January 2021
Week 1 Genesis 1:1–2:3 Gen. 2:4-25 Gen. 3:1-24 Gen. 4:1-16 Gen. 6:5-22 Gen. 7:1-24 Gen. 8:1-22 Week 2 Gen. 9:1-17 Gen. 11:1-9 Gen. 11:27–12:9 Gen. 15:1-7 & 17:1-8 Gen. 18:1-15…
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January 2021
Encouragement along the road
It’s a long road to become a pastor. For Jordan Massiah, it’s 12 years of schooling in three different states over an international border from his hometown of Toronto, Ontario,…
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Encouragement along the road
Meet the editorial staff: James Borgwardt
Forward in Christ’s newest Bible study author is James Borgwardt. Borgwardt serves at Redeemer, Fond du Lac, Wis., where he’s been for nine years. Prior to Fond du Lac, he…
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Meet the editorial staff: James Borgwardt
Worship resource previews new hymns
To help WELS members get a taste of the new hymns that will be included in Christian Worship: Hymnal, the WELS Hymnal Project has released Christian Worship: Hymn Preview. This…
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Worship resource previews new hymns
District news: January 2021
Arizona-California—On Nov. 21, 2020, St. Paul’s First, North Hollywood, Calif., gave away 100 Thanksgiving grocery meal bags. South Atlantic—Our Savior, Birmingham, Ala., assembled and distributed Advent kits, which included…
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District news: January 2021
WELS podcasts: Let the Bird Fly!
Featuring: Let the Bird Fly! Hosts: Wade Johnston and Mike Berg Description: “A podcast about living freely in a world given back to us. When we see the world for…
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WELS podcasts: Let the Bird Fly!
Church launches social media campaign starring Martin Luther
Christ Alone, Dardenne Prairie, Mo., wanted to replace its annual Trunk or Treat with a contact-free option in October 2020. Christ Alone’s members still wanted to interact and connect with…
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Church launches social media campaign starring Martin Luther
WELS news briefs: January 2021
Synodical Council Six new members joined the WELS Synodical Council: Mr. Pete Aisbet (Southeastern Wisconsin District lay representative), Mr. Jake Lemke (Western Wisconsin District lay representative), Mr. Chip Woods (Nebraska…
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WELS news briefs: January 2021
Moments with missionaries: Dan Laitinen
Go and TELL In 2018 WELS World Missions’ Multi-Language Productions had a vision to reach the world with the gospel in a new way. Its vision was to equip people…
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Moments with missionaries: Dan Laitinen
Bringing the Word to Bogotá
Since 2015, the Academia Cristo website, academiacristo.com, has been providing Bible classes, worship services, training for church planters, and other tools for Spanish speakers to study God’s Word. The program…
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Bringing the Word to Bogotá
Colorado church receives relief from fires
“At our final outdoor worship service at Carbon Valley Lutheran we could see the smoke coming across the sky, and by the end of worship we had ash and burnt…
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Colorado church receives relief from fires
Creating digital side doors
Did you know that more than 104 million Americans listened to podcasts in the last month?* This growing number of people are consuming content from more than 1.5 million shows…
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Creating digital side doors
District news: December 2020
Michigan On Sept. 27, Good Shepherd, Alma, Mich., held a mortgage-burning celebration. Western Wisconsin On Sept. 27, St. Paul’s, Adams-Friendship, Wis., dedicated its new worship facility. This location is part…
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District news: December 2020
The power of God’s Word
“Don’t ever downplay what God can do through his Word. It’s dynamite, pure dynamite.” When asked about lessons he has learned in his ministry, Mark Cares, founder of Truth in…
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The power of God’s Word
Let your light shine: God’s Word continues to be spread
God’s Word continues to be spread in our congregations and communities, even during the pandemic. David Russow, pastor at Hope, Andover, Minn., shares how God’s work continues in the local…
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Let your light shine: God’s Word continues to be spread
Preserving a priceless spiritual treasure
For many Christians, hymns are woven into the fabric of our faith lives. “Jesus Loves Me” may be the first song we learn as a toddler; “Amazing Grace” may be…
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Preserving a priceless spiritual treasure
New videos encourage married couples to “take a moment”
“Marriage is foundational to so many things in our society, including our congregations,” says Donn Dobberstein, director of WELS Discipleship. “If we want solid congregations, healthy marriages are so important.…
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New videos encourage married couples to “take a moment”
Book nook: Christian Service Members’ Handbook
Another tool in your tool kit The Christian Service Members' Handbook is excellent for any Christian as a daily companion. However, the book is explicitly organized for military service members…
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Book nook: Christian Service Members’ Handbook
Home Missions continues its mission of sharing the gospel
WELS Board for Home Missions met at the end of September and authorized funding for three new missions as well as two restarts. An additional congregation will receive support from…
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Home Missions continues its mission of sharing the gospel
District news: November 2020
ARIZONA-CALIFORNIA Beautiful Savior, Carlsbad, Calif., was on the verge of closing its grade school at the end of the 2019–20 school year. Total enrollment was 14. God worked through changes that…
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District news: November 2020
A beautiful faith
Disfigured by cancer, one woman lives in hope and confidence. I know why you stare. I notice when you gawk. I get the message if you turn away. I even…
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A beautiful faith
New president starts at Martin Luther College
Richard Gurgel started in his new role as president of Martin Luther College (MLC), New Ulm, Minn., in July. With the COVID-19 pandemic still in place, Gurgel is starting his…
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New president starts at Martin Luther College
Where are they now? ALHS Online
In July 2013, Forward in Christ reported on ALHS Online, a collaborative effort of the WELS Association of Lutheran High Schools (ALHS) to offer high quality online courses to expand…
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Where are they now? ALHS Online
Showing you care through parish nursing
At some point in our lives, every one of us has been blessed through the actions of a skilled and caring nurse. Each day in the U.S., millions of nurses…
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Showing you care through parish nursing
Compassion at work
WELS Christian Aid and Relief and Good Shepherd, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, partnered to organize cleanup after storms blew through the Midwest in August. The line of storms, called a derecho,…
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Compassion at work
High school students live out school’s vision
The vision of Kingdom Prep Lutheran High School, in Wauwatosa, Wis., says it all: “Where young men develop their God-given gifts to lead in the home, serve in the church,…
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High school students live out school’s vision
2020 district conventions
“COVID-19 affected so much this spring and summer,” notes Brad Taylor, secretary of the South Central District. “District conventions were no different.” WELS’ 12 districts canceled their in-person conventions that…
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2020 district conventions
District news: October 2020
NORTHERN WISCONSIN Grace, Oshkosh, Wis., dedicated its new school addition on Aug. 22. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! WW—Paul E. Kante celebrated 50 years in the pastoral ministry on July 26. Kante currently…
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District news: October 2020
“God sometimes changes our plans”
“It just wasn’t going to work to host an in-person soccer camp this year because of health concerns with the coronavirus,” explains Kurt Wetzel, pastor at Cross of Christ, Boise/…
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“God sometimes changes our plans”
Annual LWMS convention goes virtual
From its inaugural 1964 convention in Winona, Minn., to its 2019 convention in Des Moines, Iowa, the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society (LWMS) has faithfully hosted annual conventions for the past…
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Annual LWMS convention goes virtual
New faces at the Center for Mission and Ministry
Two new men joined the staff at the WELS Center for Mission and Ministry (CMM), Waukesha, Wis., in July. Paul Patterson is serving as the associate director of the Commission…
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New faces at the Center for Mission and Ministry
New school year brings difficult decisions
WELS schools around the country were faced with the difficult job this summer of determining what school is going to look like in the fall, after the 2019–20 school year…
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New school year brings difficult decisions
A planted mission field
Chaplains in Schools, a WELS-affiliated organization, is set to reach nearly 3,000 students in seven different Christian voucher schools in the Milwaukee area with the gospel this school year. Because…
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A planted mission field
Four brothers, one mission
“Every time I hang out with one of my brothers, I gain nuggets of wisdom that stick with me,” says Paul Bourman, who graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis.,…
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Four brothers, one mission
Demonstrating Christ’s love
It might not originally have been on his list to do that day, but when Mark Luetzow, a member at Christ, Saginaw, Mich., heard that people needed help cleaning up…
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Demonstrating Christ’s love
Meet the editorial staff: Richard Lauersdorf
Ever ask yourself, “Who are these people who write for Forward in Christ?” Through this series, you can find out. This summer, Forward in Christ welcomes Richard Lauersdorf to the…
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Meet the editorial staff: Richard Lauersdorf
2020 Martin Luther College grads
View the musical tributes produced by Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and Martin Luther College. Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary tribute | Martin Luther College tribute To see Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary's graduates, visit forwardinchrist.net/2020-wls-grads. …
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2020 Martin Luther College grads
Spur one another on
“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one…
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Spur one another on
Left to right: Dan Sims; his wife, Jennifer; and their three kids, George; Josie; and Marcus.
New director for Christian Aid and Relief
In June, Dan Sims will begin his work as the new full-time director of WELS Christian Aid and Relief. “As much as I will miss parish ministry, I’m really excited…
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New director for Christian Aid and Relief
New mission online event set for this month
WELS Missions and the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society (LWMS) are partnering to offer Taste and See, a first-of-its-kind free online mission event, from June 27–July 11. This new opportunity to…
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New mission online event set for this month
New family devotions available
WELS Commission on Discipleship is offering devotions developed for the entire family to use. The devotions coincide with the previous Sunday’s Bible readings. Each devotion is complete with a set…
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New family devotions available
Serving those who serve their country
One of the many groups served by WELS Commission on Special Ministries is military service members and their families. One way the commission does this is through military contact pastors—pastors…
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Serving those who serve their country
Serving their Lord faithfully
They’ve been referred to as “a model of can-do blindness”—and those who know Sue and Larry Povinelli would certainly agree with that description. Sue, a federal government employee, and Larry,…
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Serving their Lord faithfully
Decision on district conventions
WELS President Mark Schroeder shares the following about the June district conventions: After thorough discussion and with great reluctance, the Conference of Presidents (COP) has concluded that the district conventions,…
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Decision on district conventions
2020 Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary grads
Volume 107, Number 7 Issue: July 2020 To see Martin Luther College's graduates, visit forwardinchrist.net/2020-graduations.
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2020 Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary grads
Struggle to forgive
We are to forgive others, but the journey can be difficult. I needed to forgive my father. But for the life of me, I could not figure out how. Trying…
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Struggle to forgive
Go and TELL
WELS Multi-Language Publications has officially changed its name to WELS Multi-Language Productions (MLP). This change reflects how the work of MLP has evolved with technology and has expanded beyond printed…
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Go and TELL
Love in action during COVID-19
GEORGIA | NEW YORK Four congregations in Georgia—Abiding Grace, Covington; Faith, Sharpsburg; Beautiful Savior, Marietta; and Sola Fide, Lawrenceville—sent a 16-foot truck to Sure Foundation, Queens, N.Y., filled with supplies…
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Love in action during COVID-19
The blessing of elder care ministry
Sam Kleinschmidt, a member at Crown of Life, a multi-site congregation in California, perhaps didn’t know what to expect when he agreed to serve as power of attorney for an…
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The blessing of elder care ministry
District news: April 2020
WESTERN WISCONSIN St. John, Barre Mills, Wis., celebrated its 150th anniversary on March 1. The congregation first worshiped together on March 2, 1870, in a farmhouse that is still standing…
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District news: April 2020