(mis)Understanding Mental Health | A Christian Look at Today’s Epidemic webinar
WELS Women’s Ministry hosted a webinar on (mis)Understanding Mental Health | A Christian Look at Today’s Epidemic on Thursday, May 2, 2024, from 7:00-8:00 p.m. (CST). Included below is a list of the resources referred to in the webinar by the panelists.
(mis)Understanding Mental Health | A Christian Look at Today’s Epidemic
There’s been a lot of focus on mental health in recent years. Current generations are growing up using vocabulary that expresses this reality while older generations aren’t used to discussing something they grew up thinking was taboo. This webinar will be unique in that we will be hearing from licensed professional counselors from Christian Family Solutions. Guided by their insight, we’ll get an overview of what is going on, what we can do, and when and where to get help.
According to the statistics, one out of five adults in the U.S. will experience a mental illness during any given year. This means that if you know more than five people, chances are that you are rubbing shoulders with people experiencing some form of mental illness. As a church, you can expect that roughly 20 percent of your membership is currently experiencing some form of mental illness as well. It also means that if you are suffering with a form of mental illness, you are far from alone! In the webinar, we will explore the following topics:
- Finding a healthy and God-pleasing balance to self-care. We will learn how we can best help and encourage someone to get the help they need. We will try to lessen the stigma attached to mental illness and replace it with compassion, understanding, and love.
- Understanding our responsibility as parents to provide for our children in all aspects of life—physically and spiritually. How are we providing for their mental health
- Looking at depression, which has been referred to as the “common cold of mental health.” If that’s true, why do we feel so isolated, and what can we do about it?
Our prayer is that this webinar will shine a light on and bring awareness to the subject of mental health so that the body of Christ continues to minister to the needs of each other in all areas of life. We encourage you to attend the live webinar, where we’ll provide amazing resources and continue to do fun giveaways to participants.
When you finish watching the webinar whether on your own or with a church group, consider the following …
- Discuss as a church how you can be more open and inclusive to those with mental illness.
- What was your takeaway from the webinar? How does that affect you going forward?
- Challenge yourself to learn more about mental health from the list of suggested resources.
Reviving Relationships Through Biblical Hospitality webinar
WELS Women’s Ministry hosted a webinar on Reviving Relationships Through Biblical Hospitality on Thursday, January 18, 2024, from 7:00-8:00 p.m. (CST). Included below is a list of the resources referred to in the webinar by the panelists. Women’s Ministry is currently working hard to put together a free Bible study resource specifically for this webinar on hospitality.
Based on Scripture:
- Share with the Lord’s people who are in Practice hospitality (Romans 12:13).
- Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling (1 Peter 4:9).
- Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it (Hebrews 13:2).
- Now the overseer is to be . . . hospitable (1 Timothy 3:2).
- At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household (Acts 16:33,34).
Purpose: Hospitality can be used as a way to reconnect church members and can also be used as an evangelism tool.
People are still navigating the post-COVID era, trying to figure out how to reconnect as some people switched to online-only church attendance, others decreased their church attendance, some members drifted away, and some people became members during COVID and have not integrated completely into their churches. Hospitality can be the springboard to help members become more involved and connected at church. In this webinar, we’ll hear how one couple has been strategic in their hosting of cocktail parties in an effort to lay the groundwork for future small groups.
The Christian church has been gathering in community since its beginning. Believers in the early church clung to one another for protection, strength, and encouragement. They met in each other’s homes, shared what they had with one another, and helped in any way they could.
What does your church community look like today? Do you feel disconnected? Do you spend any time with members of your church family outside of church? Is that even important? How do guests feel when they walk through your church doors?
Our panelists will speak on the importance of hospitality in the home, at church, and even in public. We’ll discuss the differences between biblical hospitality and Instagram entertaining. We’ll explore some of the challenges that keep us from reaching out to others, inviting them over, or offering them our help. What is it about southern hospitality that gives them such a reputation for bringing people together? We’ll hear from a southern sister for further insight!
How do we bring a church family together that’s multicultural, diverse in background, or spans generations so we see each other and function as one body in Christ? We’ll hear how the church in Toronto has done that and continues to welcome people from all over the world.
How do we cultivate a church culture that visitors are drawn to? How do we take relationships to a deeper, spiritual level that enriches the kingdom of God?
We were designed for connection and relationships. Women especially tend to have God-given gifts that make us more aware and sensitive to the feelings of those around us. We tend to be nurturers—whether we’re giving a needed hug, lending a listening ear, or loving our people with a plate of brownies. Ultimately, we want to be able to share Jesus and his Word in all of our relationships, but how do we do that? Is it easier for some, or have they worked to be intentional in their friendships? How do you keep that from becoming weird and insincere?
This webinar will inspire you to rethink your relationships. It will get you thinking about your own church culture with new eyes. It will hopefully inspire you to step outside your comfort zone for a worthwhile reason!
Tip: Don’t watch it alone; in the spirit of the theme, get a group together and watch this one with friends!
A picture is worth a thousand words
Originally appears in the One Africa Team blog. Subscribe to future updates from Africa at oneafricateam.com.
A picture is worth a thousand words – in any language. Members of the Obadiah Lutheran Synod (OLS) in Uganda speak English, Luganda, Lusoga, and many other Bantu dialects. It is a challenge to communicate Scriptural truths across linguistic and educational barriers. It’s even more challenging to explain abstract concepts like justification, redemption, and Christ’s humiliation and exaltation to students in confirmation class. But a well drawn picture can tie timeless truth to a tangible target.
Rev. Dr. Terry Schultz is an experienced WELS missionary who creates print and music materials for WELS Multi-Language Productions. Schultz supports WELS mission work around the globe. OLS President Maksimu Musa requested One Africa Team’s assistance in training Sunday school teachers. One Africa Team turned to Schultz, who has graphically portrayed the Apostles’ Creed with full color illustrations. He and Missionary John Roebke engaged 35 Sunday school teachers and OLS pastors with the task of translating these illustrations into lessons.
The pictures
The 1531 edition of Martin Luther’s Small Catechism contained 23 pictures printed from woodcut images. Like these images, Schultz’s drawings help a teacher tell a simple story to explain a complex teaching. A courtroom scene depicts a young man standing before a judge with his accuser to one side and his attorney at the other. The next scene shows him standing before God, flanked by Satan and Jesus.
Another picture unfolds the drama of a kidnapping and payment of ransom. The next scene represents the divine story of Christ’s redemption – not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood. A comic book panel of pictures illustrates each of the stages of Christ’s humiliation.
A composite illustration presents the stages of his exaltation. Schultz carefully crafted each picture to maximize understanding and teaching. A teacher’s manual with minimal text supplements each picture, bearing in mind the target audience’s literacy level. WELS Multi-Language Productions has produced three booklets to date – one for each of the three articles of the Apostles’ Creed. Schultz is finalizing the illustrations for the Sacrament of Baptism, with the other chief parts of the Catechism to follow.
The teachers
Attendees began each day of the workshop with animated singing and dancing. In addition to performing local melodies, the group learned a few African American spirituals from Schultz. OLS pastors delivered inspiring devotional messages in English. Schultz infused his own energy into the workshop as he introduced each picture to the participants.
After this, the Sunday school teachers broke into smaller groups of three to five people. In each group, an OLS pastor walked through the concepts behind the picture. Thirty minutes later, each small group took turns teaching the lesson to the larger audience. Some teachers appeared more confident than others, but by the week’s end all of them had made significant improvement.
Next steps
Unfortunately, time did not allow for Schultz to present all 45 teaching posters the group. The teaching posters and manuals remain with the OLS in Uganda. We encouraged the pastors to work through these materials with their Sunday school teachers. The pastors have a much better grasp on both Lutheran teachings and local culture.
Regardless if Schultz returns to Uganda, the OLS now has a powerful instrument for instructing youth and adults. Can you picture their faces gathered around Jesus’ throne some day?
Please pray for those working in fields that are ripe for harvest. Share their story, engage with future news, and receive updates. Learn more about our mission fields in Africa and how the Holy Spirit is working faith in people’s hearts.
Written by Rev. John Roebke, world missionary on the One Africa Team.
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Eagerly awaiting the Women’s Workshop
Early on a November morning in South Asia, four women arriving from Thailand carefully stepped along a narrow path between rice paddies to a remote church where over a hundred women had gathered for a workshop. As we neared the church, we could hear the drum beats and songs of praise to our Savior welcoming us in.
We had been preparing for this workshop for about three months. “We” are three WELS missionary wives including Christine Doebler, Linda Marquardt, Mary Witte, and one Friends Network evangelist, Lydia Schultz, all stationed in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Eager to serve our Savior and these women in South Asia, we thoughtfully planned three days of Bible study, crafts and activities centered around the story of Jesus’ birth. We all had varying degrees of experience in cultures different from our own, but none of us had been to this country. So we began the workshop a little unsure of how our plans would be received, but confident that our love for Jesus would shine through.
Having already served on mission fields, we recognized the need for flexibility and teamwork in situations like this. Our carefully planned schedule quickly became a loose guide of things we wanted to do each day. Opening devotions became late morning devotions since the pastors leading these traveled to the church by slow tuk-tuk. There were more women than materials that we had brought, but we had activities where all could participate. Teaching through a translator took some practice and patience. We identified some English speakers who could help bridge the gap of language. Some of us were struggling with sudden family distresses back home. But this only spurred us on in love for the women in front of us.
The women were entranced with the Bible teaching, crafts, and activities. They cut out hearts and hands to represent our love for Jesus and our eagerness to serve him and then strung them up on the walls. The women diligently placed all the pieces of a nativity scene with Velcro fasteners for each day in December before Christmas. After we modeled a pageant of the nativity story, the women giggled and posed as they performed the drama in the roles of Mary, Joseph, shepherds, angels, magi, soldiers and King Herod. By the end of the workshop, the women could easily tell the story of Jesus’ birth to each other using a booklet of pictures. We shared Bible songs in English that we knew and they shared even more beautiful Bible songs in their language for us. We worshiped together, sang together, prayed together, and laughed together. And…there may have been some dancing.
As the days went by, we were amazed by the eagerness of the women to participate, their hunger to learn, and their love and compassion for each other. They spent their days and nights of the workshop in and around the church building, eating and sleeping together, spending time talking, praying together, and caring for each other, especially for the elderly and children. Some of the women had traveled more than six hours by bus from their remote villages to the workshop. This time together with other Christian women was precious to them.
Some women and local pastors shared their testimonies and struggles in coming to Christ and as Christians. We were humbled to hear of the trials they had been through just to be there and confess their Christian faith. The difficulties we faced to get to the workshop – leaving our comfortable homes in Thailand where we can easily share our faith, the long travel of three different flights, cold showers, mosquito nets over our beds, riding over bumpy roads and hiking through the rice paddies – seemed so very small compared to their daily challenges of being a Christian.
We are thankful for this opportunity to share our faith and love of Jesus with these women in South Asia. We look forward to meeting, sharing, laughing, praising God, and maybe dancing with them again someday either in their country or in our heavenly home.
Written by a WELS world missionary wife in Asia.
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New 2023 Advent by Candlelight Resources
Advent by Candlelight is an event to help women focus on Christ during the busy holiday season. It can be designed as an outreach to the community or an opportunity to encourage believers. Through narration, readings, prayer, and music, Christ will shine as the Savior. Enjoy creating a beautiful ambiance, but know that the power is in the message of the Gospel.
New for this year: “The King Shall Come”
We are in the season of Advent, which means “coming.” When someone is coming over, what do you do? It depends on who is coming and why they are coming. If it’s a good friend popping in for a quick visit, you don’t worry too much about how the house looks or serving a meal. But imagine the governor is coming over for an evening to give you some sort of citizen’s award. That’s a big deal. There is work to be done: deep cleaning, planning a menu, getting the yard looking its best, and so on.
So, is Advent a big deal? It depends on who is coming and why they are coming. During Advent, we get the answer to that question. We see that our King, Jesus, is coming. We see why King Jesus came on that first Christmas and why he will come again on judgment day. In this season of Advent, we also cherish the way King Jesus comes to us today in his Word, establishing his reign in our hearts.
This corresponds with the worship planning resource in Year B of the Foundation Resource provided by WELS Congregational Services.
Fostering Faith in the Next Generation
Proverbs 22:6—Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
This webinar is motivated by Deuteronomy 6:7, “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you get home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up”, with the purpose to offer encouragement and ideas to Christian parents as they endeavor to pass on their faith to the next generation. And whatever our age or life situation, we can all be working to encourage faith in those younger than us.
How can each of us work to foster faith in the next generation?
We’ve heard the statistic that a massive amount of young people are leaving the church as they enter into adulthood. We personally know some of them and wonder how this could be when they were raised in a family that believes in Jesus and goes to church. If it’s true that 60% of those young adults fall away from the faith, will my child be included in that statistic?
We can lament the degradation of moral values in the culture around us, but we have the ability to create a culture within the home that seeks what God values—that which is true, right, noble, pure, lovely, and admirable (Philippians 4:8).
Our panelists are real parents in the trenches of discipling their children for a lifetime of spiritual growth and following Jesus. They speak to the challenges that come with this desire to live counter culture in a world that is so good at keeping us distracted and busy.
What are they doing to build faith in the home across the spectrum of ages? How do they maintain regular time in the Word when schedules are so hectic? What does devotional time look like as a family? And how are children taught to incorporate individual time in the Word to grow this spiritually healthy lifelong habit?
This webinar offers encouragement to single parents, those spiritually single (without a Christian spouse), and families with kids of all ages!
We speak to the objections Satan wants you to believe. I don’t know enough doctrine to teach my kids! What if I say the wrong thing? I don’t have time. I don’t know where to start. They learn enough in Sunday school or youth group. It’s too late—my kids are too old. I’m too overwhelmed with everything else I’m responsible for.
Are you a grandparent, godparent, Sunday school teacher, or youth group leader? How can you work with families to nurture the faith of their children and help them to fulfill their God-given role in teaching the next generation about Jesus?
We’ll also offer resources that will help you get started right away. Don’t wait for the perfect game plan or the perfect time. Your goal is not to have perfect kids. You want your children in heaven with you someday! All you need is Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit through God’s Word and sacraments. You have the promises of God who wants all people to be saved—that includes your family—and he has given you everything you need to impress his truths on the hearts of your children.
Find out more by listening to the webinar.
The relationship between anxiety, fear, and worry
By Karen Fischer, M.S., Ed., LPC, BC-TMH, Christian Family Solutions Counseling Care & Services
The word “anxiety” is used often in conversation today. Many people are dealing with it. Even if your situation has not reached the clinical definition for anxiety, the term bounces around a lot as we discuss life situations with others.
Let’s clear up a few things about anxiety. First, it’s important to know that clinical anxiety is not an emotion. It is a condition.
The emotion related to anxiety is fear. And what we do with that emotion produces a number of things, one of which could be anxiety.
Worry is the action related to fear. It’s a thought process that says, “I’m going to take that fear and think about it.”
It’s OK to tend to fears when they arise. Fear is supposed to be there and God created it to help you be mindful and safe. Your brain is designed to look forward and backward and provide you with that information in hopes that it informs the now. While your brain may be doing its job, your it is not always doing you a favor in this. Be careful not to let fear run too far.
There are things we can do to address our fears and prevent them from growing into anxiety:
- Question whether your fear is reasonable. Discern which are normal, reasonable fears you should attend to, and which ones are starting to dominate your thoughts.
- Recognize what unchecked fear does to your body. Physical Symptoms include headaches, stomachaches, rapid heartbeat, tension in your muscles, shortness of breath. Then there are emotional symptoms, such as irritability, impatience, mood swings. Behavioral symptoms include becoming withdrawn, losing your temper, restlessness, over-sleeping, or avoidance.
- Use and practice skills that reduce those symptoms in the moment. Mindfulness exercises help you take control of your thoughts, either ahead of a situation or when you’re in the middle of a fear-inducing situation. (Find examples of these exercises in the full article linked here.)
- Take care of yourself. We know that God created us body, mind, and spirit, and these are all connected. Taking care of ourselves helps prevent anxiety.
If you (or someone you know) needs counseling services, please contact Christian Family Solutions at 800-438-1772 or visit ChristianFamilySolutions.org. CFS is a WELS parasynodical organization with more than 100 mental health clinicians who provide evidence-based care that is integrated with the healing power of the Gospel.
This is an excerpt from a longer article on the Christian Family Solutions website. Read the whole article here.
View a video: Karen Fischer talks with Pastor Bill Limmer about the relationship between Fear, Worry, and Anxiety.
Welcome! – Two new members to the Executive Board
WELS Women’s Ministry is blessed to add two new members to the Executive Board. Professor Joel Russow from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary will serve as our Seminary Pastoral Advisor. He is replacing Professor Paul Wendland who is retiring this year. Meredith Bitter will serve as Secretary and manage communication.
We look forward to the perspective, insight, and wisdom they bring to the work of nurturing, encouraging, and equipping woman to use their gifts for service in God’s kingdom. Find out more about them below and make sure to say, “Hi!” on social media!
Prof. Joel Russow
Joel Russow began his pastoral ministry in 2010 at Faith Lutheran Church in Tallahassee, Fla. In 2022, he began serving as a professor at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary where he teaches courses in counseling, doctrine, and pastoral theology. He holds two master’s degrees (M.Div., STM in Pastoral Care) and is pursuing a third in clinical mental health counseling.
He has been married to Jill since 2006. Together they are blessed with four children: Jude, Elijah, Rachel, and Isaiah. The Russows love Jesus, sports, traveling, camping, and delicious cheesecake.
Meredith Bitter
Meredith Bitter, (nee Koltz) was born in Madison, Wis. and attended Eastside Lutheran for elementary school and St. Matthew’s, Oconomowoc for middle school. She graduated from Luther Preparatory School in Watertown, WI and then went on to earn her Bachelor’s Degree at Martin Lutheran College in New Ulm, Minn., with a double major in elementary education and secondary Spanish education.
Upon graduation, Meredith taught Spanish for 1 year at Shoreland Lutheran High School before moving with her husband, Pastor Lucas Bitter, to Georgia. Meredith and Lucas have served in Georgia for the past 10 years – four years at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Marietta and six years at Intown Lutheran Church in the center of Atlanta.
During her 10 years in Georgia, Meredith has worn many hats including substitute teacher, public school HS Spanish teacher, and stay-at-home mom to 6-year-old Elijah and 4-year-old Gabby. She currently serves in a part-time role as worship coordinator and tech admin at Intown Lutheran Church and feels so blessed to be part of WELS Home Missions and urban ministry.
Meredith is excited for the privilege of serving on the Women’s Ministry Executive Team. She has always been passionate about encouraging women in their many vocations, both in and outside of church. Raising a daughter has especially inspired Meredith to equip and encourage women from many generations to be filled up in the Word so they may go out and reflect his love in their homes and communities.
Prayer Chains in the 21st Century
Ephesians 6:18 tells us, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.”
Our latest webinar interviewed four women to find out what that looks like today.
Here are our takeaways:
The Benefits of Praying Together
Praying together connects us with God and with each other. It builds intimacy with one another as we learn about each other’s needs. During the intimacy of prayer time together, God aligns our thoughts and words with his. Time with others in prayer unites us, as it shows us we share a purpose and we don’t need to struggle with one another. Instead, we become prayer warriors for each other against the schemes of the devil. When we praise and give thanks in prayer for all the good things happening in our lives, we can also rejoice with others in their blessings.
The Challenges of Praying Together
Praying together can be uncomfortable for some people, especially at the beginning. Some people don’t feel empowered or equipped to pray out loud with others. There are many ways to help people grow in confidence and enjoy this beautiful experience of praying together. For example, it can be helpful to use God’s Word and hymns as a basis for prayer. Try writing prayers ahead of time and then reading them out loud. A guide you can use is the A.C.T.S prayer model (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication).
Another challenge is the fear of gossip. Because we bring heart matters to the Lord in prayer, one can feel vulnerable “exposing” their private life. It takes time to build trust. When people share their personal struggles in prayer, everyone should know and agree that private information stays within the group.
Prayer Group Logistics
Many factors play into how often and in what way a prayer group meets. If members live in the same area, they can meet at someone’s house, a coffee shop, a library, or a church. If the group members live far apart, they can use apps like Google Meet or Zoom. Another effective way to get more people involved in praying is by setting up a prayer chain using text or email.
Who Are You Talking to When Praying?
We have many terms of endearment when we speak to loved ones. It is the same with God—our Father and Creator of the universe. When we sin, we humbly address our Savior. When we recognize the countless spiritual and physical blessings, we thank and praise the Giver of all good things. When we are broken, we can call him Daddy, Abba, knowing he will never leave nor forsake us. We talk to God as our best friend and brother, praying he will provide the opportunity for us to introduce him to others. Praying to God in this way with others helps us see the nature of God in a way we wouldn’t see all on our own.
Taking advantage of the blessing of prayer with others is God’s blessing to us. Find out more by listening to the webinar.
Thank You! – Kathie Wendland
Thank you for your service, Kathie Wendland!
This January 2023, Kathie Wendland stepped down from the WM Executive Team. Since the formation of WELS WM in 2007, Kathie has served as a mentor, advisor, and conference liaison.
Over the years, Kathie has worked diligently to ensure women have resources and access to doctrinally sound, biblical content. Her fervent prayer is that these would deepen their understanding of Scripture, propel them to spiritual maturity, and give them the confidence to boldly share the message of Jesus with those outside the church walls.
Kathie has also served as a confidant and personal mentor to many women throughout WM. Her input on doctrinal discussions, Bible study materials, WM conference themes, and her sense of humor will be missed.
As much as WM is blessed by her service, we know that the ripple effect of her godly character, servant’s heart, and bold adherence to Scripture will continue to be felt around the world and for generations to come.
All is not lost. We are thankful Kathie will continue to put these gifts to use on the teaching team of WM (Titus 2 Team) and as an influence on the WM conference in 2024.
Join us in thanking God for using the gifts of Kathie Wendland to bless many from the foundational years of WELS Women’s Ministry until now! To God be the glory!
Kathie’s Background
Kathie Wendland grew up on a farm in Wisconsin. She has served in various capacities in three countries on two continents, ranging from secular positions such as US Navy Officer (Nurse Corp); Frontier Nursing Service in Hyden, KY; ICU nurse at Milwaukee County General Hospital; night administrator of nursing at a large hospital in Milwaukee; home health nurse in Milwaukee; in a nurse practitioner role (without the degree and before a degree was required) at both the Canadian High Commission and American Embassy in Lusaka, Zambia; to serving in WELS ecclesiastical positions such as Central Africa Medical Mission assistant “sister in charge” with the Salima Lutheran Mobile Clinic in Salima, Malawi, Africa; relief nurse at Mwembezhi Lutheran Rural Health Centre, Zambia; nurse recruiter and advisor on the WELS Central Africa Medical Mission Committee; and currently as parish nurse for her home congregation in Mishicot, Wis.
Presently Kathie is employed taking care of little calves, about 60-80 of them, on a dairy farm. She’s been privileged to lead women’s Bible studies for over 20 years.
Kathie’s husband, Ernst, served as a missionary in Zambia for 21 years and she was with him for 5 of those years. They were married just short of 25 years when the Lord took Ernst to heaven.
Of the above activities, only the medical mission nursing in Malawi was part of “her plan” for her life and that only sort of. She would say the Lord opened doors and shoved her through them. Some days were great, but most were filled with challenges of some sort. Many days ended in tears. Some started that way.
Kathie knew the world says to put me first and demand my rights, but Paul wrote to the Romans, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” Putting this passage into practice has been a life-long challenge for her. One that, by the grace of God, was eased by Christian mentors.
Kathie said, “I’ve always looked for mentors and was richly blessed whenever I found them. Now I’ve come to realize I’m at the age where I am one and need to closely examine Paul’s words, ‘Follow me as I follow the example of Christ’, (1 Cor. 11:1) for guidance in being a Christian mentor—who by the grace of God will be a blessing to others.”
A year in review for WELS Women’s Ministry
2022 has been an exciting year for Women’s Ministry. To begin, over 2,000 subscribers are receiving our newsletter! That’s double last year’s number at this time.
Enjoy walking through a review of the year with us!
UPDATES
Connection Call
Connection Call (formerly Talk on Tuesday) is an opportunity to talk through your ministry questions and ideas. Check it out!
Restructure
We continue to restructure our teams and workflow in order to make better use of resources and create opportunities for women to get involved serving the synod through Women’s Ministry. E-mail us if you are interested in finding out what serving with Women’s Ministry looks like.
Social Media Presence
By adding dedicated personnel to social media, we’ve been able to make a better connection with all of you. Over 1,000 followers are connected on Instagram alone! Make sure to like, subscribe, and share on Facebook and Instagram.
NEW
Advent by Candlelight Webinar
We hosted our first webinar on Advent by Candlelight. It was very well attended and received. (Watch the recording.) Make sure to tune in to our next one on Thursday, January 26, at 7:00 p.m. CST. We are talking about encouraging personal and corporate prayer among believers.
Advent by Candlelight
“Come, Lord Jesus,” based on the theme for Church Year A in The Foundation, was developed for use throughout the synod. Look for a new Lent by Candlelight coming soon!
Advent Devotions
Almost 1,000 subscribers are enjoying the Advent devotional series “Come, Lord Jesus.” You can subscribe to receive this edifying e-mail in your inbox through this link.
Online Classes
Bible Basics for Bible Study Teachers (a 401 course to Equip Women to Teach the Word) and Heirs Together were offered online this year. Look for new sessions starting in 2023.
Bible Study
An Ephesians Bible study used as resource material for the 2022 Women’s Ministry Conference was updated and made available in September. Check out our Bible studies.
WELS Women’s Ministry Conference
We hosted our fifth triennial Women’s Ministry Conference! Over 300 women gathered in July to be encouraged with the message we are Won to be One from the book of Ephesians. Three days of God’s Word, inspiring speakers, engaging breakouts, joyful worship, and uplifting encouragement from Christian sisters left us nurtured, encouraged, and equipped to bring grace and peace to the world we live in.
New Advent by Candlelight Resources
Advent by Candlelight is an event to help women focus on Christ during the busy holiday season. It can be designed as an outreach to the community or an opportunity to encourage believers. Through narration, readings, prayer, and music, Christ will shine as the Savior. Enjoy creating a beautiful ambiance, but know that the power is in the message of the Gospel.
New for this year: “Come, Lord Jesus!”
The season of Advent. Some may wonder what’s so important about this time. Many consider the season following Thanksgiving to be “the Christmas season” already. They don’t know the importance of these precious weeks leading up to Jesus’ birth.
The word Advent literally means “coming” or “arrival.” When related to Christmas, it has to do with the coming of Jesus Christ. During Advent, we eagerly wait and prepare our hearts for the celebration of his birth AND the time when he comes again.
Jesus is our King . . . our Judge . . . our Messiah . . . and our Immanuel. He needed to be all of these things to guarantee our salvation. He needed to be true God capable of accomplishing these things and also true man able to experience them as one of us. Because he became all of these, we know what to expect when he returns. Our triumphant King will gather all those he loves, saved, and who believe in him as Savior to be with him forever in heaven.
Because of this, we can confidently and joyfully say, Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
This corresponds with the worship planning resource in Year A of the Foundation Resource provided by WELS Congregational Services.
Advent by Candlelight Planner’s Forum
Our recent Advent by Candlelight Planner’s Forum offered a variety of fantastic ideas and a wealth of wisdom from seasoned ABC planners from a variety of churches. They answered questions many of us have wondered and tackled those challenges most of us have faced. We learned there’s not just one right way to run this special evening. We also were inspired by their heart for Jesus and desire to serve their community of believers and offer opportunities to connect women outside of the church to the Gospel message of Advent and Christmas. This webinar was recorded and is available to watch anytime you need some inspiration and ideas!
They offered their responses to questions like:
What’s the purpose of Advent by Candlelight?
Yes, Advent by Candlelight is an event to help women focus on Christ during the busy holiday season. Our conversation included how to include those members of all ages that aren’t always heavily involved in other church-based activities and ways we can help them feel valued and loved! We went beyond that and discussed opportunities for evangelism and how unique ABC is in its non-threatening environment that makes it the perfect event to invite our unchurched friends, family, and neighbors.
And that was just the beginning!
- Do you have a budget?
- How long does your program last?
- What time of day do you have it?
- How do you keep it fresh if you’ve been doing it for years?
- Do you have assigned seating?
- Do you allow kids to come?
- How do you keep the hostesses from turning it into a competition of who has the best decorated table? (Yes, we went there!)
And more you do NOT want to miss!