Tag Archive for: Called to Support 2024

WELS Foundation

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For Don and Joyce Frisque, supporting Christ’s gospel ministry is close to their hearts. Joyce served as a WELS teacher for more than 35 years, and Don served as a WELS teacher for 6 years and as a school social worker for 31 years. Their two children, Deb and Paul, have also devoted their lives to ministry.

As they planned their retirement, the Frisques wanted to thank the Lord for his goodness to them. “God has blessed us, and we want to pass those blessings on,” Joyce says. “We don’t need anything more for ourselves, so we are going to give it back where we can to the church.” They also wanted to share their blessings with their children and grandchildren.

The Frisques knew that funding a legacy gift from their individual retirement accounts (IRAs) could help them fulfill their giving goals, but they were searching for the right type of planned gift. When they met with WELS Christian Giving counselor Tom Mielke, he explained the benefits of a legacy charitable remainder trust (often called a “give it twice” trust), which would allow Don and Joyce to support both the people and the ministries they love, in addition to providing tax benefits.

The Frisques set up a legacy charitable remainder trust, with WELS Foundation serving as trustee. When they are in heaven, their children will receive quarterly income payments from the trust for 15 years. After that, the remainder will support the multiple WELS ministries that the Frisques have chosen.

“Everything we have been given has been entrusted to us, and we are responsible for managing it in a God-pleasing way,” says Don. “In this way we believe we are doing that.”

As the Frisque family (pictured) learned, there are many ways to leave gifts to support gospel work, based on your situation and giving goals. Visit wels.net/foundation to learn more or contact your local WELS Christian giving counselor at wels.net/givingcounselors.

 

Financial Services

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Financial Services provides finance and accounting services that support WELS ministries and safeguard the assets that God has provided.

“WELS is in a very strong financial position as we enter the fiscal year 2023–24 and 2024–25 biennium,” notes Mr. Kyle Egan, WELS’ chief financial officer and treasurer. “It is with joyful thanks to our gracious Lord that the synod has continued to see strong levels of unrestricted support through gifts, grants, and bequests, which allows for the continued expansion of mission and ministry. We ask God to provide pure hearts, clear vision, and patient faith as the plans for this biennium are  carried out.”

Congregation Mission Offerings (CMO) are critical to WELS’ financial position as they fund approximately 70 percent of WELS’ operating budget every year. WELS finished fiscal year 2023 (year ended June 30, 2023) with CMO of $23.4 million, which was 1.3 percent higher than the previous year. WELS is thankful for the continued generosity of its people in supporting ministry efforts.

Other critical components to WELS’ financial position are strong reserves, including the Financial Stabilization Fund, which is utilized every year to support approximately 30 percent of WELS’ operating budget. The Financial Stabilization Fund holds all undesignated non-CMO funding sources (gifts, grants, bequests, investment income, and other support) to assist in supporting the synod’s annual operating expenses.

Synod convention delegates passed the proposed fiscal year 2023–24 and 2024–25 ministry financial plan in July 2023, which includes support for WELS ministerial education, home and world missions, congregation and district ministry, and general ministry. Total synod expenses (including the four ministerial education schools) for the biennium are expected be approximately $90 million each year supported by synod operating support consisting of CMO and the Financial Stabilization Fund (approximately 35 percent) as well as tuition, reserves, individual gifts, and grants (approximately 65 percent).

WELS Benefit Plans

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The WELS Benefit Plans Office (BPO) serves WELS and Evangelical Lutheran Synod workers and organizations through administration of the WELS Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association (VEBA) Health Plan, the WELS Pension Plan, and the WELS Shepherd Plan.

The WELS VEBA Health Plan provides benefits for church and school workers and their family members in accordance with God’s Word while remaining compliant with applicable law. The VEBA Plan provides comprehensive, nationwide coverage. More than 80 percent of WELS workers and calling bodies participate in WELS VEBA.

The WELS Shepherd Plan is the retirement savings plan for synod workers. WELS called workers earn retirement benefits through defined contributions made to their Shepherd Plan accounts. In addition, workers can save and invest a portion of their earnings and calling bodies can make employer contributions to provide income to workers during their retirement years.

The WELS Pension Plan provides WELS called workers with a valuable source of guaranteed income during
retirement. The Pension Plan was frozen on Dec. 31, 2021. All Pension benefits earned through the freeze date will be paid to participants but no new Pension benefits can be earned for service performed after the freeze date.

Coverage and benefits provided through WELS Benefit Plans are uniform throughout all 50 states. This supports WELS ministry and the call process by providing access to high-quality, affordable benefits for workers and calling bodies regardless of geographic location. Visit welsbpo.net for more information.

Northwestern Publishing House

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Northwestern Publishing House (NPH) provides Christ-centered, biblically sound resources to the members of WELS and beyond. NPH publishes Forward in Christ and Meditations: Daily Devotional, elementary and Sunday school curricula, Bible studies, worship materials, music, and faith-strengthening books. In 2023, NPH released more than 30 Christian resources in print and digital formats, including:

  • An Ever-Present Help in Trouble: A portable devotional booklet containing 40 devotions that offer gospel comfort for any personal or widespread crisis, whether economic, natural, medical, a loss, or another traumatic experience. The reflections share the comfort of God’s love and providence with those suffering from life’s disasters, reminding you of God’s promises of strength.
  • Esther: Providential Persian Queen: Invites participants to examine Esther’s epic saga in this seven-session Bible study. Each session includes an opening prayer, references to other parts of Scripture, and multiple discussion questions ideal for either individual or group study.
  • Hymns for Life Hymnology Curriculum: A three-year, three-level curriculum for K-8 that studies 90 hymns from Christian Worship: Hymnal.
  • The Splendid Task of the Ministry: A Pastoral Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles: This professional commentary features verse-by-verse translations from the Greek text and extensive “Thoughts for Ministry” applications throughout. It is one of the relatively few current commentaries on 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus written from a conservative Lutheran law and gospel, Word and sacrament perspective.
  • Christian Worship resources: Resources released in 2023 include “Easy Hymn Accompaniments: Chorale and Piano Editions,” “Foundations,” “Commentary on the Propers Year B,” “Playlist,” and “The Service: Setting Five.”

NPH released several other titles to strengthen faith, including The Baptismal Life, The Heart of Faith, My Christian Worship, Singing the Small Catechism, and many additional books, Bible studies, and music pieces.

Visit nph.net or call 800-662-6022 to learn more about the ministry of NPH.

WELS Church Extension Fund

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WELS Church Extension Fund, Inc., (WELS CEF) provides financing through loans and grants to mission congregations so they can acquire land and ministry facilities to be used for gospel outreach in coordination with WELS Home Missions. WELS CEF also provides loans to mission-minded self-supporting WELS congregations and schools for land and facility projects. The money to carry out WELS CEF’s mission comes from investments and gifts from WELS members, congregations, and affiliated organizations.

In the fiscal year end-ing June 30, 2023, $55.8 million of new loans and $2.7 million of new grants were approved to mission and mission-minded self-supporting congregations. In addition, WELS CEF disbursed $2.1 million of endowment and unrestricted net asset grants to Home Missions.

Good News, Mount Horeb, Wis. (pictured), a WELS home mission, received support from WELS Church Extension Fund as it built its new church.

For more information, visit wels.net/cef.

 

WELS Investment Funds

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Since 1997, WELS Investment Funds has been providing investment portfolios to benefit WELS and its affiliated ministries.

We know that we are better together, which is why 255 WELS organizations have invested nearly $300 million with WELS Investment Funds (as of June 30, 2023). By pooling our resources, we can enjoy benefits we wouldn’t have by investing individually.

Our investors benefit from lower investment costs, oversight by a national board of directors made up of WELS members with relevant experience, the expertise of professional institutional investment consultants, and ease of use as investors work directly with our professional WELS staff to set up and manage accounts.

Does your congregation or school have funds that you are considering investing? Contact us at [email protected] or 877-888-8953 to explore your options.

Learn if WELS Investment Funds can be a blessing to your ministry at wels.net/welsfunds.