New ministry positions authorized

The WELS Board for Home Missions (BHM) meeting in Milwaukee April 4 and 5 authorized funding for nine new ministry positions pending financial arrangements still to be finalized. Four of the positions would be for new congregations—the other five would be for new or expanded ministry at existing sites. Eight of the new positions would involve pastorally trained candidates.

BHM also authorized 21 vicar positions in the “Vicars in Missions Settings” program, which is now a partnership between BHM and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS). BHM and WLS are working together to fund the program—and to identify suitable candidates and congregations.

The program gives vicars (third-year seminary students) training in outreach and experience in working with congregational leaders while it assists congregations that might not be able to afford the full cost of a vicar without financial help.

At current enrollment levels, nearly 50 percent of the next vicar class would be placed in mission settings. Rev. Harold Hagedorn, BHM administrator, says, “It is a common goal that this might increase the value of the vicar experience for more and more, as well as enhance the ‘gather, nurture, and equip’ gospel ministry of our church.”

And as authorized by the synod convention, the board called a fourth full-time mission counselor to serve the Pacific Northwest, Arizona, California, and South Central mission districts: Rev. Philip Koelpin who currently serves at Redeemer in Tucson, Ariz., and is chairman of the Board for World Missions. BHM also made permanent the call of Rev. Mark Birkholz of Thornton, Colo., as mission counselor for the Colorado, Nebraska, Michigan, and North Atlantic mission districts.

Filed Under: BHM, Home Missions, Missions, WLS

New mission efforts in Nevada

Rev. Steven Hillmer is finalizing his plans to begin work in the suburbs of Reno, Nev., site of the next mission congregation with significant WELS funding.

Hillmer, who currently serves at Beautiful Savior in Marietta, Ga., accepted the call Mar. 6. He will initially serve as outreach pastor at Shepherd of the Mountains, an existing congregation in Reno that is partnering with WELS Board for Home Missions (BHM) to fund the new mission and to provide lay workers to get it off the ground.

"It's great to see the excitement of Shepherd of the Mountains to start this daughter church," says Hillmer. "It is just encouraging having fellow believers that are close by, praying for you, and are willing to help. By God's grace, I hope we will be able to establish a congregation in the area and bring more people into a living relationship with their Savior."

Hillmer says his plans are to serve in Georgia until mid-June and to begin work in Reno in early July when the new fiscal year begins and BHM funds are available for the call. Initial outreach efforts will be concentrated in a region known as North Valleys. Plans are to hold the first service on Palm Sunday of next year.

After arriving in Reno, Hillmer says he will be intensifying canvassing efforts in this region where an estimated 70 percent of the population is unchurched. "I've been there before," says Hillmer, who completed a summer vicarship in Bellevue, Wash., where an estimated 90 percent of the population is unchurched. "We knocked on the doors of several thousand homes and followed up, and only one of them came to the church and ended up going through Bible class. So it's not easy, but you meet one person at a time and let God's Word work in their hearts."

An installation service for Hillmer is planned for July 13.

Filed Under: BHM, Home Missions, Missions, Nevada

WELS reaches out in Bolivia

Missionary Larry Retberg, part of WELS' five-man team of Latin American Traveling Theological Educators (LATTE), returned to the United States on Mar. 13 after teaching a series of doctrine courses in Bolivia. More than 60 students—many were pastors and leaders of Bolivia's Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches—registered for Retberg's 7- and 10-day course offerings on doctrine, evangelism, and church fellowship.

"The people were very receptive to the Word of God," says Retberg. "Many in Bolivia think that Jesus died on the cross to forgive their sins, but they have to be good to go to heaven. So when they learned that Christ completed the law for us too, and that we're dressed in his perfection, it was like a sigh of relief because they learned their salvation is certain."

This is Retberg's second time teaching in Bolivia. WELS sent Retberg and Rev. Timothy Satorius to Bolivia for an exploratory visit in May 2007, after a Bolivian leader from the Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches asked WELS for help in training church leaders. Although this church body is called Lutheran, Retberg says he and Satorius found a very mixed doctrine. After meeting with church leaders, Retberg agreed to teach a series of basic doctrine courses in November 2007. His courses were well-received and he was invited to teach again in March 2008.

Rev. Dan Koelpin, administrator of WELS Board for World Missions, says there are many instances like this where churches see what WELS has to offer and ask for spiritual guidance. "When people find there's a church body that lets the Scripture interpret itself and has a real set of beliefs that are biblical, they want to grow in it," he says. "We want to strengthen those churches and eventually we hope they can function according to a deeper biblical understanding and join the confessional Lutheran churches around the world in doctrine and practice."

Another trip to Bolivia is planned for November 2008. "This church wants to get back to the Word of God," says Retberg. "It's going to be a slow process of changing them from their old doctrines to the true teachings of the Bible, but it's a challenge that we accept because our responsibility is to teach them the Word of God. The rest is in the hands of the Holy Spirit."

Filed Under: Bolivia, BWM, Missions, World Missions

Leadership conference broadens scope

The 2008 WELS National School Leadership Conference, "Abide in the Vine," will be held June 16-19 in Waukesha, Wis. This is the first time the triennial conference, which has been redesigned to support WELS educators in both Lutheran and public schools, will feature speakers and presentation topics proposed by educators across the synod.

"We did things different this time," says Mr. Jim Brandt, administrator for WELS Commission on Parish Schools and conference coordinator. "We are hoping that a growing number of educators will benefit from this conference partly because people nominated a speaker or proposed a topic they want to hear."

Day one of the conference focuses on team building, day two on classroom issues, and day three on community outreach. In addition to the variety of speakers and workshops, Brandt says he anticipates attendees will greatly appreciate the Christian fellowship. "People always comment about being together with teachers from around the country and studying God's Word," he says. "They also value networking and hearing what other educators are doing. It's a great benefit."

Brandt says this is also the first year the conference is targeted toward all educators, instead of primarily toward principals as in the past. "It builds off the idea that every teacher is a leader," says Brandt. "We need to nurture the leaders and grow more leaders in our schools—whether that means future principals or teachers that partner more in their school's leadership."

Brandt says the overall goal of this conference is to build the body of Christ. "If our schools are going to be stronger and more effective in building the church, then the teachers in those schools need to be strong." He also hopes WELS members serving their communities as public educators will attend: "Our communities need their Christian witness, and this conference offers an opportunity to learn from one another and offer mutual encouragement for our respective roles in God's kingdom."

To learn more about the 2008 conference visit: www.wels.net/jump/leaderconf
Register by April 15 to receive a discount price. Regular registration ends May 23.

Filed Under: conference, CPS, education, leadership, Parish Schools, Training

Seminary student on Price is Right

Set your VCR on April 21 to record the game show "The Price is Right." While on tour in California last month, the choir from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, was in the audience for a taping. Because of a confidentiality agreement, we can only report that choir member Dustin Blumer was chosen to "come on down." You'll have to tune in to see the outcome.

Check your local listing for the time and station. We're told the choir itself may make an appearance.

Filed Under: choir, Seminary, WLS

Spotlight on Streams: WELS Prison Ministry

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Join Rev. Carl Ziemer as he introduces viewers to the work of prison ministry under the Special Ministries Commission, part of WELS Parish Services. Watch online: http://streams.wels.net/video/prison-ministry

Filed Under: Prison, Special Ministries, Streams