The annual Taste of Missions event was held Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis. Hundreds of WELS members gathered to learn about and celebrate the work of WELS Missions with worship, food, and fellowship.
Watch the recorded livestreams from the commissioning worship service and afternoon presentations.
The Asia-Oceania Team of WELS World Missions is made up of 17 missionaries serving 18 different countries throughout Asia and Oceania. The missionaries live throughout the region in Thailand, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Australia and work collaboratively with one another, national partners, and WELS-affiliated organizations. Their primary role is to find, train, and support a network of leaders who will, in turn, reach out with the gospel in their own countries.
The Asia-Oceania Team, acting on behalf of WELS Board for World Missions, recently called Mr. James Brandt to serve as team leader. He has been led by the Lord to accept that call and has been installed and commissioned for his work.
Brandt will lead and manage team strategy and hold the team accountable for carrying out its plans. He will facilitate good communication and teamwork, coordinate missionary development, and make field visits as necessary. Ultimately, he reports to the Asia-Oceania Team Administrative Committee and to the Board for World Missions.
Brandt and his wife, Kathy, will reside in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Following his graduation from Dr. Martin Luther College in 1985, Brandt served as a teacher in Fond du Lac, Wis.; principal of schools in California and Illinois; administrator for WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools; vice president at Wisconsin Lutheran College; and academic dean at Wisconsin Lutheran High School. He also served World Missions as a member of the administrative committee for India missions.
Please join with us in praying for God’s blessings on Brandt’s work in this part of the world where God continues to provide us with incredible mission opportunities.
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
On June 1, 2025, Asia Lutheran Seminary (ALS) celebrated its 20th anniversary with a special worship service and banquet in Hong Kong. The milestone served not only as a look back on two decades of God’s grace but also as a testament to ALS’ transformation into a regional seminary serving students across Asia and beyond.
ALS officially opened its doors on May 29, 2005, in a service led by Dr. John Lawrenz, its first president. The seminary was created to train Chinese-speaking pastors and evangelists in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and East Asia. Since then, God has used ALS to equip church leaders from a growing list of countries and cultures. Today, the seminary reaches students on four continents and operates out of both Hong Kong and Chiang Mai, Thailand.
“Asia Lutheran Seminary stands as a beacon of theological excellence, rooted in the unchanging truth of God’s Word,” says Rev. Larry Schlomer, WELS World Missions administrator. “We give thanks for the countless leaders ALS has trained to share the saving message of Jesus Christ. Their work has shaped the church in Asia and inspired our broader mission efforts.”
ALS’ expansion reflects both strategic planning and a Spirit-led response to change. In 2023, WELS World Missions formed what is now known as the Asia-Oceania Team, bringing all Asia-based missionaries together under one vision: “Grace to all in Asia.” ALS was tasked with serving as the regional seminary for this effort, supporting training programs throughout Asia.
The newly formed Regional Theological Education Program, led by ALS professor Dr. Guy Marquardt, now partners with sister churches throughout Asia. In partnership with the Pastoral Studies Institute, this program provides support through curriculum development, visiting instructors, and consultation—helping local theological education efforts become sustainable and confessional.
“It’s been incredible to see how the Lord has used ALS to build leaders not only for Hong Kong and Taiwan but now also for Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Nepal, and beyond,” notes Dr. Jonathan Bare, ALS president. “Our students now include English and Mandarin speakers, both lay leaders and future pastors.”
One indicator of ALS’ impact is the growing number of national pastors now serving as faculty. “The best teachers will be local leaders who are fully equipped to serve as confessional Lutheran instructors,” says Bare. That vision is becoming a reality. Many adjunct instructors are now ALS graduates, and recent full-time additions include national leaders Dr. Angus Cheung and Rev. William Zhu.
ALS’ programs are also evolving. While biblical language courses and advanced degrees like the Bachelor of Theology and Master of Divinity remain central, certificate- and diploma-level programs make theological training accessible to more students, empowering students at all levels to make immediate use of their training in their churches, homes, and the groups they gather. The seminary’s online presence has opened doors to a growing Chinese-speaking diaspora, especially in places like New Zealand, Australia, and England.
Additionally, an English-language program has been launched, integrating TELL (Think, Evaluate, Learn, Lead), a curriculum from WELS Multi-Language Productions, into certificate-level training. These efforts allow ALS to serve students across Asia regardless of location or language.
Reflecting on the seminary’s history, Missionary Emeritus Rob Siirila, who helped establish ALS, remarks, “God’s providence was evident at every step. My greatest blessing has been witnessing his hand at work throughout the process.”
As ALS looks ahead, the message that launched its ministry remains just as relevant. “Now is still the time,” says Schlomer, echoing the words from ALS’ founding passage in 2 Corinthians 6:2. “May God continue to bless this seminary as it trains the next generation of gospel proclaimers.”
Read more from Dr. Jonathan Bare, Asia Lutheran Seminary president, in this article from the June 2024 edition of Forward in Christ magazine: forwardinchrist.net/now-is-still-the-time.
Watch a video about the 20th anniversary of ALS.
May is assignment month in our synod. It’s a joyful time and an event to celebrate the assignment of called workers.
The Assignment Committee, composed of the Conference of Presidents, assisted by advisors from the ministerial education schools and administrators of the synod’s areas of ministry, met May 14 and 15 to assign teacher and staff ministry candidates from Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn. The Assignment Committee carefully considered all requests for candidates and prayerfully matched those requests with the skills and training of the graduates. One hundred fifteen teacher candidates and four staff ministry candidates were assigned. Dozens of requests for candidates were not able to be filled, and many teaching vacancies remain. The Commission on Lutheran Schools continues to work directly with those schools that have vacancies.
The next week the Assignment Committee met at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis. There the committee assigned 37 vicar candidates and assigned or re-assigned 29 pastor candidates. As was the case for teachers, many requests for candidates were not able to be filled, and the pastoral vacancy rate remains higher than we would want it to be.
View the complete list of Martin Luther College assignments and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary assignments online.
Despite the limited number of candidates, the assignment of these workers is a reminder of what a great blessing our ministerial education system is. It provides faithful and well-trained workers who will soon go into the harvest fields where God the Holy Spirit is sending them. Please remember these called workers in your prayers, and ask God to send more workers into his harvest field.
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
To help carry out its ministry of compassion, WELS Christian Aid and Relief announced that it has approved $426,357 to support humanitarian aid projects in WELS mission fields throughout the United States and worldwide for fiscal year 2025-26.
“These grants are huge for our missions,” shares Rev. Dan Sims, director of WELS Christian Aid and Relief. “They provide an opportunity to show compassion to those who are struggling and lead to many conversations about our compassionate Savior.”
The humanitarian aid projects supported by the grants take many forms, including health care for the sick and dying, borehole drilling to provide clean drinking water, food and warm clothing, school supplies for underprivileged kids, assistance for legal immigrants, scholarships for poor students, mosquito nets, and vocational training.
Amazing Grace, Amarillo, Texas, plans to use grant funds in multiple ways—providing school supplies to kids in need, delivering meals door to door in community neighborhoods, and helping feed those who are homeless.
Hans Thomford, pastor at Amazing Grace, says, “These grants help us to love our community and put ourselves and our new mission around even more people in need of Jesus’ love and forgiveness! The compassion net can really go a great distance with these funds.”
View a complete list of the humanitarian aid projects supported by WELS Christian Aid and Relief through your offerings.
To learn more about the work of WELS Christian Aid and Relief or to support its ministry, visit wels.net/relief.
On Sat., June 14, WELS members are invited to gather at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., for Taste of Missions 2025—a day to celebrate the spread of the gospel and the people called to share it.
At the center of the event is the 11:00 a.m. commissioning worship service, where five new missionaries will be formally sent out to serve in home and world mission fields. It’s a powerful hour of praise and purpose that sets the tone for the entire day.
“This service is the highlight of the event,” says Rev. Mark Gabb, administrator for WELS Home Missions. “It’s a moment for all of us to gather, give thanks, and ask for God’s blessing as these new missionaries begin their work.”
The men being commissioned at Taste of Missions this year are:
After the service, attendees can enjoy ethnic cuisine from food trucks, live music from Latin American trio Elemencia, and fellowship with missionaries and mission supporters. Displays and activities for all ages—including a mission passport for kids and a high school poster contest—make this event an engaging experience for the whole family.
Afternoon presentations offer insights into mission fields around the world, including updates from Home and World Missions leaders and “Moments with Missionaries” sessions. A live Q&A with the newly commissioned missionaries gives attendees the opportunity to hear directly from those stepping into new fields of service.
The entire event, including the commissioning service and afternoon presentations, will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person.
General registration is $15 per person and includes food tickets. Children 13 and under attend for free. The worship service itself is free and open to all, with no registration required to attend.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to support mission work through the Taste of Missions offering. Two special projects this year include musical assistance grants for home mission congregations and theological education workshops for Nuer Sudanese leaders in Ethiopia. WELS Missions hopes to raise $20,000 in support of these efforts.
“Taste of Missions is a time to celebrate what God is doing through his church,” says Rev. Larry Schlomer, administrator for WELS World Missions. “It’s a reminder that we are united in this work—and that each of us has a role to play in reaching the world with the gospel.”
Join the celebration. Send off the missionaries. Be part of the mission.
Visit tasteofmissions.com for full event details, to register, or to access the livestream.
Last week, WELS Historical Institute hosted two events to commemorate the 175th anniversary of WELS.
On Wed., May 28, 2025, WELS Historical Institute hosted the WELS 175th anniversary dinner at Salem, Milwaukee, Wis., in celebration of the founding of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The original constitution for WELS was adopted on May 26, 1850. That adoption took place at the first synod convention, which was held in a small log cabin church at Salem Lutheran Church in Granville. WELS President Mark Schroeder and former President Karl Gurgel greeted the attendees. Prof. Joel Otto, chairman of WELS Historical Institute, gave the main address highlighting the blessings of God’s grace to WELS through the years.
Then, on Sat., May 31, Rev. Jeremiah Gumm led a tour of the historic Union Cemetery. Union Cemetery was originally founded as St. Johannes Lutheran Cemetery in 1851 by St. John’s Lutheran Church (8th and Vliet) in Milwaukee. In 1865, it merged with the cemeteries of Grace (WELS) and Trinity (LCMS) of downtown Milwaukee. During the tour, Gumm shared the rich history of many early WELS founders and leaders interred there, including Rev. Johannes Muehlhaeuser, who helped select and purchase the grounds, as well as Rev. Johann Bading, Dr. Adolf Hoenecke, and Prof. John Schaller.
Fri., May 16, and Sat., May 17, marked the commencement of the 2025 graduating class of WELS teachers, staff ministers, and pastoral students from Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn.
Friday night featured a commencement concert, and on Saturday, the synod’s college of ministry held a graduation service and a call service, where graduating teachers and staff ministers learned where they would begin their full-time ministry. Graduating pastor-track students will continue their education at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis.
Watch the recorded livestreams of the services and view the assignment list.
The 68th WELS biennial synod convention will take place July 21-24 at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minn. Nearly 400 voting delegates—composed of pastors, teachers, staff ministers, and laymen—will attend, along with several dozen advisory delegates.
The Book of Reports and Memorials (BORAM), which contains the information to be considered by the convention, is now available online at welsconvention.net/boram. Hard copies of BORAM have been sent to all delegates, congregations, and male called workers.
Some of the important items to be discussed or decided at the convention are:
We pray that God will bless the decisions of the convention and will provide delegates with important information they will be able to share with their own congregation and congregations in their area.
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
Amazing Grace Virtual Academy (AGVA), a fully accredited online WELS high school, celebrated a milestone May 15 with its first graduation of fully online learners.
Three students graduated high school in a virtual ceremony, participating from their homes in South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
“This milestone to be able to issue high school diplomas to its first graduating class is yet another example of how AGVA has been extremely blessed by a gracious God over its first 14 years of existence,” says Dr. James Grunwald, AGVA’s executive director.
Amazing Grace Virtual Academy (known for a time as ALHS Online) has been offering high-quality online courses since 2011 to supplement the class offerings of WELS and Evangelical Lutheran Synod high schools and elementary schools. With more inquiries from families who didn’t have the opportunity to send their children to one of WELS’ 30 Lutheran high schools, the academy decided to expand its offerings, enrolling its first full-time students in 2022. Currently 18 students are taking classes full time and 381 are taking individual courses.
The academy serves a diverse student population, including Lutheran school students whose schools don’t offer all of the courses that meet their learning interests or specific course needs, home-schooled students, students from public schools seeking additional courses, and learners with medical or personal constraints that limit traditional schooling.
Grunwald is stepping down as the academy’s full-time executive director this year but will continue to serve part time through June 2026. “Being a part of AGVA since its beginning 14 years ago and working with extremely dedicated students, partner schools, instructors, and fellow administrators has been a true blessing,” he says. “To God be the glory!”
Learn more at amazinggraceva.org. Read more about AGVA’s first graduation at forwardinchrist.net/online-partnership.
This past Saturday, about 40 WELS Christian Aid and Relief volunteers gathered in Juneau, Wis., to clear tree branches and other debris caused by a tornado that touched down in the community on May 15. Using supplies from one of the WELS Christian Aid and Relief disaster relief trailers, along with their own tools, multiple volunteers were able to chop up the tree debris and move it out of the way. They made quick work at the home of one WELS member and then moved on to a few others.
Additional local cleanup efforts were organized, including one by Lakeside Lutheran High School, which helped to clear debris for a family from Lakeside whose farm was heavily damaged. In the midst of these hardships, it’s wonderful to see God’s people reaching out with love and compassion to assist those who are hurting.
Learn more about Christian Aid and Relief and how to volunteer at wels.net/relief.
Update provided by Rev. Daniel Sims, director, WELS Christian Aid and Relief
It’s that time of year when we will again see prayers answered. Students at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., will be graduating from our WELS college of ministry. Some of those graduates will continue their preparation to be pastors at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis. Others will graduate on Sat., May 17, having completed their training to be teachers and staff ministers. Later on that same day, candidates will be assigned to their places of service in God’s kingdom. As we see those prayers for workers in God’s harvest field answered, we respond with thanks to God for providing those workers and to the many young people who have answered God’s call with the words, “Here am I. Send me!”
The following week, something similar will happen at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. Seminary students in their second year will be assigned as vicars. For an entire year, they will see firsthand what the pastoral ministry is all about and gain hands-on experience in serving God’s people with Word and sacrament. Seniors will also be assigned to their first place of service. Some will be assigned as pastors while others will be assigned for a year as tutors in our synodical ministerial education schools.
As of the April meeting of the Conference of Presidents, there were 156 pastoral vacancies in the synod, with 149 of those being parish pastor positions. With 25 candidates available, their assignment will reduce the number of pastor vacancies, but the pastoral shortage will continue.
A similar high vacancy rate is taking place in teacher positions. WELS school enrollments have increased significantly in the last two years—a real blessing—but that has caused a need for more teachers than are currently available. It’s estimated that even after teacher candidates are assigned at Martin Luther College this month, there will still be approximately 100 to 120 vacancies in teaching positions. The Commission on Lutheran Schools has been working with congregations to find ways to fill the vacancies. At the same time, Martin Luther College has been redoubling its efforts to recruit both traditional and non-traditional teacher candidates. It will also be exploring other ideas to provide more teacher candidates.
We thank God for our ministerial training system and for the workers it trains so well. We send them into their new calls with the prayer that God will bless them and the people they serve.
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
Visit wels.net/events for more details about commencement and assignment events.
“The WELS leadership conference offered a fantastic opportunity for our members to learn from experts across the synod and encourage them as leaders at our church,” says Rev. Kurtis Wetzel, pastor at Cross of Christ, Nampa, Idaho.
Wetzel and members from Cross of Christ attended the first two WELS National Conferences on Lutheran Leadership in 2020 and 2023. He and his congregation are planning to send another group to the leadership conference in January 2026.
Cross of Christ in Nampa is a mission congregation established as a second site to Cross of Christ in Boise. Wetzel shares, “Some of the guidance I received early on in our mission was to train up lay leaders quickly and involve members in lots of ministry.”
The keynotes and workshops at the leadership conference equipped his members for just that.
“We are striving to equip and empower the universal priesthood at our congregation and encourage leaders to work alongside the called staff to do more ministry and increase our local impact on souls for eternity,” says Wetzel. “Cross of Christ has always encouraged personal witnessing. Because of some of the workshops on outreach and evangelism, our members came back with renewed outreach energy and shared with the congregation even more about the need for personal (as well as corporate) evangelism. This has energized other members at our church for witnessing.”
Member Cindy Harris says she was honored to be invited to attend the conference. “I was humbled to be in the company of so many gifted spiritual leaders who passionately shared their knowledge about how to best proclaim the gospel in our communities,” she says. “Our pastors at Cross of Christ in Idaho do a wonderful job of training and encouraging our members for works of service, but this was an opportunity to learn from pastors and teachers in other congregations throughout our entire church body and take it home and share it!”
Cindy and her husband are founding members of Cross of Christ. She serves through leading a women’s Bible study and as the coordinator for the spiritual needs committee. She says of her time at the conference, “The whole time I was there I was thinking how wonderful it would be for every member back home to experience this conference. We ‘Western WELS’ members don’t often have the opportunity to personally experience the depth of our synod’s leadership and their passion for proclaiming the gospel throughout the world. It is a taste of heaven!”
The next WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership will be held Jan. 19–21, 2026, at the Hilton, Chicago.
Learn more about the conference at lutheranleadership.com.
The WELS Conference of Presidents (COP) held its spring meeting this month at the WELS Center for Mission and Ministry, Waukesha, Wis. The COP comprises the 12 WELS district presidents, the synod president, and two synod vice presidents. Here is a summary of what they discussed.
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
On April 3 and 4, WELS Board for Home Missions approved 11 new missions and enhancements for the synodwide 100 Missions in 10 Years initiative.
“Each of the five new starts is backed by a mature, mission-minded core group that has been actively sharing the gospel in their communities—even before seeking formal support,” says Rev. Mark Gabb, Home Missions administrator. “That kind of groundwork helps lay a strong foundation for long-term gospel ministry.”
Thanks to the generous gifts received over the past year, WELS Home Missions is also in a financial position to approve up to five additional new missions this fall. Gabb notes, “Giving core groups additional time to prepare their requests will strengthen their proposals for fall.”
In the end, Home Missions approved five new starts and six enhancements. The five new mission starts include:
Arlington, Tenn.: Arlington is on the brink of rapid growth with Ford Motor Company set to build a new plant for electric truck production. Since 2022, the South Atlantic District Mission Board has been working with a dedicated group of 60 members and Pastor Jim Turriff from Gloria Dei, Memphis, who plan to relocate and establish a fresh start in Arlington under a new name.
Erie, Colo.: Erie has experienced a 55 percent population increase from 2010 to 2020, with continued growth expected. A core group of ten adults has been gathering for fellowship and Bible study while attending local festivals to share its plans for a new church.
Jarrell, Texas: Jarrell is a rapidly growing town north of Austin. For the past three years, Pastor Don Patterson has been working with a core group of 11, which began holding weekly worship in October 2024. The group has identified 90 prospects, many of whom they connected with by volunteering at the local food pantry.
Madison, Wis.: A core group of 14 adults, familiar with the area, has been working together since 2022—meeting regularly for Bible study and ministry planning—and has also secured a rental space for worship and community activities. A new mission plant in the center of rapidly growing urban Madison would allow WELS to reach an entirely new demographic.
San Tan Valley, Ariz.: Since 2022, the Arizona-California District Mission Board has been working with Heritage in Gilbert, Ariz., to plant a new mission in rapidly growing San Tan Valley. A core group of 26 adults has been gathering regularly for Bible study and community events. In October 2024, they began holding regular worship services and have already identified 127 prospects interested in learning more about the new church.
The Board for Home Missions is also financially supporting ministry enhancements for Christ, Clarksville, Md. (restart); Living Word, Petaluma, Calif. (restart); Living Word, Waukesha, Wis.; Redeemer, Edna, Texas; Risen Savior, Lakewood Ranch, Fla.; and Saint Mark Mankato, Mankato, Minn.
Looking ahead, Gabb shares, “We have limitless opportunities with a limited amount of resources. The Board for Home Missions is actively looking at ways to reduce costs, even in the current economic climate, so that more people can be reached with the gospel.” Gabb continues, “It’s all about being faithful stewards of the resources God has given us. We will continue working diligently to aggressively reach the lost with the gospel while also being faithful stewards. We trust God will bless our efforts.”
Learn more about these new mission starts and mission enhancements at wels100in10.net.
This summer, Rev. Dan Frey, pastor at Gethsemane, Lee’s Summit, Mo., and six of his members—four who are deaf and two who are interpreters—are planning to make the trek to Wisconsin for a conference on how to serve the deaf and hard of hearing members of God’s church. The Hands of God Conference will be held July 18–20 at St. Paul, Lake Mills, Wis.
Frey, a member of the WELS Mission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing committee planning the conference, is excited to gather with others to dig deeper into this important topic.
“This is a passion of mine—I’m in it now,” he says, referring to his own congregation’s ministry to the Deaf population. “I’m excited to help open the eyes of other people who might be interested.”
The conference will feature topics like technology devices in church for the deaf/hard of hearing, how to welcome deaf/hard of hearing guests at church, how the deaf share their faith (panel discussion), and setting up a deaf Bible study. One workshop, which will be led by deaf members, will focus on the Deaf culture, how it is different, and how congregations can bridge the gaps. “This [conference] is for the deaf [members] to get together but also for anyone interested in working with the deaf,” says Frey.
While the conference focuses on how the deaf can serve and how congregations can support them, the keynote presentation “Hands of God” is a message that can resonate with called workers and lay members in any circumstance. “We want to provide a setting where all can learn how God used his hands to save us and how we now get to be the hands of God in various ways to serve one another in love,” notes the conference website.
Learn more and register for the conference at wels.net/mdhh-conference-2025.
On Thurs., March 20, the first major event celebrating the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Wisconsin Synod was held at St. John’s on the Hillside in downtown Milwaukee. More than 800 people gathered in this historic church building to hear a joint concert presented by the Seminary Chorus of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., and the Martin Luther College Choir, New Ulm, Minn. St. John’s pastor Isaac Hayes commented, “It was as though the church building itself were singing.” The concert was presented again on March 29 at the Martin Luther College Chapel of the Christ. That concert was also well attended. The MLC YouTube channel has archived videos of both concerts.
More events are scheduled for the coming months including an anniversary dinner hosted by the WELS Historical Institute on Wed., May 28, at Salem Lutheran Church in Milwaukee. Get details and sign up online.
Resources for congregations and individuals to highlight the anniversary and explore WELS history continue to be developed and made available.
Congregations are encouraged to celebrate the synod anniversary as part of a three-week series in October. Worship resources are available online.
God in his grace has richly blessed our church body for seven generations as the message about Christ has been proclaimed to us and through us. This history is worth studying and celebrating.
Check the WELS 175 website for additional resources in the coming months.
Prof. Joel Otto
Chairman, WELS 175th Anniversary Planning Committee
WELS has launched a new world mission effort in Australia. With a large focus on the country’s growing immigrant communities, two WELS missionaries and their families relocated to Brisbane, Queensland, in the summer of 2024 to plant the seeds of the gospel in a region that has been described as largely post-Christian.
“People in Australia have asked us for help,” says Rev. Larry Schlomer, WELS World Missions administrator. “WELS members who moved there, brothers and sisters from Hong Kong, and longtime partners in Brisbane reached out. It is a joy to meet these needs with WELS missionaries.”
Missionaries Rev. Dr. Matthew Doebler and Rev. Peter Janke, both members of the Asia-Oceania Team, are leading this effort. While they continue to work with contacts throughout Asia, their physical presence in Australia allows them to establish a firm foundation for ministry within local communities. They are collaborating with two existing churches in Australia: Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Brisbane and Fountain of Life in Maryborough. These congregations, members of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference, provide vital connections and a foundation for expanding ministry efforts. This partnership strengthens the mission by providing existing worship spaces, local insights, and a community of believers eager to spread the gospel.
Australia is highly diverse. “Nearly 30 percent of people here were born overseas,” Doebler explains. “Last year, over 500,000 new immigrants arrived. Many are searching for community and deeper meaning.” The missionaries are focusing on relationship-building as the first step in sharing the gospel. Their families have immersed themselves in the local culture, engaging in neighborhood activities, visiting community centers, and forming friendships through English-language programs. Simple interactions, like two little boys playing together, lead to ongoing relationships and opportunities to share the gospel. These small connections are how ministry begins.
In addition to local work in the greater Brisbane area, WELS’ approach to ministry will model early Christianity—small gatherings of believers meeting in homes to study God’s Word and share in fellowship. The missionaries’ goal is to train and mentor local leaders to establish and lead house churches. This grassroots approach is already bearing fruit. In Melbourne, a new group has formed, including believers from diverse backgrounds.
Though still in its early stages, the mission in Australia is making an impact. Through everyday interactions and steadfast commitment, the gospel is taking root, one soul at a time. “Wherever the gospel is deployed, the Lord is at work,” Schlomer notes. “We trust his Word will bear fruit.”
Look for this month’s WELS Connection at your local congregation to learn more about mission work in Australia.
Christine Doebler, wife of Missionary Doebler, shares the importance of family ties when serving in a mission field in this month’s edition of Forward in Christ magazine.
The 2024 WELS statistics have been gathered by WELS Congregational Services. We are thankful to the 95 percent of our congregations that furnished their statistics—an incredibly good level of participation. While some of the statistics indicate continuing challenges in some areas, others provide some very good news and reasons to thank God for some significant blessings. Certainly, our confidence does not rest in statistics. Our confidence and optimism rest in the hands of a gracious God who continues to work through his Word and sacrament. Following are some significant details, both positive and negative, in those statistics:
Given the demographics of our synod (an aging church population and fewer births), it seems likely that our synod will continue to decline in total membership in the next decade. But if the Lord continues to bless some of the positive trends (increased worship attendance, more spiritual gains, and fewer spiritual losses), it is possible that the losses will flatten out and possibly even be replaced by membership gains. All of this, of course, is in the Lord’s hands. We plant and water, but ultimately, he is the one who makes his church grow.
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
NOTE: The full 2024 WELS statistical report is available on welscongregationalservices.net. A more detailed anaylsis will be available in June.
WELS Women’s Ministry exists to nurture, encourage, and equip women to faithfully use their gifts for service in God’s kingdom. One of the ways it equips Christian women is through its webinars, which are offered multiple times per year.
“The webinars continue to be a platform for women across our synod to share what they’ve been doing in their churches, homes, and communities,” says Mrs. Rachel Halldorson, a member of the WELS Women’s Ministry Executive Board and host of the webinars. “Their passion and love for their Savior shines through and inspires those watching and listening to apply it to their own lives and situations.”
During the upcoming webinar on April 10, The Power of Connecting Women in Christ, webinar panelists will share strategies to foster deeper, genuine connections by meeting women where they are at in their seasons of life. Halldorson notes: “The loneliness epidemic is real and threatens the body of Christ mentally and spiritually. The connections made through social media can have a role but also be a facade. We need each other in real life. God has given us Christian sisters (and brothers) as gifts!”
During the webinars, women from throughout the country and beyond learn from panelists, connect with each other via the chat feature, ask questions in the Q&A, and have access to resources that help equip them to share Jesus with other women in their congregation and with those who may not yet know Jesus.
As a way to personally connect with others during the webinar, attendees are encouraged to set up “watch parties” so small groups of women can gather in person to view the webinar together. “The webinars are not meant to be a how-to for everyone watching because each situation is unique. Our intent is that viewers will be energized by the excitement and stories of what has worked for our panelists,” Halldorson says. “Watch parties offer women the perfect opportunity to take that inspiration and immediately discuss how they might apply it in their own context. Plus, it’s just a lot more fun!”
Learn more about WELS Women’s Ministry and the April 10 webinar at wels.net/women.
Register for the upcoming webinar.
Academia Cristo, the primary ministry of the One Latin America Team, seeks to make disciples in Latin America by sharing the message of God’s grace with as many people as possible, identifying and training potential church planters, and encouraging those church planters to make disciples who plant even more churches. Read more in the One Latin America Team quarterly update.
There are 37 Academia Cristo students who have taken steps to plant a church (Grupos Sembrador) with support from an Academia Cristo mission counselor. Meet some of these church leaders, active students, and missionaries committed to spreading the gospel message throughout Latin America.
The WELS Commission on Inter-Church Relations (CICR) has the responsibility of overseeing our synod’s relationships with other Lutheran church bodies in the United States and around the world. The vast majority of the commission’s time is spent strengthening the bonds of fellowship with our sister church bodies. But the commission also monitors what is going on in other Lutheran church bodies with which we are not in fellowship.
The CICR also communicates with Lutheran church bodies that are seeking fellowship with WELS. In recent years, discussions with such churches have led our synod to declare fellowship with Lutheran churches in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda.
This beautiful trend continues as the worldwide fellowship expands. After several years of detailed doctrinal discussions between WELS representatives and the Africa Mission Evangelism Church of Tanzania, the CICR is recommending that our synod publicly and officially declare fellowship with the Africa Mission Evangelism Church at this summer’s synod convention. Such celebrations of newly established fellowship are always one of the highlights of a synod convention.
The Africa Mission Evangelism Church is a growing Lutheran church body that separated from its previous affiliation because of doctrinal reasons. It consists of 12,000 members in 78 congregations and is served by approximately 65 pastors. The head of the Africa Mission Evangelism Church is Bishop Baltazar Kaaya. Bishop Kaaya will be attending our convention this summer to tell us more about our new partner in Africa.
We thank God that he continues to build his church.
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
It has been 14 years since Hmong church leaders in Vietnam invited WELS to train their pastors in the truth of the gospel. It has been seven years since the communist government in Vietnam invited WELS to build a theological education center in the capital city of Hanoi. From the very beginning, we knew that the Lord had opened a door to reach the more than two million Hmong people who live in Vietnam and the surrounding countries. We also knew that this door could close at any time. Our WELS World Missions team worked quickly to ensure WELS took full advantage of the time the Lord had provided. And God’s work moved forward in ways we could have never predicted.
With the generosity of faithful donors, we built a sturdy building—complete with classrooms, sleeping quarters, and a kitchen—meant to house 60 students at a time and train pastors for Christ’s service. Almost two years ago at the dedication, it stood ready, a beacon of hope. But government regulations have kept us from using it for now. The paperwork continues, and the delay has a story of its own. A local church body that once supported us began demanding practices contrary to Scripture—insisting we stop baptizing babies and allow non-Lutheran teachers to train our pastors. In a Martin Luther-esque stand, our partner church broke away, choosing faithfulness over compromise. Since then, they’ve lost government recognition, which has slowed the process for gaining occupancy of the theological education center. Yet we trust that access could come any day, because God’s timing is not ours.
Some might see this as a delay, a plan stalled. But God has provided paths we never expected. Since we began, our sister church has grown to over 160,000 souls, hungry for the Word. Fifty-five pastors have been trained—not in that building but in rented spaces and internet classrooms where God gathered them to learn. Another 120 seminary-level students are studying now, their hearts set on preaching the gospel. Catechism classes, led by trained leaders, echo through every congregation in the rural training program that was developed by WELS missionaries and is now being supported by 12 fully trained Hmong pastors. This flock proudly calls themselves Lutheran, not because of a building but because of the truth they’ve learned through WELS training.
Take a pastoral student and his brother, for example. When they feared funding had faltered, they sold their family’s water buffalo—a sacrifice that cut deep in their rural life—so one could join the biblical training they feared might pass them by. Today, that student is a pastor, shepherding souls, his brother’s faith beside him. What earthly hurdles could stop God’s Spirit at work?
These twists and turns and extra red tape have given us more time—time to train, time to grow, and time to stand firm without interference. We thought we needed that building. God knew we needed him—and him alone. In his hands, this work triumphs, brimming with hope for tomorrow.
In Christ,
Rev. Larry Schlomer
Administrator, WELS World Missions
Recently it was disclosed that several Roman Catholic and Lutheran social service organizations have been receiving federal funding for humanitarian aid or community services from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It’s been reported that much of this funding has been directed toward assistance to immigrants and refugees. We have received questions about whether our synod is involved in any of this kind of effort.
The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) has no financial or operational relationship with the Lutheran agencies that received these funds. WELS does not provide financial support to them and does not work with them in any way. Our synod has not applied for nor received any grant from the federal government for relief work among immigrants. When you hear the word “Lutheran” in the news reports, it does not refer to our synod.
One of the Lutheran groups identified as having received federal dollars (for youth mental health treatment) is Wisconsin Lutheran Child & Family Service, Inc. (WLCFS; known as Christian Family Solutions). WLCFS, which is known for providing quality Christian counseling services to our members and the community, is not a synodical organization; rather, it is an independent ministry affiliated with WELS. WLCFS is not governed or funded by WELS.
WELS does have its own disaster and humanitarian aid organization called WELS Christian Aid and Relief. This organization receives no federal funding and carries out its work of helping the needy and providing humanitarian grants solely with the generous support of WELS congregations and individual donors.
Because there are some erroneous or misleading reports in the news and on social media, we are informing you, the members of our synod, in case you have questions about this or receive questions about it from others.
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
In recent years, Martin Luther College (MLC), New Ulm, Minn., has been working hard to address the current shortage of teachers across the synod. MLC has developed two new programs designed to offer alternative pathways for non-traditional, second-career individuals to earn degrees in education, which would aid in staffing growing WELS early childhood centers and elementary schools.
To support WELS early childhood centers with their varied staffing needs, the MLC Office of Continuing Education has launched its four tiers of support for early childhood teachers. Tiers 2 to 4 build upon one another, with Tier 4 culminating in an associate degree. Prospective students—often WELS members already working in some capacity at an early childhood center—can enter the program at any level, depending on their educational backgrounds and career goals.
As of November 2024, the program has cleared the final hurdle in becoming an accredited program. “The online Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education for non-traditional adult learners has been approved by the state of Minnesota and the Higher Learning Commission,” says Prof. John Meyer, director of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education at MLC. “Since the program was approved by our accreditor, four adult learners have been accepted, two more have begun the application process, and more have expressed their intention to apply.”
MLC has also recently launched the Alternative Pathway to Professional Licensure Eligibility program, which provides a pathway for non-traditional and second-career students to earn a bachelor’s degree in education. “We believe there are a great number of candidates who can serve the church and its school system in a way that will help fulfill the existing teacher shortage,” says Dr. Jeff Wiechman, vice president for academics at MLC. “Many people are considering a second career in teaching because they want to support our system.”
This licensure program is structured as a competency-based education program, allowing students to use their knowledge and experience to guide their pacing through the coursework to meet the Bachelor of Science in Education degree requirements and be eligible for a Minnesota Tier 3 teaching license. Wiechman explains, “Many of these students are already working in school settings and can apply their experiences toward their coursework, ultimately earning both their degree and license.”
The development of the licensure program has been years in the making. “This idea first surfaced in 2017 when we recognized our schools were growing and began exploring alternative ways to serve our church body,” Wiechman explains. MLC called Dr. Nichole LaGrow as the program director and Dr. Martin LaGrow as the instructional designer. Together, they secured accreditation and approvals necessary for the program’s launch and worked with MLC faculty to structure the curriculum.
MLC started work with returning adult learners interested in pursuing an elementary education degree and license a year ago with the launch of the theology minor. Those students can now continue via the Alternative Pathway to Professional Licensure Eligibility program. New students can join them this fall by applying to MLC . “We’re excited to serve our church body in this new way,” says Wiechman. “This has been a long time in the making, and we’re grateful for the support that made it possible.”
To learn more about MLC’s four tiers of support for early childhood teachers, visit forwardinchrist.net/early-childhood-teachers and mlc-wels.edu/continuing-education/four-tiers.
Visit the MLC Nontraditional Education Blog to learn more about competency-based education and the Alternative Pathway to Professional Licensure Eligibility program.
The new mission in Marquette, Mich., was approved as a new mission start in 2023, the first year of the 100 Missions in 10 Years initiative. Marquette serves as the hub of the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) of Michigan, and 52% of the people in and around Marquette do not have a home church or attend a church. It is also home to 7,000 students at Northern Michigan University. Click through the photos to see a timeline of Anchor’s ministry to date and learn more about planting new churches at wels100in10.net.
In a joint effort between the Mission for the Visually Impaired (MVI), part of WELS Commission on Special Ministries, and Northwestern Publishing House, the large-print edition of Christian Worship: Hymnal is now available.
The large-print hymnal includes the full content of Christian Worship: Hymnal but in a larger format to aid those with vision problems.
“Over 20 percent of all WELS members have some type of visual impairment,” says Mr. Lawrence Povinelli, MVI’s chairman. “Statistics show that as we age we lose sight, and it made sense to offer the hymnal in large print.”
Making this available is important, explains Povinelli, because “all want to participate in worship and have access to our worship materials. The reduction in eyesight should not close the door to participating in worship.”
The large-print hymnal is available for purchase by individuals and congregations and is available on the Northwestern Publishing House website for $54.99.
The Mission for the Visually Impaired was started to provide braille materials to the blind. Over its 60 years, it has evolved into providing audio, large print, flash drives, and now an online listen library. The listen library has major WELS publications, such as Meditations, Forward in Christ, People’s Bible Commentary, and countless other materials in audio. It is password protected as it is only available to those that have visual impairments, as well as those who are print impaired. Anyone can check out the listen library at listen.wels.net.
It is likely stating the obvious that not everyone your congregation has the opportunity to serve with the gospel regularly sits in the pews of your church or the various classrooms of your congregation. Maybe you are aware of those in unique situations who could be served by your congregation, and perhaps you wonder or struggle how to serve them. This edition of Together highlights a number of the resources available through WELS Commission on Special Ministries.
Special Ministries has several main areas that seek to help God’s people serve those who are not served in the normal course of a congregation’s ministry: Ministry to the Military, Prison Ministry, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Ministry, Mission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Mission for the Visually Impaired, Mental Health Needs Committee, Care Committee for Called Workers, Health and Wellness Committee, and a Chaplain Certification program. Subgroups or partners serve under a number of these areas.
You can find more information on all of these areas at wels.net/special-ministries. This site also offers opportunities to refer people who might be served by one of these areas.
So often I hear “I had no idea that our synod had . . . ” It is my prayer that this edition of Together helps you better understand all that Special Ministries offers to help you and your congregation get the gospel to those who may be in one of these unique or difficult situations in life.
The words of our Savior in Matthew 25:40 guide the work of Special Ministries: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Those words remind us that, ultimately, we are serving our Savior in everything we do. The privilege our Savior gives us is to serve others with the life-saving gospel as we serve him. Special Ministries stands ready to assist you in whatever way we can. Feel free to reach out at [email protected].
In Christ,
Rev. Joel Gaertner
Director, WELS Commission on Special Ministries
WELS Military Chaplain Rev. Paul Horn and his daughter Calliope (a senior at Luther Preparatory School, Watertown, Wis.) traveled to Okinawa, Japan, in January to host a WELS Ministry to the Military retreat for WELS military members stationed in the Pacific. Four branches of the military—Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Army—were represented and included members from Guam, Japan, and South Korea. The weekend was packed with events such as Bible study and Sunday school on the beach, worship that included a teen confirmation, and fellowship activities. WELS Ministry to the Military, a part of WELS Special Ministries, provides live online worship and Bible study every weekend for those stationed in the Pacific, and future retreats are being planned. Refer WELS members in the military at wels.net/military.
Military members and their families can receive devotions and other spiritual help materials in the mail or by e-mail.