Tag Archive for: Luther Preparatory School

Magnify the Lord through music

Dear Friend,

Luther Preparatory School (LPS) has been part of our synod’s ministerial education training on its Watertown, Wis., campus for 159 years. Today more than a hundred 14-year-olds enroll at the high school every year to consider and be prepared to serve the Savior as pastors, teachers, or staff ministers in Christ’s public gospel ministry. Perhaps you know that 25 percent of the students at Martin Luther College and 40 percent of the students at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary are LPS graduates. Thank you, Lord, for blessing LPS’s ministry and purpose, as only you can!

Throughout its history, thousands upon thousands of WELS members have been supporting the worldwide preaching and teaching of the gospel by supporting Luther Prep’s ministry. Everything Luther Prep possesses—from the buildings to the bleachers to the beds in the dormitories—has come from the gracious hand of God through the gifts of his people. Thank you, dear WELS members!

LPS has not built a new stand-alone building in more than 50 years. In 1971 a new gym replaced the one built in 1912. Since then, that 1912 building has been serving as Luther Prep’s music auditorium. As the student body and number of programs have increased, this space has been creatively adapted to accommodate practices for large and small choral and instrumental groups, storage, and set construction. We have come to the point where we have maximized our ability to adapt. Sharing space is no longer an option.

Worship and all of its components are the heartbeat of WELS Lutherans’ lives. As a synod ministerial education high school it follows that music is a most essential ingredient of LPS’s ministry preparation. Every student takes a music class all four years. Approximately 90 percent of our students participate in choir and take piano lessons. LPS has a flourishing band program and produces more organists than any other high school in North America. Music permeates Luther Prep’s campus and is a blessing to our students and our church body both now and into eternity. As Martin Luther wrote, “Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise. The gift of language combined with the gift of song was given to us that we should proclaim the Word of God through music.”

Luther Prep is embarking on a once-in-a-generation project for the good of our students and Christ’s Church. We desire to build a music center that will have a performing arts theater with sloped seating and 100 additional seats, designated band and choir rooms, right-sized classrooms with the latest technology, piano studios, practice rooms, adequate restrooms, etc. The estimated cost at this time ranges between $10-$15 million. Lord-willing, a new music center might endure for a century or more as the last one has. A blessed side effect will be the modest repurposing of the 112-year-old current music auditorium to its original purpose as a much-needed second gym. Through the generosity of God’s people, Luther Prep has already received gifts and designated assets totaling more than $2 million for this endeavor. Will you please consider investing your interest, prayers, and resources to help us receive the gifts we desire to fully fund this project?

Thank you, Lord, for giving Luther Prep everything for 159 years. All of LPS’s needs have been met. Thank you, dear WELS member, for considering an initial gift to a music center at your synodical school.

Grace and peace,
Matt Crass
President, Luther Preparatory School

Prayer: Lord God, you lovingly created music to bring us joy and engage our hearts as it communicates your Word. Luther Preparatory School in Watertown, Wis., understands this and has, throughout its long history, trained students to appreciate your gift of music and to help lead worship. This has been a great blessing in our congregations. We ask you to give success to Luther Prep’s efforts to build a new music center that will allow them to enhance music education for future called and lay workers. May all that we do, Lord, serve to magnify your name! Amen.

Conference highlights purpose and identity in Christ

More than 330 women attended the WELS Women’s Ministry Conference July 21–23, 2022 at Luther Preparatory School, Watertown, Wis., to learn how to 

  • identify barriers that get in the way of knowing our purpose, 
  • stand firm on Scripture in the face of conflict, and
  • extend grace in everyday relationships.

The conference, under the theme “Won to be One,” dug deep into the book of Ephesians and God’s grace that gives us our identity in Christ. “As a woman, I constantly ask what my role is in the church and in the ministry. I cannot be a pastor and I am not a teacher, so how can I be an asset to my congregation and to the church of Christ as a whole? This conference put the Great Commission in the forefront of everything and refocused our place and identity as ambassadors of Christ. We minister in everything we say and in all we do,” says Janet Block, a member at New Hope, West Melbourne, Fla.

In his “Know the Love too Big to Know” presentation, Rev. Paul Wendland, professor at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., examined Ephesians chapters 1 and 3, where Paul shares God’s perspective on our purpose grounded in his grace. In his presentation, Rev. Benjamin Kratz, pastor at Our Savior, Birmingham, Ala., reminded attendees that they are united in one Savior who gives us our identity. Rev. Snowden Sims, pastor at St. Paul, Columbus, Ohio, and Rev. Ryan Kolander, pastor at Palabra de Vida, Detroit, Mich., showed how unity with Christ and unity in mission are hard work, but God’s plan for ministry opens unexpected doors for opportunity through his grace. Prof. Tingting Schwartz from Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., shared how she learned that her Christian identity unifies her other identities of being an immigrant, a mother, and an educator.

Tara Dezso, a member at Shepherd of the Hills, Tucson, Ariz., was thankful for these scriptural reminders from Ephesians. She says, “There just have been so many lessons I’ve taken away from the general sessions and the breakout sessions that I can apply to my life. When I go back home, it’s just going to be incredible.”

For the past 20 years, WELS Women’s Ministry, part of the WELS Commission on Discipleship, has nurtured, encouraged, and equipped women to use their gifts for joyful service in God’s kingdom. Learn more about Women’s Ministry and access conference resources and livestreamed videos. You can also sign up for a twice monthly newsletter to keep up to date on upcoming events and new resources.

 

2022 WELS Women's Ministry Conference

 

Assignments and graduations at our ministerial education schools

The recent disruptions caused by the COVID-19 virus have had a great impact on our synodical schools. In-person classes had to be canceled at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS), Mequon, Wis.; Martin Luther College (MLC), New Ulm, Minn.; Luther Preparatory School, Watertown, Wis.; and Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Saginaw, Mich. In addition, decisions have now been made to hold virtual events for the reading of assignments at MLC and WLS and for graduation ceremonies at all four schools. The Assignment Committee will be meeting via video conference to make the assignments in the days before the assignments are announced.

At MLC, 171 teacher and staff ministry candidates are available for assignment. At WLS, 26 pastoral candidates and 28 vicar candidates will be assigned.

Even though graduations and assignments will take place in an entirely different format this year, the reasons to celebrate remain the same. God continues to provide workers for his harvest field, and we continue to thank him for these blessings and for the faithful work done by our faculties and students.

You can participate in these happy events by joining the online events at the schools, accessible via the schools’ websites:

Martin Luther College
Graduation: Saturday, May 16, 10:00 a.m. (Central)
Announcement of assignments: Saturday, May 16, 11:15 a.m. (Central)

Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary
Graduation and announcement of assignments (pastors and vicars): Thursday, May 21, 10:00 a.m. (Central)

Luther Preparatory School
Saturday, May 23, 10:00 a.m. (Central)

Michigan Lutheran Seminary
Saturday, May 23, 9:30 a.m. (Central) (10:30 a.m. [Eastern])

If you know of a graduate from one of these schools in your congregation or extended family, let them know how much you appreciate them and that the entire synod is keeping them in our prayers.

Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder

 

 

 

Tag Archive for: Luther Preparatory School

LPS Prep Singers Spring Tour

The Prep Singers of Luther Preparatory School
Spring Tour

Friday, March 14 – Sunday, March 23


March 14, 6 p.m., Abiding Love, Cape Coral, Fla.

March 15, 7 p.m., Divine Savior, West Palm Beach, Fla.

March 16, 10:30 a.m., Divine Savior, Delray Beach, Fla.; 6 p.m., New Hope, West Melbourne, Fla.

March 17, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd, Deltona, Fla.

March 19, 4 p.m., Open Bible, Oxford, Fla.

March 20, 7 p.m., Victory, Jacksonville, Fla.

March 21, 7 p.m., St. Paul, Beverly Hills, Fla.

March 22, 7 p.m., Northdale, Tampa, Fla.

March 23, 9:30 a.m., Ascension, Sarasota, Fla.; 5 p.m., Risen Savior, Lakewood Ranch, Fla.

Visit lps.wels.net for more information.