Eight new home missions approved update
The Board for Home Missions authorized eight new mission starts, three ministry enhancements, and one relocation during a meeting on April 15. New ministry support will total almost $1 million during the next fiscal year.
“Planting eight new churches is a tremendous blessing,” says Keith Free, administrator of the Board for Home Missions. “These are eight new locations where the gospel will be proclaimed.”
Free is thankful for the generous gifts to Home Missions that helped the board be more aggressive in its planning.
The new ministries that will now be supported include new starts in Lehi, Utah; Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Rockwall, Texas; Fredericksburg, Va.; Atlanta, Ga.; Victoria, Texas; Meridian, Idaho; and Stevens Point, Wis. Five of these ministries will be second sites for established congregations. The development of multi-site ministries is becoming a more common mission strategy for WELS churches.
Home Missions will also support ministry enhancement at three congregations—Centennial, Milwaukee, Wis.; Abiding Grace, Henry-Newton County, Ga.; and Risen Savior, Lakewood Ranch, Fla. These existing congregations will receive funds from Home Missions to support projects that will allow the congregations to reach more people with the gospel. For example, Centennial is using its support from Home Missions to partially fund the calling of a full-time pastor to minister to the many Spanish-speaking people in its neighborhood.
In addition, Home Missions will help Peace, Holiday, Fla., with some transition costs as it moves to Trinity, Fla. This established congregation is already seeing God’s blessing on the new location. Twenty-five adults have been confirmed at Peace during the past 18 months. Members are excited about the opportunity to serve more souls.
Learn more about the work of Home Missions at wels.net/missions.
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Volume 103, Number 06
Issue: June 2016
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