WELS Mission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MDHH), part of the WELS Commission on Special Ministries, seeks to help congregations share the gospel of Jesus Christ with members of WELS and others who are deaf or hard of hearing. The MDHH has various resources to assist members and congregations in meeting the spiritual needs of those with hearing loss. 

Hearing loop grant 

The MDHH is offering $500 grants to congregations that install hearing loops in their sanctuaries. A hearing loop works with people’s hearing aids to provide a clearer sound directly into their ears. Perhaps your church had issues with the audio for the livestream and the sound cut out for a portion of the sermon. Maybe the microphones weren’t set up to hear people singing. These scenarios can put up barriers to worship for those who are hard of hearing. 

The MDHH is encouraging looping projects. If your church is already planning a renovation, it would be an ideal time to install a hearing loop. If your congregation might be interested in installing a loop in your sanctuary, reach out at [email protected] for more information. 

Signed online Bible study 

The MDHH’s online deaf Bible study is a program specifically for deaf individuals who use American Sign Language (ASL). The pastor is hearing, but an interpreter is provided to facilitate communication. Participants can explore thought-provoking questions and engage in meaningful dialogue with both the pastor and fellow participants. 

The classes are held weekly on Tuesday nights via Zoom. Anyone who is deaf and uses ASL is invited to the Bible study. The MDHH notes the study is not structured for someone trying to learn ASL. 

Gerald Olson, a participant in the study, says, “The Deaf Online Bible Study is a comfortable place for me to ask questions in my native language, ASL. The answers are clear, and I have gained much understanding of the Bible throughout the years.” 

To join, e-mail [email protected] for the Zoom link. The same Zoom link is used for each session.  

Gospel Hands 

Gospel Hands is an online religious sign language video dictionary for the deaf and interpreters to effectively share the gospel. This process has been a three-year project developed by the MDHH. The printed dictionary, “Sign to the Lord a new song,” has been updated to an online dictionary with hundreds of videos that are more effectively understood and shared. The online video-based reference library includes not only many religious terms but also the creeds and common prayers used in worship services. 

WELS Prison Ministry and Institutional Ministries are working collaboratively toward an integration that would better steward the ministry resources with which God has blessed them. The ministry and resources of WELS Prison Ministry will be part of and administered by Institutional Ministries.

“While much has been accomplished with WELS Prison Ministry and Institutional Ministries working collaboratively for the last few decades, it makes good sense to eliminate any duplication of efforts and put all ministry to the incarcerated and their families together under one entity,” says Rev. Joel Gaertner, director, WELS Commission on Special Ministries.

WELS Prison Ministry, part of WELS Commission on Special Ministries, started in 1993 when a group of volunteers assisted WELS Special Ministries in launching a nationwide ministry providing religious materials to prison chaplains and inmates. WELS Prison Ministry has distributed materials to about 2,500 facilities to date throughout the United States and also trains mentors for released offenders and church teams to conduct ministries for inmates at local jails.

Institutional Ministries, a WELS-affiliated ministry, was founded in 1901 for the purpose of meeting the spiritual needs of those who were institutionalized. Today, the team of chaplains and volunteers serves inmates in a growing number of states through in-person ministry and other resources. This behind-the-walls ministry focuses on four unique areas: correctional care, health care, extended care, and caring support. GraceLinks, Institutional Ministries’ e-mailed devotional ministry, is sent to inmates across 20 states.

“The idea is that by putting all prison work resources under one organization, we can be more productive and have better workflow. Both WELS Prison Ministry and Institutional Ministries are excited about this opportunity to be better equipped and organized, promoting growth,” says Rev. Phil Henselin, executive director, Institutional Ministries. “Together, with God’s blessing, we can work powerfully. Pray that God blesses this process with wisdom, discernment, and the support needed to continue to faithfully share his Word behind walls!”

Discussions between the two ministries are ongoing with the goal of fully integrating by June 2026. The two ministries will work together to best determine the logistical and administrative details of the integration.

For those who faithfully support either of these ministries with financial gifts, support can be given as it has in the past, until details regarding the integration of financial support are determined.

Learn more at wels.net/prison and IM.life.

The Conference of Presidents (COP) met for its winter meeting Jan. 7–10, 2025. The COP is composed of the 12 district presidents, the synod president, and the two synod vice presidents. The synod secretary serves as a non-voting advisory member of the COP. 

My president’s report included these items: 

• Reaction to the COP’s pastoral letter on man-woman roles has been positive with few questions or concerns raised. 
• Reaction to the COP’s pastoral brief on critical theory has also been generally positive. The few questions or concerns that have been raised have usually centered on the fact that there were aspects of this topic that the brief did not specifically address. The purpose of the brief was not to provide an exhaustive study of critical theory but to underline the scriptural principles involved and to enable WELS members to approach this subject from a biblical and evangelical perspective. 
• WELS is pursuing plans to declare fellowship with the Africa Mission Evangelism Church in Tanzania. This is a Lutheran church body with whom WELS has had extensive discussions to determine that our two church bodies are in doctrinal agreement. 
• The new long-range plan, entitled “Christ through us,” is still under development and will be ready for presentation to the synod convention in July. 

There are 140 parish pastor vacancies as well as 6 non-parish pastoral vacancies. 

The COP authorized a special synodwide offering related to the synod’s 175th anniversary. The offering will be directed to the synod in general, world missions, home missions, and ministerial education. More specific uses for the offering by each area of ministry will be announced prior to the start of the offering. Congregations and individuals will be invited to participate. 

Congregational Services will be releasing samples of alternative governance structures for congregations in the coming months. District constitution committees will be equipped to answer questions that may arise when it comes to congregational governance and related bylaws. 

The COP authorized Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary to begin a generosity campaign in support of its planned building project. If all parts of the project can be done, it will provide classrooms, remodeling of current space for faculty offices, remodeling of portions of the library, and a gathering space attached to the gymnasium. 

The Doctrine Committee of the COP will hold its annual meeting with the Doctrine Committee of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod in January. 

The deadline for congregations to submit their 2024 statistics and their 2025 Congregation Mission Offering (CMO) subscriptions is February 7. Looking ahead to CMO encouragement for 2026, “Joyful Generosity” and other stewardship materials will be made available by September 2025, including a CMO video presentation. 

Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder 

“Your gifts, God’s blessings: An annual report to our members” is now available. The 24-page report includes photos and updates from WELS ministries as well as stories of faith.  

“God’s faithfulness is as steadfast for us as a synod as it is for us as individuals,” says WELS President Mark Schroeder. “The annual report reviews some of the ways that God has displayed his faithfulness and blessed our work together during the past year.” 

Some of those blessings include: 

• five home missions launching worship services in 2024; 
• more than 2,000 teens coming together for worship, spiritual growth, and fellowship at the WELS International Youth Rally; 
• sending two missionaries to a new mission field in Australia; and 
• the highest enrollment at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 15 years.
  

These ministry highlights and more are presented in the 2025 edition of “Your gifts, God’s blessings.” Print versions of the report are being sent to every WELS congregation and individual donor. Additional print versions are available from Northwestern Publishing House for free. Visit nph.net/wels or call 800-662-6022. 

To view the report online, visit wels.net/annualreport. There you can also download a PowerPoint presentation of the report with notes that allow anyone to share the highlights of our synod’s work. Alternatively, churches can invite a WELS Christian giving counselor to give the presentation. Contact WELS Ministry of Christian Giving at 800-827-5482 for more information. 

WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools completed the annual Lutheran school statistics collection from all WELS schools for the 2024-25 school year. On the surface, the numbers are very close to a year ago, with preparatory and area Lutheran high school enrollments increasing by 103 for a total of 7,484 students, Lutheran elementary school enrollments increasing slightly to 28,361 students from 28,081 in 2023, and the number of students served by early childhood ministries decreasing to 11,338 from 11,799. The number of called teachers has grown by 49 to 3,108.  

The following insights come through close examination of trends in our schools over the past 3, 5, and even 15 years. Even though early childhood ministries and Lutheran elementary schools have continued to open, a much greater number have closed. When compared to the 2010 statistical report, the number of early childhood ministries has decreased from 388 (225 connected to a Lutheran elementary school and 163 standalone) to 345 (241 connected to a Lutheran elementary school and 104 standalone), though total enrollment has increased by 13 percent. The number of Lutheran elementary schools has decreased from 328 in 2010 to 276 currently, though during that period total enrollment has increased by 17 percent. The number of area Lutheran high schools has grown by four, including a fully accredited WELS online high school enrolling 14 students, with overall area Lutheran high school enrollment increasing by 23 percent since 2010.  

Although enrollment overall has been at record numbers the last two years due to increased interest in Christan education, fewer but larger schools are a result of mergers, consolidations, and closures due to the reality of rising costs and decreased enrollments, making it more difficult for smaller schools in smaller congregations with fewer supporters to continue to exist. 

The Commission on Lutheran Schools stands ready to provide consulting guidance and onsite support for schools dealing with fiscal sustainability challenges, declining enrollment, and merger considerations. Thanks to generous gifts toward utilizing schools for outreach, funds are now available to review, provide guidance for, and help all schools develop and implement effective harvest strategies for the growing number of unchurched and community members enrolling in our schools. It is our prayer that every school is effectively using a harvest strategy to connect more families to the gospel. Please contact [email protected] for further information. 

View the WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools statistical report. 

In Christ,
Mr. James Rademan, director, Commission on Lutheran Schools 

WELS Schools Accreditation (WELSSA) is marking 20 years of helping WELS schools provide the assurance of a quality, Christ-centered education to families.  

Mr. Paul Patterson, associate director of the WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools, says, “Accreditation is really about assurance. You’re being assured that you’re doing the things that good schools should be doing and that you are meeting the needs of students. It’s assurance that the ministry aspect of what you’re doing is active and working, so that the gospel is spread.”  

The WELSSA accreditation process reviews and evaluates a school’s mission and if it’s faithful to that mission, the business and administration practices of the school, policies (such as safety), curriculum, the facility itself, and how student services are being offered.  

Patterson explains: “Accreditation is a two-part improvement process that a congregation would go through. The first part of accreditation is a self-study. A self-study is a congregation looking at a set of standards and identifying if they have or are doing the things listed in those standards. The second part of accreditation is a peer review. So, you bring in people from nearby schools or from other parts of the United States who verify that self-study. If a school is meeting 85 percent of our standards, then we recommend that the Commission on Lutheran Schools, WELSSA’s governing board, accredits the school.”  

While the initial accreditation process takes about 15 months, it is not a program to simply put a stamp on a school to declare it “good,” but rather it’s a process of continual improvement and ongoing evaluation.  

Once a school is accredited, it provides annual reports of the school’s progress on the recommended improvement plans and is re-evaluated every six years. To begin the WELSSA accreditation process, school leaders can contact the office of the Commission on Lutheran Schools to get started.  

Currently, 162 WELS schools are accredited by WELSSA—about 50 percent of Lutheran elementary schools and high schools and about 25 percent of early childhood programs. Due to the regulatory and accreditation policies in some states, some WELS schools also receive accreditation from other agencies. In total, 60 percent of WELS elementary schools, 85 percent of high schools, and 40 percent of early childhood programs are accredited through a recognized agency in their state.  

“The benefit of WELSSA is that we have standards in place that help schools remain distinctively Lutheran, and we want to encourage our schools to embrace the beauty of the truths we have in our Lutheran Confessions and our understanding of how God comes to us in the means of grace,” says Patterson.  

He concludes, “We are so thankful for God’s grace for the 20 years he has allowed this program to exist. We pray that his grace would continue to help schools improve so that families who send their kids to our schools can know their kids are getting a great education and they are being connected to Jesus.” 

The Conference of Presidents (COP) held its fall meeting Oct. 8-11. Items discussed or decided include:  

• The COP adopted a statement on critical theory in keeping with a request from the 2023 synod convention. This paper will provide information on what critical theory is and how our pastors and members can evaluate it and respond to it. The paper will be released in the coming weeks.  

• The COP discussed a suggestion that the synod convention be changed from a biennial convention to a triennial convention. After receiving input from the district conventions last summer, the COP decided not to bring this proposal to the 2025 synod convention.  

• Rev. Steven Wiebe, who serves an independent Lutheran congregation in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, applied for colloquy into WELS. After a thorough process, his colloquy request was granted, and he is now a member of the WELS ministerium.  

• In reviewing the pastoral vacancies in the synod, the COP noted that there are 151 vacancies for parish pastors, 1 foreign missionary, 1 professor, and 2 other pastor-trained positions. These numbers are similar to the number of vacancies one year ago.  

• The COP will release guidelines for congregational governance. Several models will be provided for congregations of different sizes. Release is scheduled for early 2025. Meetings will be planned for district constitution committees so they are familiar with these guidelines.  

• The COP received a report from Curriculum Coordinator Melanie Giddings, which outlines the progress and plans for the new theology curriculum for K-12 currently in development.  

• The COP issued a divine call for a national coordinator of early childhood ministries. The position will become vacant upon the retirement of Mrs. Cindi Holman, who has served in the role since 2011. The call was extended to Miss Jennifer Mehlberg, who currently serves at Martin Luther College.  

• The COP appointed Mr. Jon Thibaudeau to serve as a lay member on the Commission on Lutheran Schools.  

• The COP will submit a recommendation to the 2025 synod convention to change the way synod officers (president, first and second vice presidents, and secretary) are elected. Currently, nominations for these positions are made by the delegates at the synod convention. This proposal would have the delegates submit nominations prior to the convention. When a final ballot is determined, that ballot would be published prior to the convention.  

• A committee was formed to develop a shared philosophy of ministry for WELS schools to elementary and secondary students and families active in other Christian churches.  

• The COP reiterated the synod policy that says that any church worker who is directly involved with the means of grace should be called, not hired.  

• Martin Luther College has proposed a three-part strategy to increase the number of ministry-certified teachers in our synod. The COP approved the plans.  

Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder 

This weekend, Oct. 12 and 13, the WELS Christian Aid and Relief assessment team traveled to Florida and spent two intensive days viewing damage and talking to pastors, members, and church leaders. The team visited WELS congregations in Sarasota, Tampa, and Seminole. Northdale Lutheran in Tampa had a large tree on its school that needed to be removed as well as water damage to its sound system. Ascension in Sarasota had soffit damage. Thankfully damage to church buildings is light and should be repaired quickly. 

The team also visited several members of WELS churches with varying levels of damage to their personal properties. Some have extensive damage from storm surge entering their homes. There is also quite a bit of tree damage and debris that needs to be cleaned up in the area of impact. Christian Aid and Relief is thankful to report that all members of our churches are safe with no reports of injury or loss of life. 

Currently, Christian Aid and Relief is working to set up a deployment to help with the work that needs to be done. Local volunteers will be utilized as much as possible, but volunteers with special skills will be brought in as needed. To sign up as a disaster relief volunteer, please visit welsdisasterrelief.org. Christian Aid and Relief will keep you updated on its deployment plans. 

In addition to the work in Florida, Christian Aid and Relief is in touch with WELS pastors in North Carolina and is working to help several families in need.  

We couldn’t do any of this without your support. We are grateful for God’s people in WELS who have offered many prayers and abundant financial gifts to help those in need. Thank you so much! 

Rev. Dan Sims, director, WELS Christian Aid and Relief 

Visit wels.net/relief to learn more about the work of WELS Christian Aid and Relief.

Mr. Dan Nommensen started as the new director of WELS Communication Services on Oct. 1, following the retirement of previous director Mr. Lee Hitter.  

For the past year, Nommensen had been serving the synod as operations manager for WELS Congregational Services, working closely with Communication Services as new programs and services were launched. Previously he spent 25 years with Christian Family Solutions, working not only as a Christian counselor but also in an operations capacity with roles in marketing, communications, donor development, information technology, and leadership development.  

“I thoroughly enjoy getting to know everything that our synod provides to our congregations and schools,” he says. “The resources we offer through our synod are timely and help the members of our church body move forward with the gospel to impact people in our homes, neighborhoods, and throughout the world. I am looking forward to helping our audiences receive information about these great resources.”  

Nommensen notes that he has seen in a personal way how these resources can make a difference after a family member received a cancer diagnosis. “Later that day she read her daily devotion. It was called ‘It is all under control.’ It helped her set her focus on her Savior as she prepares for the many things that she will face that are indeed out of her control,” he says. “Our synod cares and brings resources like Daily Devotions right in front of people, and the Lord uses the Word to bring comfort at just the right time. I’m privileged to have the opportunity to be part of a synod that puts Christ first.”  

As director of communications, Nommensen serves under the Conference of Presidents and reports directly to the synod president. He is responsible for coordinating all internal and external communications for WELS, including assisting areas of ministry, synod schools, and district leaders in planning and developing communication strategies and tools.  

Nommensen, a member at Christ Alone, Thiensville, Wis., is married and has two children.