synod

It’s been more than a year since a powerful earthquake and tsunami devastated Japan. Yet, in the wake of that tragedy, there is hope. In the midst of grief, hearts are open to learn about our Savior. And by God’s grace we are able to provide materials in Japanese that helps to share the gospel.

Early childhood education is one of WELS fastest growing ministries. See how our educators are preparing to teach these young children.

Learn how congregations use English-as-a-second-language classes to reach out to local Hispanic communities right here in the United States.

WELS will be holding an International Youth Rally this summer. See how one church’s youth group is preparing and why this fellowship opportunity with their peers from around the country is so important.

Learn how WELS is reaching out with God’s Word to orphanage directors and children in Haiti two years after a massive earthquake struck the area. Missionary Terry Schultz teaches the directors about Jesus, so they can spread the message of Christ to the children.

2011 is nearly behind us. It’s been an eventful year . . . with natural disasters and political controversies. Despite the turmoil, God’s grace to us as individual Christians, and his blessings to us as a church body remain constant. Our synod president, Rev. Mark Schroeder, reviews those blessings this past year—and how God is using WELS for his purposes through your support.

Jesus’ final instructions to us as Christians were to go and make disciples of all nations. It’s a mission we as a synod walk together to accomplish. As the opportunities for outreach expand around the globe—so too does the need for workers willing to go. Our ministry training schools are stepping up to meet the need.

This past June, representatives from 33 countries met in Minnesota for the triennial convention of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference—or CELC. As an international fellowship of confessional Lutheran churches, the CELC is a reminder that there are Christians all over the world walking together with us in WELS—in places like Ukraine.

This past July, more than 400 called workers and laymen from around the country gathered in convention to chart the course for our synod for the next two years. Among the many developments, they set a direction to resume a careful expansion of our mission fields both home and abroad.

Our synod reached a significant milestone this past school year. For the first time, more than 10-thousand children were enrolled in our congregations’ preschools and day cares. The challenge now is to connect their families to the Word through the nearly 400 congregations operating these ministries. Individual churches, and the synod as a whole, are taking steps to do just that.