 |
WELS MISSIONS
In June, Asia Lutheran Seminary (ALS) celebrated its 20th anniversary with a special worship service and banquet in Hong Kong. The milestone served not only as a look back on two decades of God’s grace but also as a testament to ALS’ transformation into a regional seminary serving students across Asia and beyond. ALS officially opened its doors on May 29, 2005, to train Chinese-speaking pastors and evangelists in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and East Asia. Today, the seminary reaches students on four continents and operates out of both Hong Kong and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Watch a video about the anniversary celebration.
The annual Taste of Missions event was held June 14 at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis. Hundreds of WELS members gathered to learn about and celebrate the work of WELS Missions with worship, food, and fellowship. Five missionaries (one world missionary and four home missionaries, pictured) were commissioned at the event. Learn more at tasteofmissions.com.
LUTHERAN WOMEN’S MISSIONARY SOCIETY
About 650 women (and men) met June 26–29 in Tulsa, Okla., for the 62nd annual Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society convention. This year’s convention theme was “Sowing the Seeds of Faith.” Attendees learned about expanding outreach in Asia-Oceania and Latin America, planting a church in northwest Arkansas, and establishing a campus ministry in Waco, Texas. The Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society has been supporting mission work in WELS through its offerings and prayers for more than 60 years. This past year, mission offerings distributed after the convention totaled more than $200,000.
CONFESSIONAL EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CONFERENCE
Two regional gatherings for the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC), an international fellowship of 34 confessional Lutheran church bodies of which WELS is a member, were held this summer.
The European regional meeting, hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Free Church, occurred May 22–25 in Nerchau, Germany. About 50 guests from WELS, the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, and multiple sister churches across Europe attended, including several individuals from Ukraine.
The Asia-Oceania regional gathering took place June 9–13 in Bali, Indonesia. Hosted by Gereja Lutheran Indonesia (GLI), the event brought together 70 representatives and guests from 12 Asian countries and the US. Church leaders from across Asia led presentations, reflecting the region’s growing strength and leadership. Pictured are GLI seminary students and vicars at the gathering.
The next CELC triennial meeting will take place May 29– June 1, 2026, in Zambia. Learn more at celc.info.
WELS HISTORICAL INSTITUTE
On May 28, WELS Historical Institute hosted the WELS 175th anniversary dinner at Salem, Milwaukee, Wis., in celebration of the founding of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. WELS President Mark Schroeder and former President Karl Gurgel greeted attendees. Joel Otto, chairman of WELS Historical Institute, gave the main address. Pictured are Otto and John Braun signing copies of the book they wrote for the anniversary, Christ Through Us: A Pictorial History of the Wisconsin Synod, 1850–2025, available through Northwestern Publishing House, nph.net. Learn more about WELS history at welshistoricalinstitute.org.
LUTHERAN SCHOOLS
The WELS Education Conference was held June 23–25 in Green Bay, Wis. About 450 educators from WELS schools convened for three days under the theme “Now You Are.” Attendees heard two keynote presentations and participated in a variety of session tracks covering topics such as early literacy, assessment, student care, ministry cultivation, and collaboration. Learn more at welsedconference.com.
Author: FIC
Volume: 112, Number 08
Issue: August 2025
