Special Ministries helps you serve

It is likely stating the obvious that not everyone your congregation has the opportunity to serve with the gospel regularly sits in the pews of your church or the various classrooms of your congregation. Maybe you are aware of those in unique situations who could be served by your congregation, and perhaps you wonder or struggle how to serve them. This edition of Together highlights a number of the resources available through WELS Commission on Special Ministries.  

Special Ministries has several main areas that seek to help God’s people serve those who are not served in the normal course of a congregation’s ministry: Ministry to the Military, Prison Ministry, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Ministry, Mission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Mission for the Visually Impaired, Mental Health Needs Committee, Care Committee for Called Workers, Health and Wellness Committee, and a Chaplain Certification program. Subgroups or partners serve under a number of these areas.   

You can find more information on all of these areas at wels.net/special-ministries. This site also offers opportunities to refer people who might be served by one of these areas.   

So often I hear “I had no idea that our synod had . . . ” It is my prayer that this edition of Together helps you better understand all that Special Ministries offers to help you and your congregation get the gospel to those who may be in one of these unique or difficult situations in life.  

The words of our Savior in Matthew 25:40 guide the work of Special Ministries: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Those words remind us that, ultimately, we are serving our Savior in everything we do. The privilege our Savior gives us is to serve others with the life-saving gospel as we serve him. Special Ministries stands ready to assist you in whatever way we can. Feel free to reach out at [email protected]. 

In Christ,
Rev. Joel Gaertner
Director, WELS Commission on Special Ministries