Special Ministries coordinators meet

On Sept. 9 and 10, district Special Ministries coordinators and the Commission of Special Ministries met at the Center for Mission and Ministry, Waukesha, Wis., to discuss the many aspects of WELS Special Ministries—a meeting they hold once a year.

Rev. Jim Behringer, director of the Commission on Special Ministries, says, “The annual meeting of the Commission on Special Ministries and the district Special Ministries coordinators is vital to our work. The coordinators are the people who communicate with our called workers and churches, making them aware of ministry resources for unusual circumstances. The commission members have the responsibility to continue to develop these ministry resources. Everyone discusses how to improve our ministry to people with special needs.”

Special Ministries works to meet the ministry needs and share the gospel with people who are experiencing either disabilities or special circumstances. Eight areas comprise Special Ministries: the Care Committee for Called Workers, Mission to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Committee on Mental Health Needs, Health and Wellness Committee, Prison Ministry, Military Services, Mission for the Visually Impaired, and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Ministry.

Behringer says, “We discussed how to arouse the love and compassion of church members for those with special needs. We are seeing more opportunities for lay members to use their gifts to serve others.”

The group also took note of three important servants to Special Ministries who died in the last year: Mr. Alfons Woldt, former Special Ministries administrator; Rev. Carl Ziemer, Special Ministries administrator until 2012; and Mr. Dave Nack, Prison Ministry administrator. The Conference of Presidents will be issuing a call for the Prison Ministry administrator this fall; acall for nominations has been issued.

To learn more about Special Ministries, visit www.wels.net/special-ministries.