“Your gifts, God’s blessings: An annual report to our members” is now available. The 24-page report includes photos of Christian brothers and sisters around the world, stories of faith, and updates on WELS’ ministry.

“God blesses us every day in so many ways that it’s easy to take those blessings for granted,” says WELS President Rev. Mark Schroeder. “That’s true for us as individuals, and it’s also true for us as a synod. This annual report is intended to review some of the ways that God has blessed our work together during the past year.”

Some of those blessings include:

• David, who is studying with the Pastoral Studies Institute and leads an online Bible study from his home, which has led to many East Asians around the world being baptized;
• Colleen, who didn’t grow up in the church but whose life changed after she attended Intown, Atlanta, Ga., with her college roommate;and
• the 61 teenagers who attended the WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership and participated in conversations with other WELS members about leadership, ministry, and outreach.

These stories and more are presented in the 2024 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.

Looking for a simpler communication piece that provides an overview of WELS and its ministries? Consider the new two-sided flyer that was designed to be shared with visitors and prospects. It’s perfect for tract racks, narthex displays, and community fair booths. This flyer is available from Northwestern Publishing House at nph.net/wels or by calling 800-662-6022.

Twenty-one representatives from the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS), the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS), and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) met on Dec. 4–5, 2023, in Florida to continue our annual informal discussions. This meeting was the 11th in-person meeting. Like the others, it was an opportunity to compare notes on the challenges that our synods face and to talk about doctrinal points on which we agree and disagree—without any indication that we will come back into fellowship soon.

This year we had fruitful discussion about the cultural challenges that we face in the United States and Canada. All three synods have statements or are planning statements on issues like critical theory and gender identity. These are matters where all three synods speak in similar ways as they uphold scriptural principles.

There also was continued discussion about the doctrine of the ministry. Our three synods have practices in regard to the ministry that are very similar, but there have been differences in how we talk about the doctrine. We are trying to understand each other and to evaluate the nature of these differences.

Plans are being made to meet again in December 2024 and to distribute a fuller report about our meetings in 2025. There was some discussion about the possibility of holding free conferences to share more fully what we have learned in these meetings. God willing, the leadership of the three synods will remain the same for a few years. Pres. Glenn Obenberger of the ELS was reelected to a four-year term in 2022, Pres. Matthew Harrison of the LCMS was reelected to a three-year term in 2023, and I was reelected to a four-year term in 2023.

Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder

Psalm 117 is the shortest of all the psalms. But it says so much: “Praise the LORD, all you nations. Worship him, every race of people. For his mercy overwhelms us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD.”

This week people throughout our country will gather with family and friends to observe a holiday that we call Thanksgiving. Sad to say, the thoughts and activities of many people will center more on food and football than on actually doing what the name of the holiday suggests—giving thanks to a gracious God for his countless blessings, both physical and spiritual.

I’m confident that your celebration of Thanksgiving will involve exactly what the psalm writer encouraged: You will praise and thank God for all he has done and all he has given. You will celebrate with humility and joy that he showers us with his overwhelming mercy and gifts even though we deserve nothing from him. And you will be filled with confidence and trust that our faithful God will continue to keep his promises to us long after the holiday celebration is over.

Have a blessed and thanks-filled Thanksgiving!

Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder

The Synodical Council (SC) held its fall meeting last week. Here are some of the highlights:

President’s report

In my regular report to the SC, I shared the following information:

• The Conference of Presidents has begun to carry out a resolution by the synod convention to prepare a pastoral brief on “critical theory.” This brief will be intended to provide called workers and members information that they will need to understand and to deal with an important issue affecting our churches and members.
• A task force has been formed to carry out a synod resolution calling for a wide-ranging effort to address the shortage of called workers.
• Two gifts (of approximately $800,000 and $500,000) have been given to the synod by congregations that have decided to close. The purpose of these gifts is to provide support for ongoing and expanded mission work.
• Northwestern Publishing House will use a special grant from the Schwan Foundation to enable the inclusion of the Evangelical Heritage Version, the English Standard Version, and the Christian Standard Bible translations in the Service Builder software for the new hymnal. The new hymnal has been adopted by approximately 75 percent of WELS congregations.
• A newly appointed committee has begun planning for the celebration of the synod’s 175th anniversary in 2025.

Updates

The SC received detailed updates from the areas of ministry, the synod’s subsidiaries, and the various departments of the synod. Highlights include:

• The Board for World Missions is considering new mission efforts in several foreign mission fields, including Senegal and Australia. God continues to bless the work around the world.
• The Board for Home Missions has approved the establishment of 10 new home missions and 10 mission enhancements this year, in keeping with the “100 missions in 10 years” initiative.
• Reports from WELS Investment Funds, WELS Foundation, WELS Church Extension Fund, Benefit Plans, and Northwestern Publishing House all indicate a solid financial condition for all these subsidiaries.
• WELS Communication Services has produced a video, “Doing More Together,” that provides guidance and encouragement to congregations as they establish their 2024 Congregation Mission Offering (CMO) subscriptions.
• WELS Technology continues to focus on ensuring security and privacy in the IT systems at the WELS Center for Mission and Ministry and at the synodical schools. Video surveillance cameras are being installed at the WELS Center for Mission and Ministry in keeping with a recommendation from a recent security audit.
• The Ministry of Christian Giving reported that 2023 Congregation Mission Offerings through October are slightly higher than last year and are ahead of projections. Gifts of $521,000 have been received for the Competency-Based Education program at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., This program provides an alternative pathway to the teaching ministry for WELS second-career adults who are unable to move to New Ulm for a traditional on-campus program. The “100 missions in 10 years” initiative has received $2.66 million in gifts.
• Chief Financial Officer Kyle Egan reported that the accounting firm of Baker Tilly has completed the audit of the June 30, 2023, financial statements and has issued an unmodified opinion (the best that can be received). With that information, the SC approved the June 30, 2023, Consolidated Financial Statements.
• Egan also reported that the first quarter financial results are in line with planned levels for both revenues and expenditures. WELS remains in a strong and stable financial position.
• Over 800 WELS congregations, schools, and affiliated organizations are part of the WELS Group Property and Casualty Program from Church Mutual. Because of their efforts to focus on risk management and loss control, the WELS group has again qualified for a safety dividend totaling just under $200,000 for calendar year 2021 premiums. Participating organizations can expect to receive a dividend check in the mail for their portion of the dividend from Church Mutual by the end of calendar year 2023.
• WELS Christian Aid and Relief continues to provide assistance to congregations and sister church bodies in times of natural and man-made disasters. It is also eager to help individuals who are facing difficult financial or health situations.

Decisions

• The SC approved a request by Luther Preparatory School, Watertown, Wis., to add a full-time employee to its recruitment staff. This position will not require additional synod operating support.
• The SC approved a request from Martin Luther College to proceed with the first phase of the build-out of additional music space in the unfinished basement of the chapel. The $250,000 project will be funded with gifts received and designated for that purpose and will require no additional synod operating support.
• The SC transferred $2 million from the Financial Stabilization Fund (FSF) to the synod’s Capital Projects Fund. The SC also amended the FSF policy to provide for an annual $1 million to be transferred to the Capital Projects Fund. The Capital Projects Fund is intended to be a source of support for planned synodical building projects in the future.
• The SC approved the sale of an office condo in St. Paul, Minn., used by the WELS Mission for the Visually Impaired (MVI). Proceeds from the sale will be placed into the special funds of Congregational Services. MVI is planning on a partnership with a local congregation in the Twin Cities area for its ministry work.
• The SC continued to discuss the inflationary environment and called worker compensation and referred the matter to the Compensation Review Committee for continued review. The SC also reminds self-supporting congregations that each calling body has the flexibility and latitude to provide called workers with increases greater than the 2.5 percent increase included in the synod compensation matrix as they consider individual circumstances, local circumstances, or other relevant factors. In addition, the SC encourages congregations that are providing compensation less than the synod guidelines to strive to increase compensation to meet those guidelines.
• The SC determined that from now on it would meet in November and in April, with the ability to meet also in February if necessary.

Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder

WELS Shepherd Plan
Administrative costs for the WELS Shepherd Plan, the retirement savings program for WELS called workers and employees, have decreased by 9.8 percent, effective Oct. 1, 2023. The new annualized administrative cost will be 37 basis points (37/100ths of one percent) per year. Administrative costs are charged to the participant’s Shepherd Plan account on a quarterly basis.

This is the fifth cost reduction since Oct. 1, 2017, resulting in a cumulative 47.1 percent decrease during that time period. The continued growth of the Shepherd Plan has made these recent cost reductions possible.

WELS VEBA
The WELS VEBA Commission is offering a limited open enrollment for the WELS VEBA Group Health Care Plan for the 2024 plan year. The limited open enrollment is available to eligible workers at sponsoring organizations with at least one active worker enrolled in medical benefits under the WELS VEBA health plan. Enrollment opened Nov. 1, 2023, and will run through Nov. 30, 2023.

Eligible participants can enroll in WELS VEBA or change current WELS VEBA coverage by going to the WELS Benefits Service Center website at www.wels.bswift.com or by calling 1-800-487-8322 (option 1) during the open enrollment period.

The WELS VEBA Commission has also announced that the 2024 premium rates for WELS VEBA medical benefits will increase by 11 percent. This increase is necessary to ensure that the plan maintains adequate long-term reserves, particularly given inflation-related increases in the cost of health care. WELS VEBA health plan rates for 2024 are available on the Benefit Plans website.

Information regarding the 2024 limited open enrollment and WELS VEBA benefits is available in the 2024 WELS VEBA Benefits Guide.

The Conference of Presidents (COP) held its fall meeting on October 3–5. Here is a summary of the matters discussed and decided:

• The COP has begun to carry out a resolution of the synod convention asking for a pastoral brief on the subject of critical theories and justice, issues that are confronting pastors and members in our society today. A pastoral brief is a statement that will provide information and guidance on a specific subject. It is “pastoral” not because it is intended only for pastors, but because the guidance it provides is biblical, evangelical, and pastoral.
• The COP was informed that a task force to address the called worker shortage will be appointed in the coming weeks, as directed by the synod convention. The task force will craft recommendations for a synodwide effort to increase the number of candidates for the public ministry.
• The COP approved a proposal to extend and encourage WELS teaching ministry certification for all early childhood teachers, whether called or hired. The COP also approved a proposal that makes a distinction between synodwide early childhood teacher certification (meaning that such certified teachers are able to be called anywhere) and local teacher certification, which certifies early childhood teachers for service in their own local congregation only.
• The COP is asking the Synodical Council’s Compensation Review Committee to propose an appropriate manner of compensating directors and teachers for increased time commitments and responsibilities involved in early childhood education.
• The Early Childhood Ministry Support Task Force is producing a document as a resource for early childhood education (ECE) leaders, boards, district coordinators, and district presidents to build awareness and give strategies on how to efficiently operate an ECE program while meeting the needs of ECE staff, parents, and children.
• The COP continues to look at ways to improve the guidelines and procedures dealing with the call system.
• The COP extended a call to Rev. Michael Hatzung to serve as a Christian giving counselor in a half-time retirement call. In view of the pastoral shortage, the COP also considered filling a full-time vacant Christian giving counselor position and determined that this call, if possible, should be extended to a qualified layman rather than to a pastor. A notice for nominations for this position was issued last week.
• The COP received reports from the Ministry of Christian Giving, the Commission on Congregational Services, and Communication Services, and was updated on the processes for gathering congregational statistics and Congregation Mission Offering subscriptions.
• The COP is continuing its work on finalizing the restatement of the synod’s doctrinal position on male-female roles and relationships.

Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder

The Foundation is a suite of resources developed by WELS Congregational Services that builds on the importance of public worship both on Sunday morning and throughout the week. Learn more about some of the outreach components of these resources from Rev. Eric Roecker, director of WELS Evangelism.

View The Foundation resources.