The Jan. 6 edition of the Houston County News, La Crescent, Minn., featured the arrival of Pastor Chris Christianson to La Crescent to serve as pastor at First Evangelical Lutheran Church. The article explains how he became a pastor and also lays out some of his plans for his ministry in La Crescent. He said in the article: "First and foremost, I want to be proclaiming God's Word in all its truth and purity so the members of this congregation can be nurtured. That'll be my first priority.”

The Jan. 7 edition of the Times-Call in Longmont, Colo., featured Our Savior's Lutheran School and its recent accreditation by WELS School Accreditation. The article mentions the school's "faith-heavy curriculum" and how accreditation is a step toward expansion. "It's a way to validate ourselves and establish a place in the community," principal Dane Mattes said in the article