Church sales
Is there a WELS stance on garage or rummage sales? As a young adult, while moving from LCMS to WELS, I was led to believe that church members are responsible for supporting the local congregation. Still learning!
There is no synodical policy on the activities mentioned in your question. Differing local circumstances can lead to different practices. What I can do is pass along some observations from personal ministry experiences.
What congregations will want to keep in mind is the impression given by such sales. Congregational fundraising can reinforce what many people wrongly think in the first place—that “all the church is concerned about is money.” Congregational fundraising can reinforce work-righteous thinking in the minds of the unchurched, leading them to conclude that “I’ve given to God, so I’ve done my duty.” Congregational fundraising can undermine a church’s efforts to encourage its members to grow in their management of God’s blessings by relying on community revenue.
Congregations might utilize numerous community outreach efforts, including the sales you mentioned, to establish connections with their neighbors. As noted above, congregations will want to balance their exercise of Christian freedom with proper concern for all involved.