2026 District Conventions

June 2026 | Various locations

Save the date

Each of the 12 districts holds a convention each biennium. Every pastor, professor, and male teacher of the district plus a lay delegate representing each congregation attend the convention as a voting delegate. Other members of the district are welcome to attend as guests.

District conventions are held for the following purposes:

• To meet as a group to carry out the legislative responsibilities of the district, such as holding elections, accepting new members, and formulating resolutions to send to the synod convention.
• To celebrate God’s blessings.
• To nurture faith.

See the dates and locations for the upcoming 2026 district conventions below:

Arizona-California District

• June 8-10, 2026
• Arizona Grand Resort and Spa, Phoenix, Ariz.

Dakota-Montana District

• June 16-18, 2026
• Great Plains Lutheran High School, Watertown S.D.

Michigan District

• June 1-3, 2026
• Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Saginaw, Mich.

Minnesota District

• June 9-10, 2026
• Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn.

Nebraska District

• June 1-3, 2026
• Embassy Suites, Denver Airport

North Atlantic District

• June 9-10, 2026
• King of Kings Lutheran Church, Clifton Park, N.Y.

Northern Wisconsin District

• June 9-10, 2026
• Fox Valley Lutheran High School, Appleton, Wis.

Pacific Northwest District

• June 9-10, 2026
• Evergreen Lutheran High School, Tacoma Wash.

South Atlantic District

• June 9-11, 2026
• Innisbrook Resort, Palm Harbor Fla.

South Central District

• June 1-2, 2026
• Calvary Lutheran Church, Dallas, Texas

Southeastern Wisconsin District

• June 9-10, 2026
• Wisconsin Lutheran College, Milwaukee, Wis.

Western Wisconsin District

• June 8-9, 2026
• Luther Preparatory School, Watertown Wis.

Sacred Rhythms: Building a Life of Daily Devotion Webinar

June 11, 2026 at 7:00–8:00 p.m.| Virtual

A WELS Women’s Ministry webinar

Have you ever felt guilt when it comes to studying God’s Word? Maybe you don’t know where or how to start, maybe it’s the busyness of life. Maybe you aren’t understanding the words you read. Whatever it is, you are not alone.

Join WELS Women’s Ministry June 11 for our webinar, “Sacred Rhythms: Building a Life of Daily Devotion” for encouragement and practical solutions for your daily devotional life. Our panelists will share their struggles, experiences, and tips for studying the Word. We will share resources and address challenges like how to incorporate a devotional life on vacation, how to be flexible in hard seasons, and how you can work towards staying consistent even with a busy schedule. And if you are just looking for new ideas or resources, this webinar is for you, too.

This sacred rhythm is time well spent. Let’s build a life of daily devotion!

2026 Taste of Missions

Saturday, June 13, 2026 | Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis.

Reaching every neighbor, every nation

Register today for Taste of Missions, a celebration of gospel outreach and the commissioning of new home and world missionaries. The event begins with a special worship service, where we’ll joyfully send these missionaries to share Christ’s love around the globe.

Following the service, enjoy ethnic cuisine from mission fields, connect with fellow attendees, and hear firsthand accounts from missionaries about their work. Explore mission displays, participate in interactive activities, and ask questions during a panel discussion for deeper insights into the joys and challenges of mission work.

The worship service is free and open to all. Registration will be $15 per person for those who wish to receive food tickets. Children 13 and under attend for free. If you can’t attend in person, tune into the livestream and join us virtually!

63rd Annual LWMS Convention

June 25–28, 2026 | Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, Madison, Wis.

Cast out your nets

Registration is now open for the 2026 Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society (LWMS) Convention, June 25–28 in Madison, Wisconsin. Attendees will hear inspiring mission stories, be encouraged in their personal mission fields, and explore new ways to pray, give, and get involved in supporting WELS Home and World Missions. Learn more and register at 63.lwms.org.

BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY

Bowling Green, Ohio

JULY 14-17, 2026

WE ARE CHRIST’S AMBASSADORS

2 CORINTHIANS 5:18-20

welsyouthrally.net

REGISTRATION RUNS MARCH-MAY

$450 EARLY-BIRD RATE UNTIL APRIL 30
$475 MAY 1-29

2026 WELS Homeschool Conference

July 17-19, 2026 | Resurrection Lutheran Church, Maumee, Ohio

Save the date

WELS Homeschool Conference will take place on July 17-19 (Friday-Sunday), following the WELS Youth Rally at BGSU. The conference includes fellowship on Friday, breakfast at church on Saturday with enrichment events featuring a local artist and a local author plus a pair of homeschool-focused keynotes, and Sunday morning worship followed by lunch.

What to expect:

• Fellowship on Friday
• Enrichment events & two keynotes on Saturday
• Sunday morning worship, followed by lunch & farewells

The History of Northwestern Academy in Mobridge

Saturday, July 18, 2026 | Salem Landmark Church and WELS Museum

Nearly a century since its beginning, we will look back at the history, stories, and people of Northwestern Lutheran Academy.

Date: Saturday, July 18, 2026

Time: 10:00 a.m.

Location: Salem Landmark Church and WELS Museum, 6814 N 107th Street, Milwaukee, Wis.

Presenter: Pastor Justin Dauck

Description: The 1927 Wisconsin Synod convention recommended that, “The synod should authorize and subsidize the establishment of preparatory schools or academies, in the many parts of its territory…” The first and—as it turned out—only of these academies was established the following year in Mobridge, South Dakota. It joined prep schools in Saginaw, Mich.; Watertown, Wis.; and New Ulm, Minn., in the synod’s called worker training program.

Perched on a bluff overlooking the mighty Missouri River, one historical account called Northwestern Lutheran Academy (NLA), “a tree planted by the river of waters.” Between 1928 and 1979 NLA welcomed students from all over the western United States, and a few from back East too. NLA survived the early years of the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. There were new buildings and expanded facilities. Finally, there was a foreseen but—to many—abrupt closure at the end of the 1970s. Nearly a century since its beginning, we look back at the history, stories, and people of Northwestern Lutheran Academy. Most importantly, we look back and see how God’s grace was proclaimed and gospel work was furthered during NLA’s 50 years of existence.

Pastor Justin Dauck currently serves at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School in Plymouth, Neb. Having previously served a dual parish in north-central South Dakota, he learned the appreciation and love for NLA that still exists among former students, tutors, and professors. Pastor Dauck was the author of a centennial history of the WELS Dakota-Montana District in 2020 and serves on the WELS Historical Institute Board of Directors.

2026 WELS Night at the Brewers
Friday, August 7, 2026

Come out to American Family Field to watch your Milwaukee Brewers take on the Twins!

Date and Time: August 7, 2026 at 6:40 p.m.

Location:

American Family Field
One Brewers Way
Milwaukee, WI 53214

Ticket Information: 

Save the date for WELS Night at the Brewers! Join WELS members from around the Midwest for an evening of fellowship, fun, and baseball. WELS members will receive discounted tickets and be seated together within each seating category offered.

Tickets will be available closer to the game.

Hymn Sing using the German Mass of Martin Luther

Saturday, September 12, 2026 | Salem Landmark Church and WELS Museum

Join us as we gather to sing these historic hymns.

Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026

Time: 10:00 a.m.

Location: Salem Landmark Church and WELS Museum, 6814 N 107th Street, Milwaukee, Wis.

Presenter: Carl Nolte

Description: The year of 2026 marks the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s publication of the order of the German Mass (Deutsche Messe). This work was a significant step in the Reformation, promoting worship in the common language of the people. It includes a number of familiar hymns in the order of service that Luther suggested would provide for congregational singing. Join us as we gather to sing these historic hymns.

The presenter is the retired Sacred Music and Worship Editor from Northwestern Publishing House. He served for a number of years on the WELS Commission on Worship, including the 1993 hymnal committee. He is a graduate of DMLC, New Ulm, Minn., and has a master’s in church music degree from Concordia, River Forest, Ill.

2026 Staff Ministry Conference

September 17-19, 2026 | 922 Ministries Appleton, Wis.

All Things to All People

Join us for the 2026 Staff Ministry Conference! This year’s conference includes:

• Inspiring and informative keynote and breakout presentations
• Synod and Staff Ministry updates
• Worship and fellowship opportunities

SAVE THE DATE

2026 OWLS Convention
October 13-15, 2026 |Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield

Watch for further information in 2026!

The History of Northwestern College: “A School of the Prophets” and WELS Historical Institute Annual Meeting

Sunday, October 18, 2026 | Luther Preparatory School Chapel

We will explore key decisions, important events, and impactful people in the history of Northwestern College.

Date: Sunday, October 18, 2026

Time: 3:00 p.m. Central

Venue: Attend in person or watch live—https://vimeo.com/event/5724936

Location: Luther Preparatory School Chapel—1300 Western Ave., Watertown, Wis.

Presenter: Professor Joel Otto

Description: Join us for the next presentation in our series called Our Great Heritage: Worker Training Schools. In this presentation we will explore the history of Northwestern College in Watertown. Since its inception, the training of pastors for service in the Wisconsin Synod has seen a commitment to a robust pre-seminary education. The forefathers of the synod recognized the blessings of students entering the seminary with an education that prepared them especially to work in the biblical languages of Greek and Hebrew, but also to be formed by a liberal arts education. From 1865–1995, that pre-seminary education took place at Northwestern College (NWC) in Watertown, Wis., a school dedicated to preparing future “prophets” who would receive their final training at the seminary. Such a pre-seminary college also served as a reliable pipeline for the seminary. Professor Joel Otto, who teaches church history at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., will explore some key decisions, important events, and impactful people in the history of NWC. Prof. Otto is chairman of the WELS Historical Institute Board of Directors, president of the NWC Alumni Society, and a 1991 graduate of NWC.

2026 A Landmark German Christmas Concert

Saturday, December 20, 2026 | Salem Landmark Church and WELS Museum

Featuring carols sung in German and the Christmas Gospel read auf Deutsch

Date: Saturday, December 20, 2026

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Location: Salem Landmark Church and WELS Museum – 6814 N 107th Street, Milwaukee, Wis.

Concert Director: Rev. Paul Meier

Description: How might our great-great grandparents have celebrated Christmas 175 years ago? The WELS Historical Institute and Salem Lutheran Church invite you to “A Landmark German Christmas Concert” to find out! This free concert will take place on Sunday, December 20, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at historic Salem Landmark Church on the campus of Salem Lutheran Church and School in Milwaukee. It will feature carols sung in German and the Christmas Gospel read auf Deutsch. The assembly will sing a few favorite stanzas in English as well! Frohe Weihnachten

2027 National Conference on Worship, Music, and the Arts

June 15-18, 2027 | Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn.

Save the date

Save the date for the National Conference on Worship, Music, and the Arts! The 2027 conference will be held on June 15-18 at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minn.

More information will be coming soon!