Europe
The Europe mission team partners to share Christ’s grace across the continent, supporting gospel outreach and assisting with theological education and ministry training in 12 different countries. This work is carried out through collaborative ministry efforts with sister churches, grounded in a shared confession of faith. Three WELS missionaries reside in Europe.
Fast facts
- Mission partners in 13 countries
- 3 missionaries
Meet the missionaries
Rev. Dr. Michael Hartman - London, United Kingdom
Rev. Dr. Michael Hartman serves in the United Kingdom, with a focus on London and international outreach. Weekly worship services are held in London and Wolverhampton, where people from more than a dozen countries regularly gather around God’s Word. Hartman also works alongside others across the country who are working to begin new groups. The ministry extends online through Discover Hidden Gems, which has grown to more than 8,000 followers across platforms and reaches over 1,000 people daily. He has also developed a course, How to Read the Bible, designed to help spiritually curious people take their first steps in Scripture.
Hartman graduated from the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 1999 and later earned a Doctor of Ministry degree in church planting. Before coming to the U.K., he served as a world missionary in Latin America for 23 years. During that time, he worked with the One Latin America Team to share the gospel across the Spanish-speaking world and to equip leaders with resources for forming new churches. God blessed these efforts with the founding of Academia Cristo, a Spanish-language Bible institute and church-planting ministry that continues to serve many today.
Hartman lives in London with his wife, Rachel, and their four children.
Download and read more biographies at wels.net/missionarybios.
Rev. Luke and Jennifer Wolfgramm - Leipzig, Germany
After graduating from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 1997, Missionary Luke Wolfgramm was assigned to Novosibirsk, Russia, where he served for 25 years. In March 2022, Wolfgramm began a new role as a mobile ministry partner in Europe. The Wolfgramms currently live in Leipzig, Germany. From this base, he teaches online and travels to strengthen WELS fellowship with pastors and congregations in a dozen sister churches. Wolfgramm is also partnering with the ELFK, WELS’ sister church in Germany, to enhance ministerial education, leadership, mentoring, and pastoral wellness throughout Europe.
Wolfgramm is married to Jennifer, who was recently called by the Europe Team to serve women in Europe. Jennifer travels with Missionary Wolfgramm, building relationships and learning about opportunities for women’s ministry in our sister churches on individual, congregational, and inter-European levels. As her role grows, she looks forward to engaging in more mentoring, teaching, praying with, and encouraging women across Europe.
The Wolfgramms have three children who were born and raised in Russia and are adapting to life as adults in the U.S.: Christina, Katie (Xander), and Peter. They all live in the Milwaukee, Wis., area and like to get together for borsch and honey cake.
Download and read more biographies at wels.net/missionarybios.
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PICTURES OF EUROPE
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