images may not be reproduced except in the context of its article. Contact us

“Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, dearest Jesus, unto thee” (Christian Worship 114) is the hymn refrain that was resonating in my heart and mind after reading E. Allen Sorum’s 2000 Demons: No Match for My Savior.

Early in the book, Sorum provides an eye-opening dose of reality when he introduces the book’s core theme: “If not for the constant protection Jesus of Nazareth has given us up to this very moment, the demons would likely have us all naked, screaming, bleeding and living in burial caves.”

What is your perspective on demons? Does the very thought of evil spirits leave you feeling anxious? Or perhaps you are skeptical about whether or not demons could actually even have any bearing on your everyday life? Four different composite characters are used in the book to bring to life four different modern-day perspectives on evil spirits. But the best perspective is gained as the book affords the reader a comprehensive look at one single day in the life of Jesus—all through the eyes of each of the characters detailed in the gospel writer Mark’s account. It’s a day that included the account of Jesus exercising his supreme authority by permitting Legion to be sent from the tomb-dwelling, demon-possessed man into a herd of pigs numbering about two thousand.

Practical study questions are included at the end of each chapter, which are sure to foster discussion in a group study setting. But laced throughout each chapter are thought-provoking questions that kept me engaged and caused me to continually self-apply what I was digesting. And what I digested was a book void of theological jargon, but packed with relevant anecdotes; a book that did in fact change my perspective on demons and my Savior by leading me to a greater understanding and appreciation for the work that Jesus continues to do to protect his believers from the constant attacks of Satan and his demon associates. “Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, dearest Jesus, unto thee!”

Adam Sipe
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Author:
Volume 104, Number 4
Issue: April 2017

Copyrighted by WELS Forward in Christ © 2021
Forward in Christ grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be printed for use in a WELS church, school, or organization, provided that it is distributed free and indicate Forward in Christ as the source. Images may not be reproduced except in the context of its article. Contact us

5 Simple steps to host a screening of the new Luther movie in your community

At no cost to your church, your congregation can sponsor a screening of A Return to Grace, Luther’s Life and Legacy at a local theater.

Here’s how:

1) Go to tugg.com/titles/a-return-to-grace and pick a theater/date/time for your screening. Indicate if you’d like to incorporate special features like an introduction by your pastor or a post-film discussion.

2) Tugg will handle the logistics with your chosen theater. Once the theater approves the request, you can begin selling tickets for your screening on a personalized online Event Page set up by Tugg.

3) Encourage your members and friends to buy tickets and attend the special event. Helpful tools and resources, including posters, bulletin inserts, a two-minute trailer, and social media posts, will help you with your promotion. Consider ordering some tickets in bulk for those who may not want to purchase tickets online.

4) When the threshold of advance tickets is reached, the screening is confirmed. Contact the theater a day ahead of the screening to finalize last-minute details.

5) Enjoy your night at the movie theater with Martin Luther!

Find more details and all the tools and resources you need at wels.net/reformation500.

Author:
Volume 104, Number 4
Issue: April 2017

Copyrighted by WELS Forward in Christ © 2021
Forward in Christ grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be printed for use in a WELS church, school, or organization, provided that it is distributed free and indicate Forward in Christ as the source. Images may not be reproduced except in the context of its article. Contact us

In Forward in Christ, we report the news but aren’t always able to follow up. Where are they now? is our way of giving you the rest of the story.

In April 2004, we told you about the ROC, a youth recreation and outreach center in Watertown, Wis.

Here’s a recap:

The ROC opened in December 2003 as a partnership between the four WELS churches in Watertown. The congregations saw the need in their community for a gathering place for teens. Students in grades 7 through 12 would visit the ROC to hang out, do homework, and play games. Pastor Tim Mueller, the center’s director, also offered Bible talks and optional Bible study sessions and spent time interacting with the teens and counseling them as necessary.

So where are they now?

“What has stayed the same and will always be the same at the ROC is that Christ, our Savior, is the foundation,” says Mueller, who still serves as the ROC’s director.

Today 40 to 50 teens attend the ROC each of the four nights each week that it’s open. As Mueller notes, “When is it ever possible to share forgiveness through Christ with so many unchurched teenagers at one time?”

One teenager with whom Mueller shared God’s Word was Brandon Simmons. Simmons has many physical challenges, and Mueller says that prior to attending the ROC, Simmons had been so severely bullied that he was contemplating suicide.

Simmons notes, “After a few months of going to the ROC as a teen, I actually felt normal. I say this because I am not normal on the outside because of my physical disabilities, but through the ROC and Jesus’ Word, I am normal.”

“The first time Brandon came to the ROC in 2007, he stepped in and then immediately stepped out due to fear,” says Mueller, “but I followed him and encouraged him to come in. Since then he has been attending almost every night the ROC is open. As time went along, Brandon attended our nightly Bible devotions (Bible/Talk Time) and came to know and believe in his Savior. He began to attend church at one of our WELS churches and then brought his parents with him. When asked how he is forgiven by God or how he will get to heaven, he always uses his pointing finger to point up to Christ his Savior.”

Simmons eventually became a junior volunteer and now is an adult volunteer at the center. He is one of approximately 75 teens who have been baptized during their time at the ROC.

Todd Morris has volunteered at the ROC for 13 years. He notes, “When a teen asks to be baptized and states, ‘I want to go to heaven . . .’ and you realize that this teen didn’t know what God or heaven was about before attending the ROC . . . What more can you ask for?”

Learn more about the ROC at thewttnroc.com.

Author:
Volume 104, Number 3
Issue: March 2017

Copyrighted by WELS Forward in Christ © 2021
Forward in Christ grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be printed for use in a WELS church, school, or organization, provided that it is distributed free and indicate Forward in Christ as the source. Images may not be reproduced except in the context of its article. Contact us

Starting in March, WELS congregations can host local theater screenings of the new Martin Luther film A Return to Grace: Luther’s Life and Legacy in celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation. Produced by Boettcher+Trinklein Television Inc., this full-length film explores the life of Martin Luther and his quest for truth, bringing to life the 16th-century events of the Reformation. Funding from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans made it possible to produce the movie.

“Hosting a screening is a great way for your congregation to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation—simultaneously edifying your members and creating a memorable impression in the broader community,” says Lee Hitter, WELS director of communications. “Plus a movie screening is the perfect outreach opportunity—a chance to invite friends and neighbors to a fun event that also communicates Luther’s message.”

WELS has partnered with a company called Tugg that will work with local theaters to secure screening times and ensure the movie is ready to play on congregations’ chosen dates. Congregations then just need to promote the special event to members and friends; tickets can be purchased through a personalized event page for that specific screening. As “hosts” of a screening, the pastor or a congregation member also will have the opportunity to welcome guests and introduce the movie and have a question and answer period at the end of the screening.

“The process is simple, and there are tools available to guide you through it and help you promote the event in your congregation and community,” says Hitter.

Northwestern Publishing House is producing resources based on the movie that will help congregations and schools dig deeper into their Lutheran heritage as well as reach out in their communities.

● A Return to Grace four-week Bible study that will use film segments to help viewers explore the life, times, and importance of Martin Luther. Available early summer.

● “Reformation: Grace, Faith, Scripture” film vignettes and Bible study resources. These 12 three- to four-minute vignettes will highlight the important truths of the Reformation. Both a five-minute and a full-length Bible study will be available to use with these vignettes. Available early summer.

● A children’s version of A Return to Grace as well as a curriculum of classroom activities to go with the film. Available in fall.

Learn more about hosting a movie screening at wels.net/reformation500/luther-film/host-a-screening/. Discover other Reformation 500 products available at Northwestern Publishing House at wels.net/reformation500.

Community outreach events

The Commission on Evangelism and the Board for Home Missions are preparing materials for four Reformation 500 outreach events for congregations. The goal is for congregations to invite their prospects and neighbors to visit a worship service and learn the importance of the Bible’s teachings.

The suggested dates and emphases are: Nov. 5: Scripture Alone; Nov. 26: Christ Alone; Dec. 17: Grace Alone; and Jan. 7, 2018: Faith Alone.

Special worship resources as well as promotional and follow-up materials will be available early summer.

Author:
Volume 104, Number 3
Issue: March 2017

Copyrighted by WELS Forward in Christ © 2021
Forward in Christ grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be printed for use in a WELS church, school, or organization, provided that it is distributed free and indicate Forward in Christ as the source. Images may not be reproduced except in the context of its article. Contact us

In January, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary holds Winterim, a two-week period that offers students and pastors the opportunity to take for-credit courses that are not normally part of the seminary curriculum. In addition to the courses, students may also participate in research projects or practical experiences.

This year, courses included topics such as Radical Reformation, 1 Peter, and Cultism in America. In addition to classroom learning, three students participated in a Spanish-immersion program in Mexico, 11 took part in an outreach effort in Texas, 11 traveled to Israel, and seven completed independent research.

Independent research

Jacob Jenswold, Doug VanSice, and Ross Chartrand traveled to Falcon, Colo. (northeast Colorado Springs). There they served at Foundation Lutheran Church, a mission congregation led by Pastor Steve Prahl. Foundation has been worshiping weekly since early October 2016 in a rented school gymnasium. Besides experiencing how a new mission church worships, the students helped plan several four- to six-week themed worship series complete with graphics for worship folders, social media promotion, and music that fits Foundation’s worship philosophy and musicianship level.

Mexico

Paul Bourman, Jordan Uhlhorn, and James Hemmelman traveled to Mexico for the annual SPICE trip. This Spanish Immersion Cultural Experience is designed to improve students’ Spanish language skills and to offer real-life experience with Mexican culture. This year, in addition to language classes at the Spanish Institute of Puebla, the students participated in a pastors’ conference with the Mexican church.

“The trip helped me learn about Mexican culture. There are many Mexican immigrants in the United States today, and to be able to serve them in our churches we need to understand their background—their beliefs, their concerns, their worldview. Going on this trip made me much more aware of these things,” says Hemmelman.

Israel

Asia Lutheran Seminary, Wisconsin Lutheran College, and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary hosted a 10-day trip to Israel. Eleven seminary students joined two professors, Steve Geiger and Tom Kock, to see historical and biblical sites from the Sea of Galilee to Bethlehem, from Nazareth to Jerusalem, from Jericho to Capernaum.

“What an adventure it was to go to Israel, the place where salvation history unfolded! I took nearly a thousand photos a day,” says seminary student Sam Jeske. “On and around this massive lake—the Sea of Galilee—Jesus preached sermons, drove out demons, fished with his disciples, and displayed his mighty power over the wind and waves. Our God isn’t just mighty to save from the sea and storms, but from sin and death.”

Texas

Eleven students traveled to Texas and learned some of what WELS does when determining if areas are suitable to begin a home mission. The students learned about two suburbs on the east side of Austin that are growing rapidly. They interviewed community leaders, participated in a food drive, and talked to residents to see how a new church could meet their needs.

“We don’t know what God has in store for Elgin and Manor or for us in our future ministries, but we’re thankful for this trip because it has given us experience, taught us new ways to intentionalize our evangelism efforts, and encouraged all of us to seek the lost and share the good news of Christ,” says Nathanael Jensen. “Because no matter where we serve, whether in an established congregation or a new mission, whether here in Mequon or halfway across the world, we are called to go and make disciples.”

Author:
Volume 104, Number 3
Issue: March 2017

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