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Several home mission congregations are enjoying new or renovated worship spaces.
“For those involved in building a church, a church dedication marks the end of a long process,” says Keith Free, administrator of WELS Home Missions. “And yet, it really is just another beginning for the mission church to continue its efforts to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. From its inception the members of the mission strive to be gospel proclaimers with a temporary worship location as their base. Now, blessed with a permanent facility, the people of God renew their efforts to go with the gospel into their community.”
Helping these congregations along the way is WELS Church Extension Fund, which provides financing through loans and grants to mission congregations for their ministry facilities. In fiscal year 2020–21, WELS Church Extension Fund approved $15.4 million in new loans and $1.98 million in new grants to congregations. In addition, it provided grants of $1.06 million and $.6 million to the Board for Home Missions.
Learn more about WELS Church Extension Fund at wels.net/cef.
1 | On Oct. 3, members of Illumine, Rock Hill, S.C., began worshiping in their “old” worship space and then caravanned to their new building to finish a special “Moving Day Worship Service.” Pictured here is Nathan Loersch, pastor at Illumine, giving the children’s devotion that day. 2 | On Aug. 29, Beautiful Savior, Fayetteville, N.C., dedicated its new worship space, which was built with the help of Builders For Christ. On Oct. 10, Thomas Glende, pastor at Beautiful Savior, baptized Connor Dakin (pictured). 3 | Shepherd of the Lakes, Linden, Mich., dedicated its new church on Oct. 31. Members began worshiping in the new space in December 2020 but held off on a dedication service due to the pandemic and a pastoral vacancy. New seminary graduate Caleb Schaewe was assigned to serve Shepherd of the Lakes in May and was installed in July. 4 | After 15 months of renovation work, Risen Savior, Mansfield, Ohio, dedicated its new space on Oct. 10. In June, the congregation hosted a Praise and Proclaim outreach seminar, which led to 15 people knocking on 300 doors and making more than 50 gospel presentations.
Volume 108, Number 12
Issue: December 2021
