September 2021 Newsletter

Pastor’s Perch

It’s that time of year again… a renewed focus on education. As I send my children off to school, I cannot help but wonder just how much they will grow this year. But, we can sometimes overlook the need for continued learning for ourselves. Sure, we graduated from school many years ago, but that does not exempt us from learning. In fact, God wants us to continue to learn and to gain hearts of wisdom. “⁹ Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning. ¹⁰ “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”^[1]

God has given all of us the opportunity to continue in his graciousness toward us. There is no greater truth than that of how much God loves a fallen world. There is no sweeter knowledge gained than that of God’s love for sinners like us. Have we learned this lesson well enough to no longer listen? God forbid! We ought to crave this learning every day that God grants us breathe.

But, I learned all that through Catechism and Sunday school. Isn’t that enough? No…according to the bible that is what a fools says. God help us if that is our attitude. How can we not look at learning God’s word as the treasure it is? It is not a burden, but a pleasure and a privilege. God wants us to continue to learn, so that we can stand strong on his power, especially when things in our lives become difficult.

When we receive terrible news, when sad things occur, when you feel like dirt, that is when God’s love shines the brightest. We have the opportunity to grow in the knowledge of this love. We are about to study the mystery of God’s love, as presented to us in the book of Ezekiel. Use this opportunity on Sunday mornings to reinvigorate your learning. You cannot and will not be disappointed. God’s word will not let you down. Rather his word will pick you up, and carry you to the very throne of your God.

Your brother in Christ,

Rev. Patrick Feldhus

Grace’s News

Our Sunday worship time will continue at 9 am throughout the year.

Sunday school and Bible Study will begin on September 12^th.

The Council will meet on September 19^th after Bible Study.

There will be a congregational planning meeting on September 25^th at 9 am. Everyone is encouraged to attend and give your input.

Synod New

WELS celebrates milestone in endowments program

This year WELS Ministry of Christian Giving and WELS Foundation are celebrating 16 years of God’s blessings—and the generosity of God’s people—through the WELS endowment funds.

In 2005, synod convention delegates prayerfully considered how WELS could help support gospel ministry in a predictable and ever-increasing manner. One answer was to establish the WELS endowments, which benefit the Lord’s work in WELS Home, World, and Joint Missions and at our four ministerial education schools. Out of gratitude for God’s love and a desire to help more people know Jesus as their Savior, WELS members have faithfully contributed to these endowments over the last 16 years, resulting in more than $100 million in gifts received ($36.7 million) and expected ($68.9 million).

“We praise Jesus for guiding our synod’s plans and prompting our members’ gifts so that we’re now able to distribute more than $1 million from these endowments for greater tuition assistance for ministerial education students and the funding of mission work to people groups located both in the U.S. and in foreign fields,” says Rev. Kurt Lueneburg, director of WELS Ministry of Christian Giving.

In addition to the two synod endowments, WELS Foundation also manages endowments that are set up by individuals, congregations, and other WELS ministries. In total, WELS Foundation distributed $3.5 million to gospel work from more than 350 endowments this year, providing ongoing financial support for gospel work throughout WELS.

One of the endowments managed by WELS Foundation was established by WELS members David and Lynette Buss, longtime supporters of Jesus’ work through their local congregation and area Lutheran high school. “We read an article about Martin Luther College in a flyer from WELS,” says David, “and we knew we needed to distribute [our blessings] to people in the ministry field.” The Busses are helping reduce the burden of tuition costs for students so they can focus on training for the ministry.

The Busses understand that an endowment fund is an ideal way to support MLC students for years to come. “This fund will grow as long as we are on this earth, and it will continue to grow and help hundreds of students in future years,” says David.

“An endowment is a great way to create a lasting legacy of Christian faith while carrying out the Lord’s work,” says Mr. Jim Holm, executive director of WELS Foundation, “and there are a variety of ways to set up an endowment: cash or appreciated assets; or through a will, trust, beneficiary designation on a retirement account, or insurance proceeds.”

To learn more about adding to an existing endowment or setting up an endowment for a ministry close to your heart, contact your local WELS Christian giving counselor at wels.net/giving-counselors or call 800-827-5482.

Thoughts on the recent synod convention

The format was different, but the purpose and results were unchanged.

The 66th Biennial Convention of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod was held at Luther Preparatory School, Watertown, Wis., on July 26-28. Last January, the potential restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic led the Conference of Presidents to alter the format and location of the convention. The location was moved from Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Saginaw, Mich., to Luther Preparatory School because of the more stringent restrictions existing in Michigan at the time. The format was changed to a include about 20 percent of the delegates as in-person delegates, with the remaining delegates participating virtually. Elections and floor committee work was done via videoconference prior to the convention.

All things considered, the convention itself took place without significant problems with communication or participation by the virtual delegates.

The opening worship provided an inspiring start to the convention and focused on the convention theme “Here we stand.” The convention theme recalled the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s bold stance on the Scriptures at the Diet of Worms in 1521. Rev. Joel Voss, second vice president of the synod, preached the sermon.

Some significant items of business that were addressed:

• James Huebner was reelected to another four-year term as the first vice president of the synod; Rev. Robert Pasbrig was reelected as the synod’s recording secretary.

• President Earle Treptow of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary delivered the convention essay reviewing the significance of Luther’s confession and its importance for the church today.

• The convention approved the synod’s Ministry Financial Plan, which outlines the financial support for the work of the synod for the next two years. Chief Financial Officer Mr. Kyle Egan also reported that the synod ended last year in very good financial shape in all areas.

• The proposed change in the synod’s pension plan from a defined benefit plan to a defined contribution plan was approved and will be implemented on Jan. 1, 2022.

• The convention endorsed an ambitious plan by the Board for Home Missions to open 100 new missions over ten years, beginning in 2023.

• The convention was introduced to the new WELS hymnal and formally adopted it as the synod’s hymnal. The new hymnal will be available in early fall.

Many other reports outlined and celebrated the many blessings that God has graciously given to our synod during the past two years and the many opportunities he is giving us for continuing to spread the message of Christ to the world.

The next convention is scheduled to be held at Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Saginaw, Mich., in 2023.

Find all the convention news, archived livestream video, and photos at wels.net/2021synodconvention.

Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder

^[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Pr 9:9–10). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
			1	2	3	4
5 15th Sunday after Pentecost Morning Praise pg 45 Worship 9 am Cleaners: Zoom Bible Class 6:30 pm	6	7	8	9	10	11
12 16th Sunday after Pentecost Service of Baptism & Common Service with Communion pg 15 Worship 9 am Bible Study/Sunday School 10 am Cleaners: Zoom Bible Class 6:30 pm JCM Sunday Monticello MN	13 Pastor’s conference	14 Pastor’s conference Online Jesus Cares  “Worship at the Cross” 6 pm	15	16 JCM program visit	17 Visit  Shut-ins	18 JCM Day Camp
19 17th Sunday after Pentecost Service of the Word Worship 9 am Bible Study/Sunday School 10 am Voter’s/call meeting 11 am                                Cleaners: Zoom Bible Class 6:30 pm	20	21 Special Ministry Coordinator Conference	22 Special Ministry Coordinator Conference	23 Special Ministry Coordinator Conference	24	25 Congregational planning meeting 9 am
26 18th Sunday after Pentecost  Word and Sacrament pg 26 Worship 9 am Bible Study/Sunday School 10 am Online Jesus Cares  “Worship at the Cross” 6 pm Cleaners: Zoom Bible Class 6:30 pm JCM Sunday Litchfield MN	27	28	29	30 JCM program visit