Tornado damages WELS church and school
Around noon on Monday, July 27, a tornado ripped through northeastern Wisconsin, causing damage to Bethel, Menasha, a bilingual WELS church with about 500 members. The tornado also damaged the…
Youth rally strengthens connections
WELS youth groups from across the US and Canada traveled to Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, for the 2026 WELS Youth Rally July 14–17. About 2,200 people—1,700 teens…
New directors bring experience and vision to WELS ministries
Two new directors are now serving at the WELS Center for Mission and Ministry in Waukesha, Wis.: Mark Maurice as executive director of WELS Investment Funds and WELS Foundation and…
Community news: September 2026
Anniversaries in the teaching ministry celebrated recently Julie Detjen, Fox Valley Lutheran High School, Appleton, Wis. (40); Shaun Glowicki, Lord of Life, Thornton, Colo. (25); James Henrickson, Calvary, Dallas, Texas…
Five new district presidents elected during district conventions
Each WELS district holds a convention once every two years, in the year between synod conventions. These conventions allow delegates to consider local ministry topics and issues that apply to…
2026 district convention photos
WESTERN WISCONSIN NORTH ATLANTIC NORTHERN WISCONSIN MINNESOTA MICHIGAN SOUTH CENTRAL DAKOTA-MONTANA SOUTH ATLANTIC PACIFIC NORTHWEST SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN ARIZONA-CALIFORNIA NEBRASKA Volume 113, Number 08 Issue: August 2026
A Hallmark moment
Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary graduates received a little extra encouragement before call day this past May in the form of homemade cards from first- and second-graders at Zion, Rhinelander, Wis. The…
2025 stats: Good news, hard news, and useful surprises
The 2025 Statistical Summary & Analysis does not tell a simple story. There is good news. There is hard news. And there are several findings that may surprise you because…