For our synod, the start of the school year is not just an annual date on the fall calendar. What happens in our schools is vitally important to the health of our synod and to our ability to carry out the mission that God has given us.

Think for a moment of when and where you first learned the basic truths of Christianity. For most of us, that learning took place first in the home, as faithful Christian parents brought up their children in the training and instruction of the Lord. There as a child you learned about God who created you and the world you live in. There you learned to know your Savior who loves you and died to save you. There you learned to know him from Bible stories and from the prayers and songs your parents taught you at bedtime.

But for many of our WELS members, that learning about Christ continued in Lutheran elementary and high schools. It’s for that reason that we spend vast amounts of resources and energy to establish and maintain one of the largest private Christian school systems in the country—because it’s important and valuable. That work continues with the start of this school year.

And we also provide the kind of Christian education that will supply our synod with well-trained and motivated pastors, teachers, and staff ministers. We do that on three levels. On the high school level, we operate two preparatory schools—Luther Preparatory School in Watertown, Wisconsin, and Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Saginaw, Michigan. At those schools, students are encouraged to prepare to serve someday as full-time called workers. Many graduates of our prep schools do just that. That work continues this fall.

In New Ulm, Minnesota, Martin Luther College continues its work of serving as our WELS college of ministry. The vast majority of its graduates go on to serve as teachers and staff ministers. Others will continue their training to be pastors at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wisconsin. This fall, another group of students at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary will continue their journey on the path to becoming WELS pastors.

What is happening in all of our schools this fall is nothing routine. It is a special blessing from God and helps our synod to carry out the mission that God has called us to carry out.

Serving together with you in Christ,

WELS President Mark Schroeder

If you or someone you know is considering ministry, visit wels.net/consider-ministry.

On June 24, the U.S. Geological Survey recorded a pair of earthquakes in northern Venezuela that totaled 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude. The earthquakes occurred 40 seconds apart and caused widespread damage throughout Venezuela. More than 6,500 people have been reported dead, more than 225,000 were injured, and tens of thousands are still missing many months later.

WELS’ One Latin America Team sent Missionary Luis Acosta to the affected area in July to provide gospel comfort and to deliver funds from WELS Christian Aid and Relief to the Christians that the team is working with there. Here is the report from Acosta following that trip:

We finally got in Venezuela. The entrance into the country was not trouble free but nothing that the Lord couldn’t solve. The same day we went to Puerto Cabello to visit Nimia Fuentes and her group. We had a devotional/Bible study focused on answering with God’s Word why the earthquake happened and I encouraged them to spread the gospel with a sense of urgency. We also prayed thanking God for the protection and blessings received, along with our petitions for the country and all people affected. The manifestations of deep thankfulness toward God for the humanitarian aid received were overwhelming, not a dry eye in the room. . . .

From Puerto Cabello we traveled to Acarigua and visited Maireli and Jose Toyo’s group. As happened before, we shared God’s Word to the group and provided his much needed encouragement. Here we saw also how timely and needed was the humanitarian aid they received.

The week ended in Guarenas, 40 minutes east from Caracas, with the visit and worship with José Rolando’s group.

WELS Christian Aid and Relief provided $10,000 in aid to help those in Venezuela. Throughout the summer WELS Christian Aid and Relief also helped congregations in the United States that were affected by flooding, tornadoes, and wildfires as well as those in Colombia following a major earthquake and the Hmong Evangelical Lutheran Church in Vietnam following severe flooding. Christian Aid and Relief is also closely monitoring the needs following the deadly flooding in Nepal.

“Every disaster is hard and painful,” notes Dan Sims, director of WELS Christian Aid and Relief, “but each one is also an opportunity to show hurting people the compassionate love of our Savior.”

Learn more about WELS’ outreach in Latin America at wels.net/latin-america. Learn more about WELS Christian Aid and Relief at wels.net/relief.