In 1993, the WELS synod convention adopted a doctrinal statement entitled “Scriptural Principles of Man and Woman Roles.” The statement is a faithful and comprehensive summary of what Scripture teaches about the God-given roles of men and women. 

By 2019, it became apparent that there was a need to provide clarification and additional context regarding the meaning and application of the statement. For that reason, the WELS Conference of Presidents (COP) initially determined that a restatement of the doctrine should be composed, not as a replacement for the 1993 statement, but as a supplement to it. The COP believed that additional clarification and context would help to answer questions and resolve possible misunderstandings and misapplications. 

As the COP worked to craft a restatement, it became clear that a better approach would be to compose a pastoral letter rather than an official restatement. Such a letter would be “pastoral” not because it was intended only for pastors, but because it is pastoral in nature by providing evangelical guidance. It is intended for all called workers and laypeople as they seek to understand fully and correctly this biblical doctrine and its principles as they apply the doctrine in their lives. 

With a full commitment to the truth of God’s Word, the COP shared this pastoral letter with pastors about two weeks ago to give them an opportunity to become familiar with it. Now the COP is making the letter available to all members of the synod. We do this with the prayer that God would use it to foster widespread discussion and a clear and faithful understanding of the beautiful principles of God’s design for man and woman as we live our lives in service to him and to one another.  

View the letter 

Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder 

Just two months after WELS teens joined together for the biennial WELS International Youth Rally in Colorado, more than 100 WELS teens found a way to connect with one another again—this time online. Rev. Dr. Phil Huebner, campus pastor at Wisconsin Lutheran High School (WLHS), Milwaukee, Wis., led the first National Online Teen Bible Study in September. 

Huebner worked with Oliva Hermanson, a 2024 WLHS graduate with a heart for bringing teens together for faith and fellowship. “I recognized that there are teens across the country who do not have the opportunity to go to a school with almost a thousand people who share their faith,” Hermanson explains. “I was looking for a way to bring Christian teens together on a regular basis, create a space where we can discuss our faith, and make connections that are meaningful.” 

Hermanson brought her idea for a national online teen Bible study to Huebner, who connected her with Rev. Donn Dobberstein, director of WELS Discipleship. WELS Discipleship has been actively working to support churches in engaging their teen populations.  

Dobberstein explains, “God has blessed WELS with about 16,000 souls in the 14- to 17-year-old age group. At the same time, the size of congregations has trended down, meaning fewer teens are in churches today than in past decades. Many churches don’t have the critical mass of youth as they did in the past.” 

After the 2022 youth rally, WELS Discipleship began considering how it might help churches enhance their youth ministry efforts between biennial youth rallies. “First, we developed resources for ‘Youth Night,’” explains Dobberstein. “It’s a series of three youth-focused events during the school year to bring high school youth from area churches together . . . to encourage faith, fun, and fellowship.”  

The WELS National Online Teen Bible Study accomplishes similar goals as teens from across the world gather digitally to study the Word. “Geography is no longer a barrier,” says Dobberstein. “It’s about connecting them at a critical time in their life to Christ and with each other.”  

Hermanson played an active role in planning and executing the event, and Huebner selected the first topic: the parable of the prodigal son. “I chose a topic that I thought teens would relate to well and that would touch their hearts with God’s compassionate love,” says Huebner. In addition to hearing this relevant message, attendees dug deeper into the topic in small discussion groups. 

For Hermanson and so many other Christian teens, staying plugged in to their faith community can be hard. “If [the study] showed just one struggling teen that they are not alone and built them up in their faith, then it served its purpose,” she says. “I praise God that he worked through me to help do that.” 

She continues, “We are all learning so much about ourselves and what God has planned for us in our teenage years, and it is so important to have faith-based discussions about what we are struggling with.” 

Going forward, the National Online Teen Bible Study will take place on a quarterly basis and feature messages from a variety of WELS pastors. The next study is scheduled for Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. (Central). 

Learn more and register for the next online teen Bible study at wels.net/events. 

Learn more about Youth Night events  

Read more about churches implementing Youth Night events  

The following summary of the recent WELS National Festival for Worship, Music, and the Arts, held July 31–Aug. 2, in Kenosha, Wis., was written by Rev. Bryan Gerlach. He has served as the director of the WELS Commission on Worship since 1996 and was involved in the development of the new WELS hymnal. He will be retiring this month. He has provided steady and solid leadership in the area of worship, emphasizing the importance of worship that is Christ-centered, focused on law and gospel, and retains the principles of faithful Lutheran worship while incorporating variety and freshness in the liturgies and hymns used in our congregations. We thank God for this gift to his church, and we thank him for his faithful service. —WELS President Mark Schroeder

After a seven-year hiatus, rather than the three-year pattern that began in 1996, it’s not surprising that this year’s conference unleashed a lot of musical energy and talent. One first-time attendee said, “I had heard it would be awesome, but it far exceeded my expectations.” Some regular past attendees said “best ever” about the caliber of the orchestra . . . and the superb cafeteria menu choices.

The conference theme was “Sing to the Lord a New Song.” While the song of the gospel is always new, this conference made extensive use of new songs from the 2021 WELS hymnal suite and beyond, accompanied by a wide variety of instruments in different styles.

Those who couldn’t attend can still enjoy concerts and services at welsworshipconference.net/media. This link also includes service folders, some presentation handouts, and photos. While the impact from these videos isn’t the same as being present with 1,000 people (like a photo of the Grand Canyon can’t compete with standing at the rim), viewers can still enjoy these events. Here are some “not to miss” items:

• Festival concert: Don’t miss the thrilling final movement of Saint Saens’ “Organ Symphony” and excellent choral music from a 115-voice choir.
• Plenary address: Jonathan Bauer presented “Lutheran Worship: What Now?” In a context of rapid change, Bauer demonstrates how, as we, confessional Lutherans, are fully equipped to answer this crucial question. It’s available in both video and print.
• Morning “Alive in Christ” sermons: Hear sermons by Prof. Aaron Christie (Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary), President Richard Gurgel (Martin Luther College), and President em. Paul Wendland (Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary).
• Closing concert: A rendition of “Amazing Grace” starts with a whisper from the children’s choir (50 voices singing with beautiful tone) accompanied by harp, handbells, and flute. It keeps building until the last stanza, a sonic roar from 1,200 people, full orchestra with lots of percussion, and a kilt-clad bagpiper. (The hymn begins at 1:15 in the video)

The conference wasn’t only for musicians and pastors. Non-musical laypeople from congregations of all sizes selected from many presentation topics. A first-time non-musical attendee said, “My wife twisted my arm to come, but I won’t miss another!”

View all the materials and presentations online.

Note: This conference marked the retirement of Rev. Bryan Gerlach, who has helped plan all nine worship conferences. Conference planning committee chair Rev. Jon Zabell presented Gerlach with a collection of organ music commissioned in thanks to God for his years of service. Gerlach said, “This conference has been quite the going away party. But, seriously, these conferences have been a highlight of my ministry.”

Attendees share their edifying experiences at the 2024 WELS National Conference on Worship, Music, and the Arts

For a church body the size of WELS, our synod is blessed to be able to provide a wide variety of spring and summer events. Each of those events presents opportunities for worship, spiritual growth, supporting the synod’s mission, training for service in various ways, and Christian fellowship. Some of the events held in 2024 feature all five elements.

Two of the synod’s summer events happen next week:

• WELS Women’s Ministry Conference
  The WELS Women’s Ministry Conference will be held July 28-30 at the Ingleside Hotel, Pewaukee, Wis. It is a sold-out conference with 450 attendees planning to come.

• WELS National Conference on Worship, Music, and the Arts
  The National Conference on Worship, Music, and the Arts will take place on the Carthage College campus in Kenosha, Wis., July 30-Aug. 2. More than 800 people have registered to attend. Walk-ins are welcome at the event.

Several other events occurred earlier this summer:

• Taste of Missions
  Nearly 500 people attended the annual Taste of Missions on June 15 at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., for a day of food, fellowship, fun, and learning about WELS mission work. The event kicked off with a special worship service in the morning, during which nine new home and world missionaries were commissioned.

2024 WELS International Youth Rally

• WELS International Youth Rally
  From June 25-28, WELS teens had the opportunity to worship together, learn and study God’s Word, grow in faith and fellowship with one another, as well as enjoy recreation and entertainment at the 2024 WELS International Youth Rally. Around 2,200 teens and 600 adults convened at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo. This was the second largest rally ever, second only to the 2005 rally in Orlando, Fla.

• Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society convention
  The 61st annual convention of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society (LWMS) in Sioux Falls, S.D., on June 27-30 drew more than 1,000 people for the opening service. This year’s convention theme was “Being Built into a Spiritual House.” Convention highlights included the presentation of more than $100,000 to support WELS Home and World Missions projects and an opportunity to hear about the latest developments from mission administrators. In addition, the LWMS kids c.a.r.e. program received more than $43,000 in 2023–24 to support annual retreats for children of world missionaries who assimilate back to American culture.

• WELS Night at the Brewers
  More than 2,000 members from around the Midwest enjoyed an evening of fellowship, fun, and baseball at the annual WELS Night at the Brewers on July 12.
  

  Rev. Paul Lindhorst sang the national anthem at WELS Night at the Brewers.

In addition to those synodwide events, summer is also the time throughout the synod when district or regional gatherings are held. Those include such things as district conventions, Sunday school workshops, marriage retreats, Lutheran summer camps, handbell festivals, and lay leadership retreats.

The popularity of these events indicates that we are a synod whose members are willing to give their time to events that support the mission of the synod and provide them with opportunities to grow in their knowledge and be equipped for service.

Learn more about upcoming events at wels.net/events.

Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder

During this summer’s district conventions, two districts elected new presidents. The Pacific Northwest District elected Rev. Daniel Lange, and the Arizona-California District elected Rev. Joel Heckendorf. They will replace the outgoing presidents: Rev. John Steinbrenner from the Pacific Northwest District, who accepted a call to serve as pastor at Martin Luther, Oshkosh, Wis., and Rev. Jon Buchholz, who chose not to stand for reelection in the Arizona-California District.

Rev. Daniel Lange, Pacific Northwest District president

Rev. Daniel Lange currently serves as pastor at Light of Life, Covington, Wash. Lange was born in Arkansas where his father, Rev. Douglas Lange, was assigned to plant a mission church.

During his childhood summers, Lange, with his family, had the opportunity to stay at a family property near Eagle River, Wis. “This place holds a special place in my heart,” says Lange. “It was here that I received most of my ministry encouragement from my grandfather, Robert Otterstatter. It was at his side, fixing a broken pipe or shingling a cabin roof, where he spent hours talking to me about ‘the good Lord.’”

Lange met his wife, Sara, at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn. “I didn’t know at the time how tremendously the Lord would bless me through Sara,” remarks Lange. “For all the sermons I’ve given, my wife has given more. Her text is ‘Love your husband!’ and her sermons are preached through her daily actions in our house, at our church, and everywhere in our life together.” The Langes have been blessed with three children—Madelyn (14), Olivia (12), and Zachary (9).

As he begins his new role, Lange is grateful for the support and advice he has received from the outgoing district president. “John Steinbrenner continues to teach me many lessons,” says Lange. “In all things, he has placed the kingdom first.”

He continues, “I look forward to visiting our churches and schools. I’m eager to witness how Jesus is blessing them, to pray with them, and to serve them in any manner possible.”

Rev. Joel Heckendorf, Arizona-California District president

Rev. Joel Heckendorf currently serves as pastor at Light of the Valleys, Reno, Nev. As a Wisconsin native who grew up on a dairy farm in Jackson, Heckendorf remarks, “When I took the call to start a mission in Reno, it was the first time I lived outside of Wisconsin and it was the first time I was part of a congregation with less than one thousand members. Being in a mission has helped me gain a whole new perspective on ministry.”

Heckendorf has gathered insights from various people and congregations throughout his life. First, he learned from his parents, who were both involved in their home congregation. But it wasn’t until his senior year in high school that he considered becoming a pastor. “The summer before my senior year, I’d spend a few mornings a week lifting weights and playing basketball with a seminarian from my congregation,” explains Heckendorf. “As he let 17-year-old me hang around his seminary buddies, I started to consider pastoral ministry because of their peer influence.”

Now as he considers his new role as district president, Heckendorf can see how the Lord has prepared him for this path. For example, while serving as pastor at Immanuel, Greenville, Wis., Heckendorf served on the praesidium of the Northern Wisconsin District and learned a great deal from its president, Rev. Joel Zank. Additionally, Heckendorf explains, “Being on Synodical Council the past few years, I admired the laymen and administrators of our synod. Also, serving as Multi-Language Productions’ administrative chairman has broadened my experience to consider many cultures and to work alongside many gifted people.” He also notes how God prepared him through his wife, Mary. “Whether it’s watching her use her gifts or receiving her support, I thank God for providing the perfect complement.”

Heckendorf says he is grateful for all the prayers and words of encouragement through the years. “The number of people who have said they’d love to be my ‘Aaron’— to help hold me up—is amazing,” he says. “No matter what challenges we experience in our personal or professional lives, we can rejoice in the Lord, knowing that he is our Savior.”

Learn more about the role of district presidents in WELS President Rev. Mark Schroeder’s column in this month’s Forward in Christ.