Tag Archive for: Joint Missions

An invitation for life

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For over 60 years, Godā€™s people have been gathering at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Garden Grove, Calif. WELS men and women have been supporting additional ministry from this same location, starting with a King of Kings grade school that is approaching 60 years of existence. King of Kings also assisted in the formation of California Lutheran High School, which is nearing 50 years of ministry. In recent years, King of Kings opened their campus to support their fellow WELS congregation Pan de Vida and a new WELS outreach to the Vietnamese community.

On Dec. 22, 2024, members of King of Kings had the chance to witness WELS pastor Rev. Trung Le gather a group of 44 Vietnamese friends and neighbors to hear the gospel on the King of Kings campus. With support from WELS Joint Mission Council, members of Pan de Vida, and members of King of Kings, a multi-purpose room on the King of Kings campus was renovated to become an additional sanctuary for worship. It was in this worship space that Pastor Trung Le preached the good news of John 3:16 to the ears and hearts of the Vietnamese community.

God is blessing this partnership in gospel ministry so that more people in Garden Grove are hearing that God loves them ā€“ so much so that he sent his one and only Son to save them ā€“ and that whoever believes in this Savior, Jesus, will not suffer eternal punishment but rather will enjoy eternal life with God in heaven. This “gospel in a nutshell” is an invitation for life: for believers to find peace, both in this life and for eternity. God has blessed the gospel proclamation on the King of Kings campus for over 60 years and we pray with our brothers and sisters that God would continue to bless this same proclamation, in various languages, for many years to come. The Vietnamese community knows that Pastor Trung Le and fellow WELS believers will continue to be present and serve in their community. And now this same community has received an invitation for life: for as long as King of Kings is open, the gospel will be proclaimed to them, just as it has been for generations in Garden Grove. Yet this invitation for life goes beyond a location or church building. The gates of eternal life are open to the Vietnamese community just as they are to anyone who hears the saving Word of God and believes it. This was visible for all in attendance at the opening Vietnamese worship service, as Pastor Trung Le baptized a new brother in the faith. Rejoice with all the brothers and sisters who gather and support the ministry in Garden Grove, Calif. God invites all of us to find joy in his love that is for us today and for eternity.

Rejoice that you too have an invitation for life.

Written by Rev. Neil Birkholz, North American Asian ministry consultant.Ā 




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Merry Christmas from WELS Missions

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Dear Family of Believers,

Are you one of those people who waits impatiently to see that first Christmas card in your mailbox? Many of us cherish this festive season, which allows us to exclaim the great news of Jesusā€™ birth to family members and loved ones through warm holiday letters and greeting cards.

ā€œThe Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.ā€ – John 1:14

On behalf of Home, World, and Joint Missions, we want to thank you for your prayers and support. We hope this Christmas season will bring joy to many and will inspire hearts to share the priceless message of Godā€™s love with others. We are truly grateful for your encouragement and offerings. Thank you! Together with you, we pray for the Lordā€™s continued blessing as we keep reaching out to the lost and hurting people in our communities and all around the world.

We have already been given the most precious gift that could ever be given. Our heavenly Father delights in our excitement as we declare this great news to others during the Advent and Christmas seasons and all throughout the year. Joyfully, we proclaim, ā€œwe have seen his glory. . . full of grace and truth!ā€

May Godā€™s peace be with you and your family today and in the year to come.

WELS Home, World, and Joint Missions

P.S. – Want to learn more about WELS mission work? Follow us on Facebook or Instagram @WELSMissions or subscribe to Missions Blogs and Update Newsletters at wels.net/subscribe.

Happy Thanksgiving from WELS Missions!

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Dear Friend of Missions,

ā€œ. . . because of your partnership in the gospel. . .ā€

ā€“ Philippians 1:3-5

This was Paulā€™s reason for giving thanks. He cherished his partnership with Godā€™s people, knowing he couldnā€™t do mission work without his brothers and sisters in Christ in the congregation at Philippi. So, he said this at the beginning of his letter: ā€œI thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel. . .ā€ (Philippians 1:3-5)

We, too, cherish our partnership with you in the gospel. Humanly speaking, we couldnā€™t do what we do in Home and World Missions without it. This is by Godā€™s design. The many parts of the body are meant to work in partnership with each other for the common good. Your partnership in the form of prayers, encouragement, and gifts enables us to enter new mission fields and provide ongoing support to missions throughout North America and across the globe. We thank God for this blessed partnership! Enjoy this video that shares a small taste of how God blessed our partnership in 2024.

We also join with you in giving thanks to our gracious God. We know where we would be without him. Yet, by his grace, we are children of God, bought with the blood of Jesus Christ and heirs of eternal life. By his grace, we are showered with an abundance of earthly blessings that provide for our daily needs and more! And by his grace, we are partners in gospel outreach ministry that has an eternal impact on souls around the world. Praise the Lord!

From all of us in WELS Missions, we thank God for you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

WELS Home, World, and Joint Missions

P.S. – Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to watch even more videos from our missionaries in the upcoming weeks!

Itā€™s better to have 100 friends than 100 rubles

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“Itā€™s better to have 100 friends than 100 rubles!ā€

This bit of Russian folk wisdom comes from a time when 100 rubles was worth a lot of money. Having many talented friends who can help in different situations makes life a lot easier ā€“ especially for people living in a collective society.

God has blessed me with many friends.

From Siberia to Portugal, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, God has allowed me to develop deep, spiritual relationships with many dear brothers and sisters. The members of Jesusā€™ body are precious, blood-bought souls carefully gathered by the Lord of the Church and placed exactly where he wants for our mutual edification and his glory.

Recently God has blessed me with some new friends in the U.K. and back ā€œhomeā€ in the WELS. Let me explain.

Pete Myers served in the ministerium of the Church of England. He is a Hebrew scholar and worked for several years as a professor of Old Testament studies at a seminary in Ethiopia. Pete is a sincere man who wants to confess solid Biblical faith in Christ. To make a long story short, Pete became Lutheran through an independent study of classic Lutheran writings and began searching for a Lutheran church faithful to scripture. After moving back to London, he met Missionary Michael Hartman. The two of them spent hours discussing what we in WELS believe on the basis of Holy Scripture. God blessed those conversations. Several months ago, Pete and his family joined our fellowship. Since then, they have moved to Manchester (a major city about four hours north of London), where Pete is supporting himself with secular work as a math teacher. But his real passion is to plant a congregation in Manchester that enjoys fellowship with our hub church in London.

Weā€™re thankful for Pete and his family, and weā€™re excited about blessings God is giving to his people through them. But we also want Pete to deepen his understanding of confessional Lutheranism, and we want those in our broader Lutheran fellowship (CELC) to have confidence that we share a common faith. What should we do?

Let me introduce you to some partners in WELS who are helping us.

Professor Allen Sorum teaches at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. He is also part of the Pastoral Studies Institute (PSI). Professor Sorum has broad experience working with men who want to prepare for ministry not only in North America, but around the world. He serves as the PSI representative to our Europe team. This past June, he arranged for Pete to spend a couple weeks on our seminary campus in Mequon. Here Pete attended summer quarter classes and spoke with faculty members about a wide variety of doctrinal topics.

While in Mequon, Pete met another friend of mine, Professor Jim Danell. Professor Danell serves on the faculty of Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minn., where he helps prepare young men for ministry. He also serves as the chairman of WELS Commission on Inter-Church Relations (CICR). This commission works to ensure that we indeed share authentic doctrinal fellowship with our brothers and sisters around the world. He is the CICR representative to our Europe team.

Iā€™m so thankful that Professor Sorum and Professor Danell join our Europe team meetings every week. They understand the work that we are carrying out in Europe. Having PSI and CICR working together with World Missions has been a tremendous blessing. God richly blessed Peteā€™s time during summer quarter, and there are plans in place for continued doctrinal conversations with key representatives in WELS to ensure that we are all walking together and contending for Jesusā€™ truth.

Please join me in giving thanks for the gifted friends the Savior gives us in his Church. Letā€™s continue to work together to share Jesusā€™ good news with the world!

Written by Rev. Luke Wolfgramm, world missionary on the Europe One Team.Ā 

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Teach all nations!

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Teach all nations! Equip the saints! Those two holy commands come from our ascended Savior to his Church. Victory of the Lamb in Katy, Texas, has partnered with WELS Latin America missionaries to do more of both.

Katy, Texas, is a ā€œsuburbā€ of Houston that has swelled to 400,000 in population and continues to grow. Because of the oil/gas and medical industries, it is an upscale, international community. Although people from every continent make Katy their home, some have given it the nickname ā€œKaty-Zuelaā€ because so many Venezuelans have moved into town. In addition to these Venezuelans, many other Spanish speakers live in Katy as well. Approximately 20 percent of the households within 3 miles of Victory of the Lamb speak Spanish in their homes. Some of them are bilingual, but many are not. Victory of the Lamb has faithfully preached and taught Godā€™s Word for 25 years. . . in English. However, I, the pastor at Victory of the Lamb, do not speak Spanish. Is there anything that can be done?

In May 2023, a dozen Victory of the Lamb members who speak Spanish got together to talk about it. The first step was an encouragement for them to take the online Academia Cristo classes, produced by WELS Latin America missionaries. Then they could invite their Spanish-speaking friends and family to do the same from a background of familiarity. Perhaps some additional inroads could be made into the Spanish-speaking Katy community.

Hector Medellin, a native Mexican and Victory of the Lamb member for 12 years, attended this meeting and decided to give Academia Cristo a try. Very quickly, he was hooked! Godā€™s Word in his native tongue grabbed him, and he deeply enjoyed the experience. Hector progressed through the first level of self-directed classes on the Academia Cristo app. The next step was to begin taking online classes led by a WELS world missionary, with several other Spanish speakers from all across the world as his classmates.

Hector was excited, but also had some mixed feelings. Was this worth the time and effort? Did he want to make such a large commitment of time? In his first online class, one fellow student lived in a place where he had to drive an hour up a mountain, each way, in order to get an internet signal so he could take the class. Another student tried to take the class as best as she could while also working shifts as a nurse, because that was her only way to have an internet connection. Hector thought, ā€œOkay, if they go through that much effort to take this class, and Iā€™m sitting at home with internet and air conditioning, I have no excuses. Iā€™ll do it.ā€ He says it was one of the best decisions heā€™s ever made in his life! As Godā€™s Word grew in his heart, Hectorā€™s love for his Savior also grew, as well as his desire to reach more souls.

Fast forward one year. With the help of his professors and missionaries, Hector is now trained to lead his own Bible class! On June 9, 2024, Victory of the Lamb launched a second adult Bible study on Sunday morning ā€“ one in English and one in Spanish. Hector also plans to lead a four-week class on Bible basics online with some Spanish-speaking friends and family members who donā€™t live in Katy. Victory of the Lamb members can invite their Spanish speaking friends, relatives, and neighbors to these classes. Down the line, it will be easy to encourage more Spanish speakers to try Academia Cristo. Hector is equipped to lead Bible studies either online or in person.

Teach all nations! Equip the saints! Through Victory of the Lambā€™s continued partnership with WELS Latin America missionaries, and connection to Academia Cristo materials, both of those goals are happening more than before. Praise God!

Written by Rev. Nathan Buege, home missionary at Victory of the Lamb Lutheran Church in Katy, Texas.

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Faces of Faith – Kim Nga

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I arrived in Garden Grove, California in the first week of October to begin my work to answer the Lordā€™s call to serve at King of Kings. Iā€™ve spent a lot of time visiting nursing homes and care centers. One of the places I often visit is Chapman Care Center. It appears this place is owned by a Korean.

On November 2, I visited and met Uncle Minh, who is Vietnamese. His wife, Ms. Le Thi Kim Nga, had been in the hospital for a while. When he heard me greet him and talk, he was surprised and somewhat excited because heā€™d thought I was a Korean. When I heard their story, I asked for his permission to visit his wife and pray for her. Through the story, I learned that the uncle came back to Vietnam and married his wife and brought her to America recently. A few years ago she had a brain tumor, they removed almost half of her brain. Now she can’t walk, she must stay in bed and have special care. Uncle Minh is retired and takes care of his wife every day. I was very touched by their story!

After praying for Ms. Nga, I continued to come back and share Jesus with her, explaining God’s love to her. She was quiet and attentive, and in December when I came back to visit, I asked her if she wanted to be a child of God. She replied that she did and asked me what she should do if she wants to become a child of God? I told her I would help her!

On December 12, 2023, I called uncle Minh as usual. I didnā€™t know how we could talk about Baptism. He shared that he asked a Vietnamese pastor to visit, pray, and baptize his wife, but that pastor was busy and had no time. I said I could help complete the Baptism for her. He agreed. Within a period of 2 hours. I prepared water in a cup, and a certificate along with it, and on December 12, 2023, I baptized Ms. Nga in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. One more soul has been recorded in the book of heaven.

When it ended, Ms. Nga told me she was happy, and proclaimed that God is real, and that she wanted to share God with many more people. I replied that she could share with everyone because she was now a child of God.

From Trung Le, home missionary at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Garden Grove, Calif.

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Faces of Faith ā€“ Ismar

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Almost four years ago, Ismar Camacho left Venezuela with her husband and four children. Crossing the border into Colombia, like many other refugees, they thought they had found a new home. Both Ismar and her husband were employed, but something was lacking. They just didnā€™t know what it was.

In July 2023, they decided to travel to the U.S. To save money, they traveled on foot from Colombia to the border of Panama. They continued walking through the forest in Darien National Park. They struggled with muddy paths and highway bandits, often going days without food. But they continued to walk.

When they got to the southern border of Mexico, they found an non-government agency (NGO) that was providing bus rides to Mexico City. Once in Mexico City, they found out that a freight train on the north side of the city was leaving in a couple of days. They walked across Mexico City and hopped on that train. Sleeping in empty freight cars, they took the four-day trip from Mexico City to Ciudad Juarez, where they crossed the border.

They stood in line with other asylum seekers. They were processed and separated: the men going one way to a dormitory and the women and children going a different way. For seven days, Ismar and the four kids didnā€™t see her husband and their father.

Then, one Saturday afternoon in mid-September, the border officials came through the dormitory and asked if anyone wanted to be sent elsewhere. Ismar contacted her husband, and they agreed. With the four children in tow, they boarded a bus for Las Cruces, New Mexico. With one night in the hotel and some cash for food, they were dropped off in the middle of town. Sunday morning, they started walking again.

God blessed that walk because their path went right by Cross of Christ Lutheran Church. Pastor Nathaneal Jensen was standing outside of the rental facility before worship, and they walked up to him. Ismar and her husband hardly know English. Pastor Jensen is a rookie in the Spanish language. But Pastorā€™s wife, Elena? Sheā€™s fluent.

Ismar and her family pictured with Vicar Samuel Boeder at Sure Foundation in New York City

For two weeks, Pastor Jensen and Elena hosted the family in their home, helping them figure out what to do next. I happened to be visiting the congregation on the last Sunday in September, and after a long afternoon of conversation and a Sunday morning worship, Ismar and her husband echoed the words of the Ethiopian eunuch: ā€œHere is some water. What is stopping baptism?ā€

Their two youngest children were baptized that day (pictured above), and now the family doesnā€™t have to walk any more.

Even though they made it to Chicago by air and then on to New York by train, they arenā€™t walking to find God. God used Pastor Seth Haakenson while the family was in the Chicago area. God is using Pastor Tim Bourman and his vicar to help Ismar and her family so they donā€™t have to walk anymore.

The oldest daughter is in confirmation class. The parents are studying for membership. They arenā€™t walking anymore. . . because God has found them and has let them know, ā€œYou are mineā€.

From Timothy Flunker, Hispanic Outreach Consultant for WELS Home Missions

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Faces of Faith ā€“ Daniel

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My name is Daniel, and I was born and raised in East Asia. I attended St. Croix Lutheran Academy in St. Paul, Minn., for high schooland then was accepted at Colby College. I am currently studying Computer Science, Statistics, and Mathematics. While the courses are intellectually challenging, I was still looking to continue my spiritual education. My studies at Colby enable me to make a living, but my studies with PSI give me a purpose and life as I learn Godā€™s Word and prepare to share the good news of Jesus with others. I even found an opportunity to explain the great exchange on the cross to my Chinese friends at a statistics tournament! I would not have been able to do so without training through PSI.

As I prepare to enter society fully, I often feel anxious that I do not know enough about life and that I am not smart or virtuous enough to face its challenges. It really comforts me that Godā€™s wisdom is always by my side. The modern world is full of temptations, chaos, and sin, and it made me confused and resentful, while at the same time, I am arrogant and sinful from within. Godā€™s Word is like music to my ears and medicine to my soul. It is what gives me direction, courage, and wisdom in life.

I hope to continue growing intellectually, morally, and spiritually through my college and PSI education. I pray that by Godā€™s guidance, I can become someone who lives by faith, and my knowledge can be used in Godā€™s kingdom.

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Faces of Faith ā€“ Jake, Gary, and Michelle

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WELS Mission Journeys provides an opportunity for all WELS members to walk together in the Great Commission. Short- or long-term service opportunities in WELS mission fields at home and abroad will prayerfully inspire a lifelong journey of service for all who volunteer. Ascension in Harrisburg, Penn., sent a Mission Journeys team to volunteer at Living Savior, a home mission congregation in Hendersonville, N.C. Hear from a couple of their team members:

Faces of Faith – Jake (pictured second from left)

Our church, Ascension in Harrisburg, Penn., was deemed a home mission restart in 2019. The Lord has blessed our church immensely since then, and we couldnā€™t think of a better way to share our joy in his blessings than by sharing ourselves as blessings to another church in need, as many had done for us!

Mission trips are an incredible way to live the Great Commission. As we shared the Good News with many people of Huntersville, N.C., the Lord found ways to work even more through our trip. He drew our team of five volunteers tighter together, strengthened our bond, and sharpened our outreach skills as we returned to reach out to our local community. We found fellowship within our group and within the greater body of believers as we connected with many members of Living Savior. These mission trips open you up for God to bless you in ways you never imagined!

Faces of Faith – Gary (pictured left)

Iā€™m Gary Piatkowski, and Iā€™m a member at Ascension in Harrisburg, Pa. Itā€™s so exciting to share the Good News of salvation on a Mission Journey trip. I was overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and generosity to spread the gospel amongst the unchurched. With the Holy Spirt guiding us, we let people know how life-changing his word can be. Mission Journeys give you the opportunity to change lives, just as our lives have been changed, in Christ.

Faces of Faith – Michelle (pictured center)

Our Mission Journeys team helped Living Savior go door-to-door in neighborhoods nearby to spread the word about their upcoming youth sports camp. At first, I was nervous and slightly hesitant to participate, as I am more introverted and was only confirmed in WELS less than two months prior. My attitude changed quickly. I really enjoyed the opportunity to go door-to-door in a new community to not only promote the sports camp, but to also shine Christā€™s light and love to strangers. The congregation was very appreciative of the work we completed while we were with them. They were so welcoming and kind, and it was wonderful to experience and interact with a WELS community outside of our own!

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A new city, the same gospel

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“Here in Bread of Life: the Church of the Lord, members of his body, by God it was formed. Reunited family, branches of the Vine, reconciled people, declare his love divine.” On November 19th, 2023, over 80 individuals gathered to celebrate the reality of these beautiful words, an English translation from the hymn “AquĆ­ en Pan de Vida” adapted and translated by Pan de Vida’s longtime worship coordinator and staff minister, Amy Reede NuƱez. Pan de Vida Iglesia Luterana in Garden Grove, Calif., celebrated its 20th anniversary on that night with a special worship service followed by a meal and a mariachi band.

All Nations Sunday at King of Kings Lutheran Church.

Although this Spanish outreach mission currently calls Garden Grove its home, most of its rich history occurred about five miles east of its current facility. Pan de Vida launched in Santa Ana, Calif., back in 2003 under the leadership of Pastors Brian Doebler and Chris Schroeder, recent Seminary graduates who did six months of language training in Mexico. English classes and Bible studies blossomed into Spanish worship services, first in the pastors’ homes, then in local elementary schools, and finally in Pan de Vida’s own building that they purchased and renovated in 2008.

In all of these different locations, the Holy Spirit quietly worked through the means of grace as his church proclaimed Christ’s message of reconciliation. Individuals who came to learn English stayed after class to hear about God’s Word, and the Holy Spirit planted and grew faith in their hearts. Families invited their friends, and their friends kept coming back to hear about their heavenly Father’s infinite love for them in Christ. A couple walked across the street from their apartment one Sunday morning to inquire about this new church and kept coming Sunday after Sunday to hear the good news of the gospel. To this day, the highlight of their week is when their pastor comes to their home to feed them with Word and Sacrament, and then they get to feed him with home-cooked food that is way too spicy for him to handle. One of my favorite parts of my first nine months as pastor at Pan de Vida has been getting to hear everyone’s story of how God worked through the faithful proclamation of his Word to connect them to this body of believers. He blessed so many people through the ministry that took place in Santa Ana.

In 2021, due to a number of factors, Pan de Vida had to sell their longtime home. However, God provided for his people once again, this time through the brothers and sisters at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Garden Grove, who graciously opened their facility for Pan de Vida’s use. Although many changes have occurred for Pan de Vida in the last couple of years, the celebration of its 20th anniversary reminded us of one thing that will never change. The same gospel that called, gathered, enlightened, and sanctified this family of believers in Santa Ana is the gospel it continues to proclaim in Garden Grove. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. May the Lord of the Church bless his people as we strive to faithfully carry out his ministry and declare his love divine to those around us.

Written by Rev. Grant Hagen, home missionary at Pan de Vida in Garden Grove, Calif.

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Multiple home missions under one roof

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St. Johnā€™s Lutheran in St. Paul, Minn., is an old congregation established by German immigrants over 150 years ago. It was the second WELS congregation started in the Twin Cities area.Ā In the 1980s, the neighborhood demographic started to change. Asians and African Americans moved in while Caucasians moved to the suburbs. Throughout the 1990s and in the 2000s, the change continued as Hispanic immigrants moved into the area.

In 2005, St. Johnā€™s opened their facility to Immanuel Hmong, a WELS congregation focused on reaching out to the local Hmong community. As the neighborhood around St. Johnā€™s changed, so did the congregation. By 2015 the membership had decreased to about 300 souls. Enrollment in the school continued to decline throughout the years. In 2017, St. Johns made the difficult decision to close the school.

Over the next three years, St. Johns considered merging with other area congregations or closing their doors as they could no longer completely support a full-time pastor. Then, in 2020 a member of the church passed away and left a large bequest to the congregation. With the help of District President Rev. Dennis Klatt and Rev. Tim Flunker, Hispanic Outreach Consultant, the members of St. Johnā€™s ā€œopened their eyes and looked at the fieldsā€ around them and decided to move forward in a new direction. They decided to ask WELS Home Missions for some financial help to call a bilingual pastor with the goal of starting a Hispanic ministry in addition to the English-speaking community.

In spring of 2022, St. Johnā€™s installed Rev. Tim Otto to serve as pastor to focus on outreach to the Hispanic community. What a joy to see God answer in a greater fashion than we could ask or imagine: the building now hosts worship in three languages every weekend!

Check out below some of the recent activities happening at St. Johnā€™s facility.

Hispanic Services in St. Paul, Minn.

Over the past year, St. Johnā€™s has started up Hispanic services and held various local community events under the name of Iglesia Lutherana San Juan.

In September, San Juan had a table at Fiesta Latina. It served to create a prospect list of around 100. The group gave away over 100 Bibles and a lot of flyers advertising their Hispanic ministry. This event was held by CLUES (Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio) at a building next door to the church.

In January, San Juan started an evangelism program to the community called Kicks and Conversations (Patear y Platicar). They invited the community to come out of the cold and to play soccer or basketball in the gym. Attendees could also practice their English on Wednesdays in January and February leading up to Ash Wednesday. There was good participation and attendance from the community varied from 10 to 30 people.

In summer 2023, San Juan started a summer evangelism program partnering with Raices y Ramas, a Hispanic pregnancy counseling organization. The program is called Community Thursdays (Jueves en comunidad) and ran for six weeks over the summer. San Juan opened the gym and volunteers organized and ran crafts for the moms.

For more information on St. Johnā€™s/San Juan, please visit their website at stjohnev.net

Celebrating Thanksgiving & Hmong New Year in St. Paul, Minn.

In November each year, the congregation of Immanuel Hmong Lutheran in St. Paul, Minn., welcomes friends and guests to a special Thanksgiving and Hmong New Year celebration. This is a yearly celebration that includes members dressing in traditional Hmong attire. The celebration includes a special worship service followed by dinner that includes many Hmong dishes.

In addition to the annual Thanksgiving and Hmong New Year celebration, Immanuel Hmong also hosted various other activities such as marriage retreats, vacation Bible studies, summer fun festivals, family camping, and many different choirs.

God has truly blessed Immanuel Hmong, and we pray that God would continue to bless this home mission!

For more information on Immanuel Hmong, please visit their website at immanuelhmong.net

Written by Daryl Schultz, Minnesota District Mission Board member.

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Pastoral Studies Institute: Winterim 2024

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Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous WELS member, the Pastoral Studies Institute (PSI) was able to bring five of our East Asian PSI students to Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary for an intensive one week of instruction. They were able to attend classes that were specifically focused on their course requirements but also upon their cultural background. One of the PSI courses is ā€œHistory of Christianity in the Studentā€™s Context.ā€ Our students were able reap the blessings of being taught by Professor Emeritus Glen Thompson who served at Asia Lutheran Seminary teaching Historical Theology and New Testament. Professor Thompson shared his class ā€œHistory of Christianity in East Asia.ā€ Much of his course was new information for our students since most East Asian history is rewritten to coincide with the current governmentā€™s policies.

While on campus our PSI students were able to attend daily chapel and meet and interact with our traditional students who were also on campus for their intensive Winterim courses. Our PSI men made the most of their time on campus in a second course, ā€œEngaging the Spirit World.” This was a very practical addition to their training as future pastors, given the high rate of spiritism in East Asian culture.

This is just one more way that the Pastoral Studies Institute attempts to be flexible in our training methods, but consistent and academically rigorous in delivering our Confessional Lutheran content. This is another fine example of our WELS members partnering with us to be able to provide these kinds of exceptional learning opportunities. For more information about the Pastoral Studies Institute, please visit wels.net/psi.

Written by Harland Goetzinger, Pastoral Studies Institute director

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Is your church a success?

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How do you measure the success of the church? Do you base it on the membership, weekly service attendance, weekly Bible study attendance, or stewardship?

Since Grace Hmong was established as a mission congregation in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) in Kansas City, the leaders of Grace Hmong have contemplated this question. ā€œIs Grace Hmong a successful church or not?ā€ In the end, only God knows the answer. But itā€™s an answer that God shares in His Word. ā€œā€¦My word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sentā€ (Isaiah 55:11).

This is exactly what the pastors and members of Grace Hmong strive to do every day, and God has blessed Grace Hmong and its ministry work abundantly.

Even though Grace Hmong is a small mission church with small membership in an area where many of the Hmong people already call themselves Christians, every Sunday the Word of Christ is still preached to its members and new souls are regularly brought to our services. Many Hmong people around the community come to the services at Christmas and New Yearā€™s to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ preached. Here the seed of the gospel is planted inside their hearts waiting to sprout sooner or later. Each year, babies are baptized into faith, and adults are baptized and confirmed into the family of God. Every Sunday morning, no matter how many people attend the service, the gospel is preached. Through the word of Christ that is preached every Sunday morning, the members have grown so much in their faith. In the past, they were not sure about their salvation because they based their salvation on good works. But now, they are confident of their salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

As Jesus told his disciples to go out to the world to be his witnesses and teach what he has taught them to the world, so the members of Grace Hmong go out to the world. They go out to the Hmong community with a helping hand while sharing the good news of Christ. For some, this is the first time theyā€™ve heard about Jesus. Others call themselves Christians yet sill base their salvation on good works. We get to share the Word in its truth and purity with them.

By Godā€™s grace and blessings, the word of Christ has not only been preached in Kansas City, but in Vietnam too. When Pastor Bounkeo Lor was still the pastor of Grace Hmong, God used him to extend the word of Christ to another corner of the world ā€“ to the country of Vietnam, where Christians are often persecuted in the rural areas. Grace Hmong and its members knew that God wanted Pastor Lor to travel to Vietnam to share the love of God to both the Hmong brothers and sisters in Vietnam who called themselves Christians and to the unbelievers. When WELS called Pastor Bounkeo Lor to be the Hmong Asia coordinator, he accepted the call. And when the time came for Pastor Bounkeo Lor to be the Hmong Asia coordinator, Grace Hmong still continued to be part of the Vietnam mission. The ministry of the church is to nurture and equip the members of the church to be ready to share the gospel.

Even though Grace Hmong is a small mission church, it continues to partner with the Vietnam mission. Through the ministry work in Vietnam, God has blessed the Hmong Fellowship Church (HFC) with grace upon grace. The HFC has grown from 55,000 to 145,000 members in the last 9 years. More than 350 pastors and leaders are seeking training from WELS. Currently, WELS pastors and professors are conducting training to 120 church leaders quarterly. The 55 students that graduated from the theological education program in Vietnam are also training more than 1,400 members twice a month in the rural areas. More and more church leaders are seeking WELS training. Since receiving training from WELS, their faith has grown so much in the Word of God. Many thousands of children have also been baptized in the last several years. They are confident in their salvation through faith in Christ. The power of the gospel has done great things in Vietnam, and a lot of people have put their hope in Christ.

ā€œIs Grace Hmong a successful church or not?ā€ In the end, only God knows the answer. But itā€™s an answer that God shares in his Word. ā€œTherefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).

As the church fully embraces Jesus’ command, we will understand that this is what it should be all aboutā€”being faithful to God by sharing the gospel in Word and sacrament.

Written by Rev. Ger Lor, missionary at Grace Hmong Lutheran Church in Kansas City, Kan.

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God allows for wonderful plans to unfold

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Peace in Jesus Vietnamese Lutheran Church in Boise, Idaho, is a Vietnamese congregation in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. We are thankful that the Lord allowed myself and Trung Le to study to be pastors through the Pastoral Study Institute (PSI) program. Pastor Daniel Kramer was the active pastor of the congregation while we were in training to be the pastors. Pastor Kramer was also a Vietnamese-speaking pastor, and he led the worship services, preached and taught in Vietnamese.

The congregation was always wondering what would happen to Peace in Jesus as well as the Vietnamese outreach ministry after Trung Le and I graduated from the PSI program. Everyone was excited for the work of the Lord, but the congregation was curious, ā€œWhat would happen next for Peace in Jesus?ā€ They didnā€™t know the answer at that time, and they prayed to God for direction.

Finally, that day came and God allowed for a wonderful plan to unfold. In 2023 there were a lot of blessings that happened at Peace in Jesus. Two Pastoral Studies Institute students, Trung Le and I, graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in May 2023.

That same month, Pastor Trung received a divine call to serve as a Vietnamese outreach pastor at King of Kings in Garden Grove, Calif., where there are a lot of Vietnamese living in the area. Pastor Trung accepted the call and moved to Garden GroveĀ  in early October 2023.

L to R: Pastor Tao Nguyen, Pastor Daniel Kramer, Pastor Trung Le

Shortly after Pastor Trung received the divine call, Pastor Kramer also received three different divine calls. He accepted to serve at Crown of Life in New Orleans, La. Crown of Life is about one mile away from the Vietnamese community in New Orleans. He and his wife, Karis, made their move to New Orleans in early October 2023. We pray that if it is Godā€™s will, many more Vietnamese in New Orleans will hear the gospel.

With Pastor Trung and Pastor Kramer leaving to serve God at other locations, Peace in Jesus extended the divine call to me to serve at as their pastor, and I accepted the call in August 2023. We thank God for all these transitions and that they have gone smoothly.

During the transition, many members have stepped up, served, and become more involved in church activities. Most of the members had mixed feelings. They didnā€™t want to see any of the pastors leave Peace in Jesus because of the strong bond developed by being a part of Christā€™s family. Nevertheless, all of us also recognized that the Kingdom of God is way larger than any of us can imagine, and no one can measure his love for humankind. Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.ā€ God not only allowed for a wonderful plan for Peace in Jesus to unfold, but God also has a plan for everyone who believes in him.

We thank God for his wonderful plan for Peace in Jesus in Boise, Idaho. We pray that his kingdom continues growing in Vietnamese communities, not only in Idaho and in the States, but also abroad.

ā€œGive thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.ā€ Psalm 136:1

Written by Rev. Tao Nguyen, missionary at Peace in Jesus Lutheran Church in Boise, Idaho

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Faces of Faith – Angel and Maribel

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Hispanic ministry in Deltona, Fla., seems like a natural fit. Over 40% of the population speaks Spanish at home. But, how does a WELS congregation in Deltona without any Spanish speaking leaders get started? Well, as is always the case, what human eyes couldnā€™t see, God had already figured out.

In 2017, Angel Otero and his wife, Maribel, moved to Deltona. Angel was born and grew up in Puerto Rico and like many U.S. citizens there he joined the U.S. military. After serving, he was able to retire at 55 and settled in near Good Shepherd , a WELS church in the Deltona area, where they became members.

That was not all that the Lord had planned for Angel and Maribel. The Good Shepherd School reflected the community. Over 40% of the children in the school came from Hispanic homes. The church leadership and Angel began to explore how they might find a way to share the good news. They were introduced to our WELS Latin American mission efforts and the use of a Spanish training program called Academia Cristo. This program has been designed to train up interested Bible students using online materials. It had been designed to train people where there were no other Lutherans around. Of course, Academia Cristo was never intended to just be an online platform. The program has a focus on training and providing materials in such a way that those who have studied can begin to share what they have learned with others near them. It did not take long for the leadership in Deltona to realize that it would also work at Good Shepherd where there were no trained Hispanics to carry out ministry. Angel enrolled in Academia Cristo. He couldnā€™t get enough. The more he studied the more he wanted to share with others. Now, Good Shepherd in Deltona has a Spanish speaking outreach leader. Angel and Maribel are very active in reaching out to the school families and the community. Angel leads weekly Bible studies in Spanish at the church using the Academia Cristo program.

And, thatā€™s not all. Angel was still connected to his family back in Puerto Rico. He heard that WELS World Missions was working with a church that had been planted there. The next time Angel visited Puerto Rico he made contact with the local church. The church in Puerto Rico had pastors who had been trained by WELS missionaries, but there was a growing concern that new candidates for pastoral ministry on the island were not being identified. Angel knew that the Academia Cristo program could serve them well in Puerto Rico as well. This connection has also been blessed. Recently the church in Deltona hosted a Puerto Rican pig roast and invited members from the church in Puerto Rico to attend. Thirteen members bought plane tickets and joined them for a delightful weekend of food, fellowship, and planning for the future. All reported a delightful time full of hope for the future. There are now four Academia Cristo students beginning studies in Puerto Rico.

It still may not be clear to our human eyes exactly what the Lord has planned for his saints in Deltona and Puerto Rico before they get to heaven. Even so, what we can see is a reason to rejoice. Economic distress in Puerto Rico, made worse by recent hurricanes, has led many from Puerto Rico to move to Florida. This Puerto Rican diaspora is well networked and keeps the family ties strong to the island and around the US. As the gospel is proclaimed in their midst, we know God has promised to go to work. Please, join us to ask our Lord to bless the work of his gospel through Angel and Maribel. May he raise up the next generation of Puerto Rican gospel proclaimers to build his church.

If you are interested in learning more about how Academia Cristo can help you in your community share the good news in Spanish, please, contact WELS Missions at [email protected].

Written by Rev. Larry Schlomer, Hispanic diaspora ministry facilitator and WELS World Missions administrator.

Hear more from Angel and Maribel about how you could reach out to Hispanics in your community in this special Faces of Faith video.

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Outstanding ministry blessings in Vancouver

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Sometimes God just blesses us with blessings piled up on top of each other. At Saviour of the Nations in Vancouver, BC, we were blessed to have such a weekend on Oct. 1-2. Taking advantage of a local holiday weekend we were blessed to do a discipleship training with our mission counselor, Rev. Matt Vogt. But we packed much more into this weekend.

ā€œThe Story of the Bibleā€ initiative

Since Sept.10, we have been doing an ā€œall ministry Bible information class,ā€ meaning every Bible class is a Bible information class. In place of a traditional sermon, we are substituting in a modified Bible lesson connecting an Old Testament story to Jesus in Johnā€™s gospel and the relevant doctrines. On Oct. 1, we had 50 people in worship, including five people who have never heard the gospel. And it happened to be on the day we had the clearest presentation of law and gospel. Among them was a gentleman who was raised a Hindu who called the message ā€œbeautifulā€, a Muslim woman who had never attended a church before, a Japanese woman who had never heard of Jesus before, and a skeptic who was attending worship with his family member. Our Sudanese members came from Surrey and sang as a choir in worship to everyoneā€™s delight.

Sampling dishes from the International Food Festival

The gospel message was doubly reinforced by also celebrating four adult confirmations in the same service. Our other prospects who regularly attend got to hear these four confirmandsā€”Cindy, Taehoon, Chanmuk (Danny), and his wife Mayā€”publicly confess their confidence and faith in Jesus. It was a day we all pray the Holy Spirit can use to work in the hearts of those who heard the gospel for the one-hundredth time, and especially for those hearing it the first time.

International Food Festival

To celebrate all that was going on, including Korean Thanksgiving weekend and the Chinese mid-autumn festival, we had an ā€œInternational Food Festivalā€ after the service with 60 people attending, our highest attendance ever for a meal. We counted 14 countries from four continents represented in various groups among our attendees. Everyone brought dishes from their home country. We tried all kinds of food and had fun voting for different categories like ā€œveggie magicā€ and ā€œInstagram perfect.ā€ One of our prospects who worked very hard on her Indian dish was so happy she wonā€”it was a big hit for everyone!

Congregation annual meeting

After the food festival wrapped up, we had our annual meeting where we elected two new council leaders: Taehoon Kang from Vancouver and Hakim Kon from our Surrey Sudanese mission. I shared an overview of the churchā€™s past year and what we are doing to share the gospel through building relationships. Rev. Matt Vogt was conveniently present to explain what WELS is to prospects and how we are planting new missions. Our chairman, Volo, presented about the budget and shared gratitude for the financial support we receive through synod subsidy.

Discipleship training

Discipleship training with Mission Counselor Matt Vogt

Twenty-one members, Pastor Matt Vogt, and 13 kids came back on Monday to do an all day discipleship and leadership training. Pastor Vogt shared with us what Biblical leadership looks like and inspired our members to be more involved with the day-to-day operations of our ministry. At the end of the session, both our Sudanese leaders and Vancouver leaders put together respective lists of areas where laypeople can step up and help with the ministry. We hope to be implementing a few each quarter and working on the lists in the coming months.

We ended the day with fellowship over a dinner of Mexican food and celebrating one of our Sudanese kid’s seventh birthday with a cake, singing, and a Lego present to top it off.

God really piled up the blessings for us this weekend. He let us lean into our mission name, ā€œSaviour of the Nationsā€, to build more meaningful relationships with people through music, food, and above all, the gospel.

Shared by Rev. Geoff Cortright, home missionary at Saviour of the Nations in Vancouver, B.C., CanadaĀ 





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The gospel in Garden Grove…in three languages!

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ā€œPastor, has there ever been a trilingual ordination service in the history of WELS?ā€

It was a very good question. This past Sunday, August 6, 2023, the installation and ordination service of two pastor was held at King of Kings in three languages. The three languages were English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Songs, prayers, and Scripture readings happened in all three languages with translations printed in the bulletin. If there had been a trilingual ordination service sometime earlier in WELS history, it was probably not in those three languages.

One of the men being installed and ordained was Rev. Grant Hagen, a Spanish-speaking graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS) who had been assigned to a Spanish-speaking congregation. The other man being installed and ordained was Rev. Trung Le, a Vietnamese-speaking graduate of the Pastoral Studies Institute of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, who had been assigned to lead Vietnamese outreach for an English-speaking congregation.

The English-speaking congregation, King of Kings in Garden Grove, Calif., had opened its doors to the Spanish-speaking congregation, Pan de Vida Iglesia Luterana, a couple years earlier. The chancel furniture was from Pan de Vidaā€™s previous location. The man who preached the Spanish sermon, Rev. Luis Acosta of the WELS One Latin America Team, stood behind the pulpit and told the assembly of more than 200 people how ably Hagen had served as a senior vicar in a Spanish-speaking congregation in Milwaukee, Wis.

The man who preached the Vietnamese sermon, Rev. Daniel Kramer from Peace in Jesus in Boise, Idaho, told the assembly, including 20 pastors who had come to participate in the laying on of hands, how Trung Le had come to faith and ably served in the leadership of that congregation in Idaho.

Because the WELS Joint Mission Council is helping with part of the effort, I had the privilege of preaching the English sermon. All three of us preachers used the text Matthew 9:36-38, ā€œWhen Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ā€˜The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.ā€

Because the Lord sees how harassed and helpless we human beings are, and because he has compassion for us, he knows exactly what good gifts to give as a result of his peopleā€™s prayers. On this day, in southern California, he gave two men who are in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. They join Rev. Brian Doebler in Garden Grove, Cal., in proclaiming the everlasting gospel.

In three languages!

Written by Rev. Paul Prange, Administrator for Ministerial Education and Joint Missions Council chairman.Ā 

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Faces of Faith ā€“ David and Guili

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Itā€™s an enormous blessing for a congregation to have a PSI student in their midst, but two? Hope in Toronto, Ont., has been blessed with just that. In February 2021, Dr. David Shang was accepted as a Pastoral Studies Institute (PSI) student. He has been advancing quickly through his studies and gaining a large following through his monthly YouTube lectures. He currently has over 3,000 viewers in five countries which has led to approximately 19 baptisms (with 18 more on the way) in three countries.

In January 2023, Guili and Dujie Chi were received into membership at Hope. Guili also wants to reach more of his fellow Chinese with the gospel of Jesus. With some encouragement, Guili became the second PSI student at Hope.

David and Guiliā€™s dream is to create a Chinese church within Hopeā€™s congregation in Toronto. Itā€™s beginning with Davidā€™s online lectures and carrying over to in person bible studies in Guili and Dujieā€™s home every Sunday night where they regularly have 10-15 in attendance. Guili recently shared, ā€œMany Chinese immigrants come to Canada for a better life or better future for their children. It’s a country that God has blessed. People should come to know the true God, to know that only through Christ we can live in peace and preserve the future of our children. Live in his grace, share the gospel, live a godly life, keep the faith, and blessings from generation to generation will come.ā€

From Harland Goetzinger, Pastoral Studies Institute director

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Faces of Faith – Laura

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Northcross in Lakeville, Minn., sent six members to Nong Khai, Thailand, where we visited missionary Tom Chaleunsouk, his wife, Kaysone, and the congregation there. Facilitating a Vacation Bible School at the church was rewarding for all involved! We all worked together to make cross-cultural connections. I knew traveling to Thailand would be an enriching experience for myself, but I was amazed by how many people across the globe were encouraged in their faith by the trip. It was an honor as well as humbling to be sent as an ambassador to this world mission congregation.

One of the most memorable moments was standing barefoot on a Sunday morning, worshiping with Christian brothers and sisters singing a song I knew in a language I didn’t. It was a small glimpse of whatā€™s to come in heaven!

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Faces of Faith ā€“ Lah

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ā€œIt is our choices that define us.ā€ While this sounds like it came straight out of a movie, people like Lah might say it is true. Lah is an Educational Assistant at Christ-St. Peter Lutheran Grade School in Milwaukee, Wis. She grew up in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, but her family migrated to the United States when she was ten. Lah had the opportunity to attend Christ-St. Peter starting in sixth grade; she was the only one amongst her friends to do so. It was this choice that would not only set Lah apart from her friends, but also greatly change her faith life. Growing up, Lahā€™s entire family had been Baptist. To this day, Lah is one of only two Lutherans in her family. Thanks to her time at Christ-St. Peter, Lah came to have a new perspective on her faith, and she was both confirmed and baptized in 2016. Now, Lah is a member at St. Peter, adding to the number of other worshipers in attendance who immigrated from Thailand. She says that she is constantly thankful for her faith because ā€œthereā€™s temptation every day,ā€ and she would not be where she is without God.

From Rachel Volkman, member at St. Peter in Milwaukee, Wis.

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Faces of Faith ā€“ Salma

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ā€œPastor, thereā€™s just one thing holding me up.ā€ My stomach dropped. It was Salmaā€™s day to be confirmed in worshipā€”was she going to back out?

Salma is an immigrant to Detroit from a country in Latin America. She comes from a family with Islamic roots. She and her sister are the only two converted Christians in their family. So, they began a ministryā€”first to reach their family with the gospel, then to reach people in their community. Before they had left their country, theyā€™d essentially established churches for women. All sorts of women were coming. . . from skeptics interested in the faith to the wives of local governors suffering from the stress of being in such a high position. Since moving to Detroit, she has been reaching out to Spanish-speaking immigrant women with the gospel to teach them about Christ and plug them into the ministry of a local congregation.

And so, the one thing holding her up on that Sunday morning was this: ā€œPastor, can I work within the scope of the churchā€™s mission to reach out to women, teach them about their identity in Christ, and bring them to church?ā€ My emotions flipped from that feeling of rejection to pure joy. ā€œSalma, we can figure that out! So, yes!ā€ May God bless her heart for Christ and those who donā€™t yet know him, and may she bring as many people to church as possible!

From Ryan Kolander, home missionary at Palabra de Vida in Detroit, Mich.

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Faces of Faith – Harry

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HoonSik, Harry Jo, graduated from Martin Luther College a few weeks ago with a degree in elementary education. He was fully qualified to serve anywhere, and he made himself available to serve anywhere.

His connection to WELS began in 2008 when Mr. Jay Wendland, the principal of Immanuel Lutheran School in Salem, Ore., came to Seoul, Korea, to tell people about the Christian education that his school offered. HoonSikā€™s mom decided her son should attend. He was in fifth grade at the time.

Harry at Martin Luther College graduation in May 2023.

At Immanuel Lutheran School, HoonSik, better known as Harry, learned about Jesus, was baptized, and eventually confirmed. His faith continued to grow at his time at Evergreen Lutheran High School in Tacoma, Wash. Then, in his senior year, Harry decided to pursue public ministry at Martin Luther College, a decision supported by his parents and his Oregon host family, the Wassers.

While in the United States, Harry embraced some of the American lifestyle and interests. He loves American sports and culture. He played on the MLC football team. He took a cross-country trek to further explore this place he calls home. ā€œMontana took forever,ā€ he always says.

But Harry still stayed in touch with his Korean roots. He cheered for the Korean soccer team in the World Cup. He remains fluent in both Korean and English. And his fiancƩ, who he is marrying this month, is also Korean.

With all of those interests and abilities, what would be the best place for Harry Jo to serve? His assignment, his very first call, is to serve as the 5th-6th grade teacher at Jerusalem Lutheran School in Morton Grove, Ill., where there are many Korean immigrant parents who have enrolled their children.

Jerusalem’s principal is Chiseon Kim, who came from Korea himself to train for service in WELS. ā€œOur dream is to have a vibrant Korean ministry here at Jerusalem,ā€ says Chiseon. And with the blessing of the Lord, Jerusalem is well on their way to seeing the fulfillment of that dream.

Written by Rev. Paul Prange, Administrator for Ministerial Education and Chairman of the Joint Mission Council.Ā 

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Connecting people to the gospel

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ā€œI would use the illustration of a switchboard operator from the early days of telephone communication to explain the work of a diaspora ministry facilitator,ā€ says Rev. Neil Birkholz, WELSā€™ Asian ministry consultant and diaspora ministry facilitator for East Asia. ā€œWhen an inquiry from my designated people group comes to me directly or to someone else in WELS, I become the middleman/operator and connect them to the right person.ā€

Birkholz further explains, ā€œIf someone from Korea is looking to connect their son with a WELS church in the United States, I help connect them with the local WELS church where their son will be living. If a member of my WELS church in California is returning to their home country of Thailand, I help connect them with our WELS World Mission One Team in Thailand so this member can continue to worship with other confessional Lutherans while living in Thailand.ā€

The role of diaspora ministry facilitator is a new one. As globalization has increased, so have global migration rates, which has opened up new mission opportunities for WELS churches. Diaspora ministryā€”or people group ministryā€” is coordinated by Joint Missions because it involves both World Missions and Home Missions. Each World Missions One Team (Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Native American) has at least one diaspora ministry facilitator, which is a role that a pastor takes on in addition to his full-time call. These facilitators have experience serving the people group with which they are working and stay in touch with the World Missions One Team for their area.

ā€œDiaspora ministry certainly makes the world feel a lot smaller,ā€ says Rev. Aaron Bublitz, pastor at Heritage, Gilbert, Ariz., and the diaspora ministry facilitator for Africa. ā€œOur WELS congregations have opportunities to connect to and share the gospel with people who have come here from all over the world. We then have the opportunity to connect to and share the gospel through them in many places in the world. We are helping facilitate the Great Commission we have been given to take the gospel to all nations.ā€

Learn more at wels.net/jointmissions, including how to contact diaspora ministry facilitators to connect people groups.

 

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True love, God’s love

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As couples prepared to buy chocolate, candies, teddy bears, cards, and roses for each other on Valentineā€™s Day to express their love for each other, Faith Hmong in Alaska uses this time of the year to gather couples for an evening of food, relaxation, photos, and Godā€™s Word on the message of true LOVE.

“This is real loveā€”not that we loved God, but that he loved us.” – 1 John 4:10a

The message that evening focused on Genesis 2:17, ā€œThey become one flesh.ā€ This reminded couples that marriage doesnā€™t stop after the wedding ceremony, having their first child, or being able to accomplish some of their goals. Couples must be intentional with their marriage. They canā€™t just show love or affection towards each other once a year on Valentineā€™s Day; they must show love for each other and serve each other every day to continue to strengthen a marriage, which is built on the foundation of Christ. It was great opportunity for couples to gather together and experience an evening filled with Godā€™s Word, great conversations, and time to reflect on each other.

Faith Hmong in Alaska uses this kind of event as an outreach opportunity to invite friends, family, and neighbors to the Faith Hmong community. We also have events for kids and parents to spend time together, such as a family paint night, which is planned for next month. Coming to worship services can be a little intimidating for some, but with events like these, believers and friends can come and relax and hear about their Lord. Itā€™s a fun way for the church members to do outreach in the community.

We have been serving the Hmong community of Anchorage since 2009 and have established a beautiful relationship with our Anglo brothers and sisters at Faith Lutheran Church. Every Sunday, our doors are open early in the morning for an English service, followed by a Hispanic service preached by Pastor Chris Ewings and Pastor Nathan Wagenknecht. Then, we end our Sunday with a Hmong service starting at 3:00 p.m., followed by Hmong Sunday School. We designate the first Sunday of each month as a fellowship Sunday for the opportunity to invite friends, families, and neighbors to attend and enjoy some snacks and conversations.

Faith Hmong continues to focus its ministry on the Hmong community in Anchorage, and God continues to bless us. We look for opportunities to share what so many people in the world are still seeking ā€“ LOVE. A love the world cannot give, but rather true love that comes only from our Savior, Jesus.

Learn more about our ministry at faithhmongalaska.org.

Written by Pastor Pao Moua, Home Missionary at at Faith Hmong Lutheran Church in Anchorage, Alaska

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WELS Missions – 2022 Impact Report

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Therefore go and make disciples of all nations. . .

Matthew 28:19

God is blessing the efforts of WELS Home, World, and Joint Missions in amazing ways! Your prayers and gifts are making a difference in communities across the U.S. and around the world; we are grateful for your generosity.

Here are some ways your gifts are being used to share the good news of the gospel.

HOME MISSIONS

  • Five new churches were approved in Windsor, Colo.; Wichita, Kans.; Canton, Ga.; Conroe, Tex; and Lodi, Wis. Home Missions also approved enhancements or unsubsidized mission status at seven other locations. Learn more at wels.net/newstart.
  • Campus Ministry provides over 30 campus ministries with financial support and assists hundreds of other congregations in their campus ministry outreach.
  • Plans and preparations are being made to plant 100 new home mission churches and enhance 75 existing ministries from 2023-2033. Learn more at wels.net/100in10.

WORLD MISSIONS

  • Two missionaries are beginning ministry in London this year.
  • Over 500 worldwide gospel ministers are proclaiming the Good News, and more than 90 additional men have graduated from worker training programs this year alone.
  • Building of the theological education center in Vietnam has begun.
  • Plans are being made to welcome a synod in Uganda and an international synod in Latin America into WELS fellowship at the 2023 Synod Convention.
  • Nine new missionary positions have been approved.

JOINT MISSIONS

  • The Pastoral Studies Institute (PSI) is working with One Teams around the world and providing theological training to immigrants in the U.S. for service to their people groups.
  • Mission Journeys provides opportunities for volunteer trips to WELS mission fields at home and abroad.

Praise God for his mercy and grace and thank YOU for your prayers and support! There is always more work to do, and we are grateful for your continued partnership. Pray for Godā€™s blessing on his Church. Share Godā€™s grace and forgiveness with others you meet. Ask God to give us strength to serve others with love.

Learn more at wels.net/missions and like us on Facebook at fb.com/WELSMissions

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Faces of Faith ā€“ Contreras Family

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Salvador Contreras has always been a student of God’s Word with lots of questions. In his research online, he came across the app Academia Cristo, which is an online Bible training tool used by the WELS Latin America mission team. Through personal study and the Bible classes offered via Academia Cristo, Salvador and Natividad knew they wanted to find a Lutheran church to continue growing in their faith and bring their children up in the Word. And so they walked into our building (a home mission congregation) one Sunday last summer. Their children were baptized in July 2021, and Salvador and Natividad were confirmed in March 2022. Now our discussions revolve around promoting Academia Cristo to Spanish speakers in the Denver area so Salvador can share the same peace he has found. As the seeds are planted and watered, we have a church community ready to serve them!

From Paul Biedenbender, missionary at Christ Lutheran Church in Denver, Colo.

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Faces of Faith ā€“ Semson Lor

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I remember being in high school 10 years ago and people would ask me if I wanted to become a pastor, just like my father (Daniel Lor ā€“ Trinity Hmong, Manitowoc, Wis.). I would automatically answer ā€œNoā€ without giving it a second thought. This all changed when I left home and lived by myself. Suddenly everything I had learned growing up in the Lutheran church became something of the past. But as I fell into sin and personal struggles, the Holy Spirit kept tugging at my heart. I knew this wasnā€™t how God wanted me to live my life. As a child and a teen, I did not think much about my faith. But when struggles came, the foundations of my faith were what I could fall back on for hope and comfort. Even though I tried so hard to run away from the Lord, he was always pursuing me and being true to his promises that he had given to me in my baptism. I moved back home and became obsessed with reading scripture and studying theology and our Lutheran doctrine. I also started helping my father out at church, and I fell in love with ministry. Itā€™s been a great blessing be able study in the PSI program. Iā€™ve been able to learn from great teachers who are equipping me to proclaim this message of forgiveness to a world that is hurting, depressed, scared, and have no hope. They need to know that they have a Savior that lived perfectly for us so God could wash away all their guilt and sin. Though we may hurt, though we may suffer depression, though we may still be scared, we now have hope.

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Faces of Faith ā€“ Belniz

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How do you reach out cross-culturally when there is a language barrier? By seeing the barrier itself as an opportunity.

Jonatan Hernandezā€™ niece, Belniz, came to stay with family in an apartment complex in Appleton, Wis. The whole family is made up of immigrants from Guatemala. Belniz was set to start school in the middle of the year with hardly any knowledge of the English language. A neighbor, who happens to be a member of Eternal Love Lutheran Church in Appleton, wanted to help. She saw the language barrier as her opportunity. She drove Belniz to Bethel Lutheran Church in Menasha to talk to the Spanish-speaking pastors she was aware of but had never met. Two months later, when Jonatan and his family had just arrived from Guatemala themselves, she drove the whole group to Bethelā€™s Spanish service at noon on Sunday.

Jonatan and his family have no experience with Lutherans. Few of them speak any English at all. All of them are facing the daunting task of beginning a new life in a land that is utterly foreign to them. But because one lady was determined to be helpful and to leverage the language barrier as a meaningful ministry connection, Jonatan and his family have been welcomed to their new home by being brought before the Means of Grace in their heart language. Whatever comes of it, this is how outreach is supposed to work. Barriers are opportunities to show Christian love, which is universal.

From Ethan Cherney, home missionary at Bethel Lutheran Church in Menasha, Wis.

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New locations for cross-cultural outreach

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One of the primary focuses of WELS Joint Missions is supporting people group ministries, where immigrants who have joined our fellowship in the United States and Canada are able to take the gospel back to friends and family in their country of origin. WELS currently supports 14 Hispanic ministries, 5 Hmong ministries, 4 African ministries, and single Korean, Chinese, Muslim, Vietnamese, and Hindu ministries throughout North America. Six additional mission churches are considered multicultural ministries, which means that more than two different cultures are being served. Many of these people group ministries have opened doors to new world mission work around the globe.

At a recent meeting, the Joint Mission Council approved financial support for two additional locations. Rev. Paul Prange, chairman of the Joint Mission Council, shares, ā€œWe are just grateful for the opportunities we have to support these fine people who are often working under difficult circumstances. Their optimism about the importance of the gospel is inspiring, and their willingness to work with us is humbling.ā€

New Sudanese Missionā€”Phoenix, Ariz.

In 2020, Rev. Simon Duoth graduated from the Pastoral Studies Institute and was assigned to conduct Sudanese outreach full time in the Pacific Northwest District. When unforeseen family circumstances forced the Duoth family to move to Phoenix, Ariz., conversations began between the Pacific Northwest and the Arizona-California district mission boards about the opportunity to plant a new Sudanese ministry in the area. Research shows that 4,000 Sudanese people live in the city. It was then discovered that a WELS church, Emmaus, was only four blocks away from a Sudanese cultural center. Emmausā€™ church leadership is willing and excited to offer its church as a worship center as Duoth begins outreach.

God is also continuing to provide for Sudanese outreach in the Pacific Northwest. A member and longtime evangelist in the current Sudanese congregation located at Divine Peace in Renton, Wash., is stepping up to serve as leader of the church. He will begin training in the Pastoral Studies Institute as he leads Sudanese ministry in the area.

Mission Enhancementā€”Las Vegas, Nev.

The Korean Fellowship Lutheran Church, served by Korean Pastor Rev. Taesang Kim, is self-supporting and shares a campus with Water of Life, Las Vegas, Nev. Recently, Rev. Youngha Kim and his wife, Margaret, retired to the Las Vegas area. Youngha Kim was trained at Bethany Lutheran Seminary (Evangelical Lutheran Synodā€™s seminary) and has previously served in Korean ministry in the U.S. and in South Korea. Funding will allow the Korean Fellowship Lutheran Church to call Youngha Kim to reconnect with the elderly and retirees after the pandemic, freeing up Taesang Kimā€™s time to engage with Korean teenagers and young professionals.

Learn more about WELS Joint Missions at wels.net/jointmissions.

 

 

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Taste of Missions starts July 11

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Taste of Missions starts this Sunday, July 11, and runs through July 17! Get to know our synodā€™s home and world missionaries and get a closer look at their mission work through short video updates, activities and recipes for the entire family, daily devotions, and multiple live events during which WELS members can come together online and interact with missionaries. Make sure to register for this free event at tasteofmissions.com!

Hereā€™s everything you need to know about Taste of Missions:

Join us for these live events

  • Sunday, July 11, 1 p.m. CT: Event kick-off and introduction from WELS Home and World Missions administrators
  • Tuesday, July 13, 7 p.m. CT: World Missions Q&A webinar (registration required)
  • Thursday, July 15, 7 p.m. CT: Home Missions Q&A webinar (registration required)
  • Saturday, July 17, 6 p.m. CT: Closing worship service, featuring the commissioning of five new missionaries immediately followed by a Q&A with new missionaries

Access the live events.

Watch on-demand video updates from missionaries

Enjoy daily video devotions from WELS Home, World, and Joint Missions representatives, and use the personal reflection questions provided as you consider how to be a missionary in your own backyard.

Get to know some of your synodā€™s 123 home missionaries and 44 world missionaries that are dedicated to sharing the gospel message around the globe in short Moments with Missionaries video updates.

Check out the on-demand videos.

Have fun with the entire family

Have you ever made Dal Bhat from Nepal? Tasted Pen Patat from Haiti? Savored Doro Wot from Ethiopia? Try your hand at making one or more of the ethnic recipes shared by missionary families and national church partners.

You can also get the entire family involved in learning about mission work through coloring pages, word searches, and more. By completing a Taste of Missions scavenger hunt (coming soon!), kids can be entered to win a Taste of Missions t-shirt, and weā€™ll mail all who participate a Taste of Missions sticker.

Join the activities.

Help us reach our offering goal

WELS mission work is happening in new communities in the United States and around the world every day. WELS Missions appreciates your prayers, special gifts, and congregational offerings. There is always a need to help the hurting, and together with Godā€™s blessing, we can do more.

As part of this yearā€™s Taste of Missions event, it is our goal to collect $25,000 in offerings to support future mission work. A generous group of sponsors has pledged to match every dollar up to $10,000! A gift of $100 will translate to $200 for ministry tomorrow, doubling your impact. This Taste of Missions offering will be divided evenly between Home and World Missions on July 31. Learn more about this special offering and how you can support it at tasteofmissions.com/give.

We are excited to join you as we connect with brothers and sisters in Christ from around the globe and learn how we can all play an important part in the gospel outreach occurring through our synod!

 

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