WELS news archive

Looking for more WELS news stories? Find older posts below.

2012-09-05 Christian Aid and Relief assesses Ernesto's damage

After Hurricane Ernesto blew through Mexico in August, Mr. Mark Vance, Christian Aid and Relief director of operations, took a small team to assess the lingering damage and needs in the areas surrounding WELS' sister church, Cruz de Christo, in Mahahual.

2012-08-16 Reaching your neighbors

Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School (KML), one of WELS 23 area Lutheran high schools, sits right on the edge of a contamination area caused by pipeline leak near Jackson, Wis. The pipe cracked in July and leaked approximately 1,300 barrels of gasoline into the ground.

2012-07-03 Christian Aid and Relief responds to disasters

It has been a busy week for WELS Christian Aid and Relief as it responds to several WELS churches dealing with flooding in Florida, wildfires in Colorado, and powerful storms that knocked out power to millions on the East Coast.

2012-06-27 Youth Rally wrap-up

Check out updates and photos from the WELS International Youth Rally, held in Knoxville, Tenn., June 27-30.

2012-06-22 Supporting religious freedom

Recently an open letter to the American people was prepared by the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in response to the incursion of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) into the realm of religious freedom with its controversial contraceptive mandate issued earlier this year. I was offered the opportunity to add my signature to that letter.

2012-06-05 Continuing education

This week and next, delegates from around the United States and Canada are attending conventions of all twelve districts in our synod. Are they coming from healthy congregations and schools with healthy called workers? How can we determine what makes a Christian person or organization spiritually healthy?

2012-05-24 Assignment lists

Martin Luther College (MLC) , New Ulm, Minn., and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS), Mequon, Wis., have recently held their call days, sending out newly graduated teachers and pastors into the ministry, along with seminary students who will be serving their vicar year.

2012-05-11 Unexpected Gifts

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.

2012-04-22 Reflections on Central Africa

By Rev. Dan Koelpin, administrator - WELS Board for World missions

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, Bingu wa Mutharika, was hospitalized and very ill. Rumors were abounding that he had already died and, if this were true, it meant that his death was being kept a secret by his family and close associates so that they might have time to consolidate the powers of government for themselves, a development that occurs all too often in Africa. Such a scenario would have caused great turmoil and probable rioting in Malawi since it would have taken leadership away from the duly elected Vice President of the country, Mrs. Joyce Banda, whose influence Murtharika had intentionally tried to lessen.

2012-03-15: The Spirit at work in Haiti

Read about Missionary Terry Schultz's work with orphanages in Haiti.

2012-02-15: WELS response to recent HHS requirements

Rev. Mark G. Schroeder, president of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, has issued a statement regarding the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ new requirement that all health care plans cover contraceptives, abortive drugs, and medical procedures.

2012-01-20: Living water in Nigeria

Decades after the first missionaries went to Nigeria to share the life-giving gospel message, Christian Aid and Relief is funding well-digging projects for life-saving water.

2011-08-31: Reaching out by cleaning up in Joplin

A group of Christian Aid and Relief volunteers spent 11 days in Joplin, Mo., assisting in the clean up efforts after a tornado raged through the city in May.

2011-08-02: Lighthouse shines for inner-city youth

It has been five years since Rev. James Buske opened the doors to the Lighthouse Youth Center, in Milwaukee, Wis. Now, the youth center ministry is expanding with a second location.

2011-07-26: Rev. Mark Schroeder accepts call for second term as president

WELS President Rev. Mark Schroeder elected for second term as synod president.

2011-07-18: The WELS View: By Scripture Alone

WELS President Rev. Mark Schroeder discusses the national media's spotlight on the doctrine of the Antichrist.

2011-06-24: Reaching Out To Share The Gospel

Christian Aid & Relief set to support several humanitarian aid projects around the world.

2011-06-7: Alabama residents grateful for tornado relief

Alabama residents are expressing their appreciation for relief efforts undertaken by some 30 volunteers from WELS congregations across the Midwest and South.

2011-05-24: WELS Tornado relief efforts expand

Financial aid and volunteer help is on the way to Missouri and Alabama through WELS Committee on Relief.

2011-05-20: WELS begins tornado relief efforts

WELS Committee on Relief is in the process of releasing a grant to help victims of the recent tornado disasters.

2011-04-11: New relief efforts underway in Japan

WELS is providing aid to earthquake and tsunami victims in two more Japanese cities—Mito and Minami Sanriku. These efforts are in addition to those already underway in Kesennuma, a city of 75,000 people. WELS Christian Aid and Relief has granted an additional $50,000 to fund these ongoing relief efforts.

2011-03-31: Devastated Japanese community receives aid from WELS

WELS has begun distributing aid to victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami. Rev. Brad Wordell, WELS missionary, and Rev. Takeshi Nidaira, Japanese national pastor, delivered a two-ton truck full of supplies to Kesennuma on March 28.

2011-03-22: WELS relief efforts in Japan underway

Rev. Brad Wordell, WELS' missionary based in Tokyo, and members of the Lutheran Evangelical Christian Church, WELS' sister synod in Japan, have begun gathering relief supplies for delivery to residents devastated by the earthquake and tsunami that struck March 11.

2011-03-14: WELS provides aid in wake of Japan disaster

WELS, through its committee Christian Aid and Relief, is providing $20,000 in initial aid to victims of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan March 11.

2010-11-16: WELS members send aid to Indonesia

Since the end of October, more than 200 people have died and more than 200,000 have been evacuated in Indonesia following the repeated eruptions of Mt. Merapi, the "Mountain of Fire." WELS members have responded by granting $10,000 from WELS Christian Aid and Relief to Gereja Lutheran Indonesia (GLI), or the Lutheran Church of Indonesia.

2010-11-04: WELS members impacted by Hurricane Tomas

National media outlets are reporting that as many as 14 people may be dead after a Category 1 hurricane hit the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, Castries, Oct. 31. WELS has one church in St. Lucia—Trinity, a congregation of about 160 people. No members were injured, but many families' homes sustained considerable damage.

2010-04-27: Outreach efforts in Haiti continue

With the work of volunteer nurses in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti now complete, WELS Latin America Administrative Committee has sent national pastor Rona Abraham to conduct exploratory mission work in Cap-Haitien, just north of Haiti's capital city.

WELS news archive