Synodical Council holds spring meeting

The Synodical Council (SC) normally meets twice each year. It held its spring meeting April 24-25. Some of the business addressed follows:

In keeping with its role of acting on behalf of the synod between conventions, the SC approved two modifications to the ministry financial plan (budget):
- $1,230,000 for Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., to begin construction of a new education building, new faculty offices, library renovation, and gathering space. Groundbreaking is scheduled to take place in May.
- $630,000 for capital projects in progress for Martin Luther College (MLC), New Ulm, Minn., primarily the cafeteria renovation and rebranding project.
- Since available reserve funds were used, neither of these adjustments required increased operating support from the synod’s budget.
The SC encouraged Congregational Services and Home Missions to discuss how those two entities might work more closely in serving mission congregations.
Chief Financial Officer Kyle Egan reported that the financial results of the synod through the first nine months of the fiscal year are encouraging, and that the synod remains in a strong and stable position with robust reserves. There has been a higher level of bequests, and investment results remain strong.
Development of the Ministry Financial Plan for the next biennium has already begun, with the SC identifying key assumptions on compensation increases, healthcare, insurance, and utilities costs, as well as a total spending target. While Congregation Mission Offerings have increased, they have not been keeping pace with inflation. In the past we have been blessed with resources from the Financial Stabilization Fund that were higher than anticipated, but the gap between receipts and usage continues to grow. That fact will require careful planning and spending.
The following appointments or re-appointments were made:
- Mr. Jeffrey Fischer, Mr. Kevin Rusch, and Mr. David Maccoux, re-appointed to the Accounting Oversight Committee
- Mr. Mark Hartman, re-appointed to the WELS Church Extension Fund board
- Rev. Charles Degner, re-appointed to the WELS Investment Funds board
- Rev. Jonathan Kolander and Mr. Michael Krueger, re-appointed to the WELS Foundation board
- Rev. Jeremiah Gumm, to the Northwestern Publishing House board
MLC President Richard Gurgel provided a detailed report on MLC’s efforts to ensure fiscal sustainability and operational efficiency in view of enrollment levels.
Congregational Services Coordinator Jon Hein presented an overview of synod statistics and how those statistics will impact future synodical planning.
Administrator of Home Missions Mark Gabb provided an overview of the work of Home Missions. He described the challenges of manpower (vacancies in home mission congregations) and funding (due to rising costs of establishing and supporting mission congregations).
The SC approved providing an annual stipend of $2,400 for each district president in view of their workload and responsibilities. The stipend will begin in Fiscal Year 2027.
The SC reviewed reports from each of the subsidiary organizations (WELS Investment Funds, WELS Foundation, WELS Church Extension Fund) and departments (Benefit Plans, Communication Services, Human Resources, Technology Services, and the Ministry of Christian Giving).
The Compensation Review Committee, together with synod leadership, completed a comprehensive review of inflation, compensation trends, and labor-market benchmarks for called workers. The analysis found that the WELS Salary Matrix has generally kept pace with inflation over time and that, when the core compensation components (including salary, housing, cost-of-living adjustment, and the Self-Employed Contributions Act tax) are applied fully and as intended, called worker compensation compares favorably with relevant labor-market benchmarks. The Compensation Review Committee is continuing to work to improve communication and understanding of the compensation guidelines, including core compensation components, benefit provisions, and tax-related considerations, so that congregations are better equipped to apply them consistently and thoughtfully.
The committee noted that while local congregational offerings have generally kept pace with inflation, Congregation Mission Offerings have not.
Six members have completed their time of service on the SC:
- Rev. Philip Hirsch (COP rep, voting)
- Rev. Charles Westra (COP rep, voting)
- Rev. Joel Zank (COP rep, voting)
- Mr. John Fowler (South Atlantic lay rep, voting)
- Rev. Kurt Lueneburg (Ministry of Christian Giving director, advisory)
- Mr. Dennis Maurer (Human Resources director, advisory)