Missions

Expanding a Congregation

missions — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 11:00:49 +0000

Colin Rieke serves as pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Vail, AZ. Grace was started with the support of a local congregation that wanted to reach out to its growing community. Grace Lutheran Church in Tucson, AZ is not what you typically think of when you hear the phrase “mission congregation.” Grace is a 100 year [...]

When LDS Missionaries Appear at Your Door

missions — Tue, 29 May 2012 11:00:01 +0000

Truth in Love Ministries reaches out to Mormons across the U.S. with the gospel of Jesus. Following is an article from their monthly newsletter about witnessing to Mormon missionaries. The doorbell rings. When you answer the door there are two young Mormon missionaries standing and smiling. They ask if you have prayed about the [...]

Serving Wounded Warriors

missions — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:00:42 +0000

Paul Horn serves as a pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Radcliff, Kentucky. Horn writes about how his congregation helps to serve soldiers returning from conflict. Mike is thirty-something, already balding, and relies on the use of a cane to walk. There is a noticeable limp in his gait. He wears a United States Army uniform, [...]

Spanish Website in the Works

rhartman — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:38:07 +0000

In early May, Multi-Language Publications invited various people from WELS to participate in a meeting held in El Paso, TX. Individuals involved in technology, Spanish outreach, and publishing ministries came to it. The goal of the meeting was to start developing a WELS Spanish website. During the meeting, the participants decided to take a current [...]

My Time at True North

missions — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:00:33 +0000

Mark Zondag is a student at the University of Minnesota. He participates in True North Ministries – a WELS Campus Ministry in the Twin Cities area. I look around my almost vacant room and realize I am almost completely done with my college career. My furniture, clothes, and kitchen supplies are slowly moving out. All I [...]

Translator Selection Workshop

missions — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:00:52 +0000

Chris and Janine Pluger are volunteers with Lutheran Bible Translators with WELS’ mission in Zambia. They are helping to translate the Bible into the Nsenga language. Beginning on Monday, May 28th, nearly twenty mother-tongue speakers of the Nsenga language will gather at Chimwemwe Lodge in Petauke, Eastern Province, Zambia, for the Nsenga [...]

Learning More Than Just English

missions — Sun, 13 May 2012 14:00:39 +0000

Kristy Goodman serves as ESL Director at Sure Foundation Lutheran Church in Woodside, New York. One of my favorite parts of teaching has always been getting to know my students. This has been especially true of my new position as the ESL teacher at Sure Foundation Lutheran Church in New York City. The students who come [...]

Teaching Biblical Hebrew to Emerging Churches in Asia

missions — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:00:45 +0000

Dr. John Lawrenz serves as professor at Asia Lutheran Seminary in Hong Kong. He writes here about training workers around the world in biblical Hebrew. Recently Missionary John Lawrenz and his wife Phoebe spent two weeks in Nepal, a south Asian country that lies in the shadow of Mt. Everest. In fact they spent April 13—New [...]

Unexpected Gifts

missions — Mon, 07 May 2012 08:00:59 +0000

Eleanor Koester is a member at Peace Lutheran Church in Granger, Indiana. Eleanor had an interest in Haitian missions and, together with the Peace Ladies Sewing Circle, put it into action. I became interested in the Haiti mission work through WELS Connection and an article in Forward in Christ. About the same time, I obtained a [...]

Reflections on Central Africa

missions — Sun, 06 May 2012 01:20:20 +0000

Pastor Dan Koelpin serves as administrator for WELS World Missions. Koelpin reflects on a recent field visit to Africa. Just before leaving for a central African visit on Easter Sunday, I received word from a missionary that the 78 year old President of Malawi, Binguwa Mutharika, was hospitalized and very ill. Rumors were abounding that he [...]