Organization of WELS Lutheran Seniors dissolves corporation
“Closing down [an] organization isn’t failure; it is just a symptom of the laws of organizations. Organizations have a life span.”
Retired Pastor Mark Jeske passed along that observation in his sermon at the opening worship service of the 2026 Convention of the Organization of WELS Lutheran Seniors (OWLS) held in Brookfield, Wis., October 13-15, 2026.
This year’s convention had a familiar-looking schedule of keynote speakers and breakout presentations, but the business meeting agenda listed an unprecedented item: a board recommendation to dissolve the corporation. Of the delegates present, 89 percent subsequently voted in favor of the recommendation.
Mike Thom, OWLS executive director, explains what led to the recommendation and the endorsing vote: “The numbers tell the story. Back in 2004, we had around 1,700 members, and now we’re down to a little more than 550.” The number of local OWLS chapters similarly has decreased from 80 to 25. Having fewer members in the organization has made it increasingly difficult to fill leadership positions on the national board.
But while the OWLS corporation is being dissolved, local OWLS chapters are encouraged to continue to function. That is an important legacy for Gerald Steffen, OWLS president. He notes, “If we accomplished nothing else than to get senior groups started in congregations, it was worth it.”
Linda Liesener, a member at David’s Star, Jackson, Wis., is president of her regional OWLS chapter. She views the future of OWLS this way: “Senior members want a place to continue meeting to share their faith through friendship—sometimes with a speaker, potlucks, tours, or playing games and cards. The dissolution of the national organization is not the end of friendships or ministry support; it is an opportunity to evaluate and expand our local efforts.”’
That’s the prayer of Joel Gaertner, director of WELS Special Ministries. “OWLS has given many [people] opportunities to serve and enjoy fellowship over the years,” he says. “We pray that this continues with senior groups on a local level across the country.”
OWLS is updating its website to reflect these changes and will soon include a listing of local OWLS groups.
