WELS ministry recruitment counselors are actively working in support of the “Calling” priority of WELS’ “Christ through us” long-range plan. Don Patterson, ministry recruitment counselor to the South Central, South Atlantic, and North Atlantic Districts, shares more about the work already being done to encourage others to “Consider Ministry.”

Steve wasn’t really eating his lunch. He just pushed his steamed vegetables around his bowl over the noodles. He was searching for words. Then he said, “I know I am supposed to do more with God’s Word to get it out to the world. I’m just not sure yet what that looks like. Is it being a pastor or just leading a Bible Study?” Why was he telling me that over lunch? As a ministry recruitment counselor (MRC), I had recently preached at his church. It stirred thoughts in Steve about ministry. He had been having them for a long time. He is a 46-year-old man yearning to serve Christ and people in a bigger way. My job is to help him find a path. You may have heard about a new ministry recruitment project in the WELS. We call it Consider Ministry.

Consider Ministry is a new initiative fielding five called workers who are MRCs. They are deployed throughout the United States with a two-fold mission:

1. Help the people in positions of influence (that is, parents, pastors, teachers, staff ministers, and lay leaders) to actively recruit people under their influence for the called worker ministry in the WELS, and
2. Help create a culture of recruitment that lasts longer than their years of service!

The MRCs are carrying out the Consider Ministry initiative in support of the goals of “Christ through us” for two reasons:

1. Jesus’ call to believe is also a call to serve. His heart yearns for more workers in his harvest. It pleases him each time one of his followers enters full-time ministry.
2. As a church body we have a shortage of called workers in all three fields of service. Expanding schools, mission work, and growing congregations have made ministry positions hard to fill in a timely way.

Five experienced church leaders known for their zeal for ministry have accepted calls to be ministry recruitment counselors, including me! They are: Mary Heckendorf, Mark Schroeder, David Russow, Sam McKenna, and me. We each have assigned districts in our church body to cover with recruitment efforts. We will go to WELS gatherings, churches, and schools and ask leaders about whom they might know who has gifts and/or passion for ministry. We are also looking for anyone with even a little interest in serving God more. Then we come alongside both influencers and recruits to help them prepare for ministry. We also help churches and schools cultivate a culture of recruitment to last for decades.

And it is working! We each have lots of stories about people who are gaining interest in serving God in full-time ministry. This summer at a camp, I noticed a high school junior hanging around me more after I had led the evening fireside devotion. He told me about his daily devotions in the Bible and how he loved God’s Word. Then he said, “I am not very good with people, so I won’t be a pastor. I’m going to study math in college.” Over the next three days I watched him as a group leader at camp and discovered he was selling himself short. As a junior camp counselor, he showed his people skills in his team leadership. A couple of times I scooted up alongside of him to say, “What you just did right there showed me you are good with people. Don’t count ministry out!” At the end of camp, he came to say goodbye and with a twinkle in his eye he said, “If I ever become a pastor, it’s your fault.” Ministry recruitment is really just encouragement. And encouragement always works!

If you or someone you know is interested in ministry go to www.considerministry.net. You will find a lot of great information and a way to get into contact with an MRC if you need help getting into ministry.

We are thankful to a donor who had the foresight to fund this important initiative for the next few years and appreciate God’s continued blessings to keep this program going for many more years to come.

Contributed by Don Patterson, ministry recruitment counselor to the South Central, South Atlantic, and North Atlantic Districts

We pray for God’s continued blessings on the efforts of our MRCs, the churches and families they work with, and the youth they meet and encourage.

Serving together with you in Christ,

WELS President Mark Schroeder

Related articles:

• Ministry recruitment counselors ready to serve
• Straight talk: Priorities in ministerial education
• Ministry recruitment counselors begin their work

Mark Maurice began serving as executive director of WELS Investment Funds and WELS Foundation in June.

Maurice brings more than 30 years of experience in Christian stewardship, charitable gift planning, and endowment development to these roles. “I look forward to serving God’s people by helping them reach their stewardship goals in supporting ministries they love, both now and down the road, through solid gift planning,” he says. “In addition, I greatly want to support congregations and ministries as they look ahead by having additional financial resources to enhance sharing the gospel and serving their communities.”

WELS Investment Funds, a self-supporting subsidiary of WELS, provides cost-effective, professionally managed investment portfolios for more than 270 WELS ministries, affiliated organizations, and congregations. WELS Foundation offers planned giving support to WELS donors through WELS Christian giving counselors and facilitates various giving opportunities, including charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, donor advised funds, and endowments. “We want to help WELS members support the ministries they care about through thoughtful gift planning, enabling them to create a lasting gospel impact for future generations,” says Maurice.

Before joining WELS Foundation and WELS Investment Funds, Maurice served for four years as vice president for mission advancement at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minnesota. He also served as a philanthropic adviser with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, where he worked with nonprofit organizations and donors to encourage thoughtful stewardship and charitable giving. He holds a master’s degree in business administration with a finance concentration. He and his wife, Mary-Jane, are members at St. John, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.

Maurice succeeds James Holm, who retired after 30 years of serving in Christian giving ministries for WELS. Maurice, who has served on the WELS Foundation Board of Directors for the last ten years, knows Holm well. “Jim’s vast knowledge and experience were a tremendous blessing in his dual role. He made board service a pleasure, and the meetings were something to look forward to,” says Maurice. “I definitely have big shoes to fill in following Jim in this important role.”

He’s excited about that opportunity. “It’s inspiring to work with God’s people every day to develop creative solutions to support ministries they love,” he says.

Learn more about WELS Investment Funds and WELS Foundation.

The 2025 WELS Statistical Summary and Analysis is now available.

Annually, WELS churches self-report on membership, ministrations, and finances to help synod leaders measure WELS’ health as a church body. The report examines worship attendance, Bible study participation, congregational size, district data, and more. Because 2025 is a benchmark year, divisible by 5, the report looks more deeply at long-term patterns. It examines trends over 5, 10, 25, and even 50 years. That broader view highlights not only what has happened but also what has been slowly developing over time, providing valuable information as synod leaders plan for the future.

“That is why statistics can be useful,” comments Rev. Jonathan Hein, director of WELS Commission on Congregational Counseling. “They do not define the church. Christ does. But statistics can help us see where the Lord is blessing us, where our assumptions need correction, and where our work needs renewed attention.”

Hein offers details and insights into the 2025 statistics in an article in the August issue of Forward in Christ. Visit forwardinchrist.net/2025-stats to learn more. Future communications about key findings and trends will be available at wels.net/stats.

Five new district presidents were elected during the 12 WELS district conventions held this June. Each WELS district holds a convention once every two years, in the year between synod conventions. These conventions allow delegates to consider local ministry topics and issues that apply to the synod at large and to hold elections for district officers and committee members.

The new district presidents elected by the convention delegates will join the other district presidents reelected to their positions, the synod president, and the two synod vice presidents to form WELS’ Conference of Presidents, which maintains the synod’s doctrine and practice and is responsible for funding the synod budget. The new district presidents are Paul Seager, South Central District; Stephen Helwig, Nebraska District; Kevin Westra, Northern Wisconsin District; Jonathan Schroeder, South Atlantic District; and Benjamin Tomczak, Dakota-Montana District.

The districts in which new presidents were elected all knew that they would be electing a new district president because the presidents in those districts did not stand for reelection or, in the case of Donald Patterson of the South Central District, could not stand for reelection because of a new call. The other men who completed their service on the Conference of Presidents are Philip Hirsch, Nebraska District; Joel Zank, Northern Wisconsin District; Charles Westra, South Atlantic District; and Douglas Free, Dakota-Montana District.

“We thank God and these men for their faithful service and pray for God’s continued blessing on their ministry,” says WELS President Mark Schroeder. “We pray for the Spirit’s wisdom and guidance on the five brothers in Christ as they begin serving their districts and their synod in this new role.”

The current Conference of Presidents now consists of WELS President Mark Schroeder; First Vice President Joel Voss; Second Vice President John Bortulin; Arizona-California District President Joel Heckendorf; Dakota-Montana District President Benjamin Tomczak; Michigan District President Snowden Sims; Minnesota District President Dennis Klatt; Nebraska District President Stephen Helwig; North Atlantic District President Michael Seifert; Northern Wisconsin District President Kevin Westra; Pacific Northwest District President Daniel Lange; South Atlantic District President Jonathan Schroeder; South Central District President Paul Seager; Southeastern Wisconsin District President Daniel Leyrer; and Western Wisconsin District President Michael Jensen. Synod Secretary Tyler Peil serves as an advisory member.

More district convention news and photos will be shared in the August issue of Forward in Christ magazine.

As the largest transfer of wealth in American history unfolds, experts estimate that approximately $124 trillion in assets—known as the Great Wealth Transfer—will pass from the Silent Generation and Baby Boomers to heirs and charitable organizations in the coming decades.

This presents a unique opportunity for congregations to encourage members to support gospel ministry through planned giving, ensuring their God-given blessings continue serving Christ’s kingdom long after they are called to heaven.

Two Wisconsin congregations illustrate the impact of intentional planned giving efforts.

More than 20 years ago, St. Peter, Schofield, Wis., established a planned giving committee to educate members about charitable giving opportunities. Through regular communication and guidance from WELS Ministry of Christian Giving, members learned how gifts through wills, appreciated assets, and other tools could support ministry. Recently, the congregation received gifts totaling more than $600,000 in one year, including funds to establish an endowment fund and strengthen ministry programs. “The Holy Spirit has worked miracles at St. Peter over and over again, and our members have historically been cheerful givers,” says committee member Bob Stasney.

At St. Peter’s, Mishicot, Wis., planned giving efforts dating back to 1999 have also produced lasting blessings. Estate gifts and endowment funds have helped finance a $1.3 million addition, fund most of a sanctuary remodeling project, support music ministries, and provide tuition assistance for students attending Lutheran schools. One endowment established by a faithful couple continues to generate annual support for ministry years after the Lord took them home.

Julia Marshall benefited from tuition assistance through planned gifts at St. Peter’s, Mishicot, Wis. After graduating from Martin Luther College in 2017, she and her husband, Justin, were assigned to teach at Divine Savior Academy. Doral, Fla.

Matthew Reis received tuition assistance through planned gifts at St. Peter’s, Mishicot. He now serves as pastor at St. Stephen, Beaver Dam, Wis.

These congregations show God’s blessings through education and thoughtful planning. Churches that regularly encourage planned gifts can help members support future ministry while expressing their faith and gratitude for all that their Savior has done for them.

Congregations interested in beginning or strengthening a planned giving ministry can find guidance through WELS Ministry of Christian Giving. The updated Planned Giving for Congregations booklet provides practical steps, tools, and examples to get started. Visit wels.net/congregationalplannedgiving to download the booklet or request a printed copy from NPH.

Watch a brief video about the blessings of planned giving at St. Peter, Schofield, Wis.

At the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS) graduation service on May 22, 2026, four men received Master of Sacred Theology (STM) degrees through the Grow in Grace program. Grow in Grace provides pastors with enrichment opportunities to grow spiritually and professionally throughout their ministries.

In 2010, WLS established Grow in Grace to oversee the seminary’s continuing education program, of which the STM degree program is a significant area. Since 1978, 109 men have earned an STM degree through WLS, which was officially accredited in April 2024 by the Association of Theological Schools. The largest cohort to receive the degree at one time, in 2025, consisted of nine men.

At present, classes are held in person and online. Some pastors only elect to participate in continuing education, while others will complete the entire program of 24 credits for the degree. For some pastors, the STM program will enable them to pursue a doctorate degree. “Our pastors appreciate the time and resources churches have given them to grow in the Word,” says Brad Wordell, the current program director. Currently 38 pastors are pursuing the STM degree.

Watch this month’s WELS Connection, which features WLS’ continuing education program, Grow in Grace, and shares how it helps pastors grow spiritually and professionally throughout their ministries.

2026 STM graduates reflect

From left to right: Nathan Schulte, Nate Scharf, David Scharf, Greg Pufahl

David Scharf
Professor of Theology, Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn.

“I grew in my faith as I studied God’s Word with knowledgeable professors and dedicated classmates in every course I took. I have always enjoyed taking classes but was never interested in the degree. However, when I arrived at MLC, I was encouraged to consider pursuing the degree. I already had quite a few credits in the program, so from that point it was a matter of taking some courses focused in my area of study (education) to finish my STM.”

Greg Pufahl
Pastor, Faith, Fond du Lac, Wis.

“One of the benefits of the program was spending time in the Word with fellow pastors. Some of my most memorable experiences were classes with Prof. Mark Paustian. I would tell anyone [considering the program] don’t just think about it, do it! You will not regret it.”

Nate Scharf
Pastor, St. Paul, New Ulm, Minn.

“I was privileged to start classes right after graduation from the seminary. Each class was fulfilling and encouraging; it led me right into taking another class. Three years ago, my brother [David Scharf] and I signed up for a class. We hit a threshold to make it a go and continued signing up for classes together. What a blessing to rub shoulders with fellow ministers, and learn from their insights, experiences, and current ministry situations. And to worship in the seminary chapel with many brothers and sisters in Christ.”

Nathan Schulte
Pastor, St. Matthew, Iron Ridge, Wis.

“I was part of the One Latin America mission team when I was encouraged and supported to pursue the degree. I took courses geared towards education and effective teaching strategies. One of my favorite experiences was taking Adult Education as Communication. It’s always exciting to add a new ministry skill to the toolbox and start using it right away.”

Additional mentorship and support

Two additional areas of the Grow in Grace program include the Pastor Partners program, which provides three years of mentoring for newly assigned seminary graduates, and annual Celebration of Ministry retreats. This past April, the Celebration of Ministry retreat gathered 89 pastors and 82 wives from the WLS classes of 1991, 2001, 2016, and 2023 in San Antonio, Texas, for encouragement, worship, and ministry workshops. View photos from the 2026 event below:

The 2026 Report to the Twelve Districts (RTTD) is now available. You will find it at wels.net/synod-convention, along with the 2025 Proceedings.

Report to the Twelve Districts, available only in digital form this year, contains reports from all synodical entities, helping provide an update on the synod’s ministries between synod conventions and guiding districts during their June conventions. In this book, synod leaders describe ministry activities during the past year, present information about current efforts, and detail future plans.

As WELS President Mark Schroeder notes, “It’s important to look back on what has been done because it reminds us of the many ways in which God graciously works through us. In spite of our own human weaknesses and failings, he sees to it that the gospel is preached, the message is proclaimed, and souls are saved. And he reminds us of the amazing privilege that he has given to us to be workers in his harvest field.”

To learn more about when and where your district is holding its convention, visit wels.net/event/2026-district-conventions.

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 modifications to the ministry financial plan (budget), including:
  • $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 WELS Investment Funds, WELS Foundation, WELS Church Extension Fund, 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 (Conference of Presidents representative, voting member)
  • Rev. Charles Westra (Conference of Presidents representative, voting member)
  • Rev. Joel Zank (Conference of Presidents representative, voting member)
  • Mr. John Fowler (South Atlantic lay representative, voting member)
  • Rev. Kurt Lueneburg (Ministry of Christian Giving director, advisory)
  • Mr. Dennis Maurer (Human Resources director, advisory)

We thank these men for their faithful service.

Four writing teams have begun their work of drafting teacher and student materials for four program levels of a new WELS school theology curriculum.

Work on this curriculum began in 2023 under the direction of Melanie Giddings, WELS curriculum coordinator. For this task, she assembled a team of people who serve in Lutheran schools, representing all 12 districts and a variety of ministry contexts.

The Theology Curriculum Team has already prepared frameworks for four new Word of God instructional programs for early childhood, elementary school, middle school, and high school settings. These programs aim to provide a developmentally appropriate approach to growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ for infants through grade 12 students.

As Giddings looks ahead, the team has established a working, multi-year timeline:

2026 – Drafting units and lessons
2027 – Editing and layout for print and digital
2028 – Beta pilot in a sample of WELS schools
2029 – Target release for early childhood and elementary school
2030 – Target release for middle school and high school

“There is still much work ahead, but there is a strong foundation that has already been laid by the development team who has faithfully invested the past three years in preparing for this work,” says Giddings. “Our team has confidence that God is directing every step of the way, providing all that we need at just the right time.”

Watch an update from Giddings, detailing more about the work.

Visit Lutheran Schools Resource Center for updates about the theology curriculum project and supporting documents.

Related article: August 2025 Forward in Christ article

The Conference of Presidents (COP) met for its spring meeting April 8-9. Here are some of the items they discussed or decided:

• Three new COP members were chosen as COP representatives on the Synodical Council (SC). Pastor Joel Heckendorf (Arizona-California), Pastor Michael Seifert (North Atlantic), and Pastor Dennis Klatt (Minnesota) will attend their first SC meeting in November.
• The COP spent time preparing for the upcoming assignment days at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., and Martin Luther College (MLC), New Ulm, Minn., in May. They will be facing the continuing challenge of a shortage of called workers. The number of teacher candidates at MLC is smaller than in recent years. The class at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary is the largest in several years. The candidates are all blessings from God and will reduce—but not eliminate—the many vacancies in congregations and schools. The COP continues to encourage all members to help recruit future pastors, teachers, and staff ministers.
• The COP proposed a standardized interview process and supporting evaluation tools for district presidents to use in carrying out a review of someone in pastoral, teaching, or staff ministry seeking re-entry into the ministry. The process is intended to seek increased clarity, consistency, and communication in the process.
• The COP currently grants provisional minister of the gospel status to called teachers who enroll in MLC’s Teaching Ministry Certification program (a program pursued by individuals who already hold an accredited teaching degree). MLC now offers online degree programs that include both professional training and the full set of ministry certification requirements. The COP monitors these programs.
• The COP discussed the importance of maintaining a “living” procedural document for COP use entitled “Divine Call Policies—Procedures—Guidelines.”
• The COP received a number of reports from Congregational Services, highlighting record levels of adult confirmation and efforts to reduce backdoor membership losses. A complete analysis of congregational statistics, along with a summary, will be released later this spring.
• Pastor Kurt Lueneburg will be retiring this summer as the director of the Ministry of Christian Giving. The COP thanked him for his 21 years of Christian giving experience. Calling for his replacement will take place later this spring.
• Total Congregation Mission Offering subscriptions for 2026 surpassed actual giving in 2025 (although it did not keep up with inflation).
• The COP will lead training for district constitution committees in light of differing governance models being considered by congregations.

This was the last regular meeting of the COP for four district presidents as they will be completing their time of service as district presidents at the district conventions this summer. Pastor Donald Patterson (South Central) has accepted a call, Pastor Charles Westra (South Atlantic) is not seeking reelection, and Pastors Joel Zank (Northern Wisconsin) and Douglas Free (Dakota-Montana) are retiring. We pray for God’s continued blessings and thank them for their service.

With new district presidents to be elected this summer, the COP will experience significant changes in its membership. We pray for God’s blessings as those conventions elect their leaders.