Board for Ministerial Education - 414-256-3236
In response to 2009 synod convention resolutions, the Board for Ministerial Education authorized two new study committees at its October meeting. The financial study committee will be studying how financial assistance is distributed at each school and determining a consistent financial philosophy for the entire system. The Mandarin study committee will look into how to add Mandarin language study to the curriculums at the high schools, college, and seminary.

The governing board of Martin Luther College (MLC), New Ulm, Minn., at its September meeting resolved to create a task force "to study new programs within the mission of MLC that prepare individuals for congregational service." The college will be exploring how to provide training for individuals who do not want to become full-time called workers but still want to be equipped to serve the church part time. Another priority established at the meeting was the building of a new early childhood education learning center at the college.

Commission on Special Ministries - 414-256-3241
About 45 active jail ministry volunteers, chaplains, and mentors of ex-offenders gathered together in October to exchange ideas, enhance their skills, and encourage one another at the 2009 WELS Jail Ministry Conference in St. Charles, Ill. The conference—sponsored by WELS Special Ministries and Wisconsin Lutheran Institutional Ministries—offered keynote presentations, small group sessions, and much time for networking so attendees could discuss the joys, challenges, troubles, and frustrations of jail ministry. Grants from WELS Kingdom Workers, the Siebert Foundation, and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans helped fund the conference.

World Missions - 414-256-3234
Representatives from five WELS entities involved with humanitarian aid met in October to discuss how they can work together to accomplish even more for God's kingdom. The meeting included representatives from WELS Board for Home Missions, Central Africa Medical Mission, Committee on Relief, Humanitarian Aid Committee, and WELS Kingdom Workers. Each group explained its current organizational structure and individual goals for the future. Then all the groups identified joint priority issues and attainable objectives for the future that relate to WELS humanitarian aid in general. This included creating a new committee, with representatives from each group, to develop an overarching humanitarian assistance philosophy and to tackle other future joint efforts. A grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans funded the meeting.

These updates are from the offices of the synod administration building at 2929 N Mayfair Rd, Milwaukee WI 53222-4398.