Looking for more WELS news stories? Find older posts below.

2012-03-15: The Spirit at work in Haiti

Read about Missionary Terry Schultz's work with orphanages in Haiti.

2012-02-15: WELS response to recent HHS requirements

Rev. Mark G. Schroeder, president of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, has issued a statement regarding the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ new requirement that all health care plans cover contraceptives, abortive drugs, and medical procedures.

2012-01-20: Living water in Nigeria

Decades after the first missionaries went to Nigeria to share the life-giving gospel message, Christian Aid and Relief is funding well-digging projects for life-saving water.

2011-08-31: Reaching out by cleaning up in Joplin

A group of Christian Aid and Relief volunteers spent 11 days in Joplin, Mo., assisting in the clean up efforts after a tornado raged through the city in May.

2011-08-02: Lighthouse shines for inner-city youth

It has been five years since Rev. James Buske opened the doors to the Lighthouse Youth Center, in Milwaukee, Wis. Now, the youth center ministry is expanding with a second location.

2011-07-26: Rev. Mark Schroeder accepts call for second term as president

WELS President Rev. Mark Schroeder elected for second term as synod president.

2011-07-18: The WELS View: By Scripture Alone

WELS President Rev. Mark Schroeder discusses the national media's spotlight on the doctrine of the Antichrist.

2011-06-24: Reaching Out To Share The Gospel

Christian Aid & Relief set to support several humanitarian aid projects around the world.

2011-06-7: Alabama residents grateful for tornado relief

Alabama residents are expressing their appreciation for relief efforts undertaken by some 30 volunteers from WELS congregations across the Midwest and South.

2011-05-24: WELS Tornado relief efforts expand

Financial aid and volunteer help is on the way to Missouri and Alabama through WELS Committee on Relief.

2011-05-20: WELS begins tornado relief efforts

WELS Committee on Relief is in the process of releasing a grant to help victims of the recent tornado disasters.

2011-04-11: New relief efforts underway in Japan

WELS is providing aid to earthquake and tsunami victims in two more Japanese cities—Mito and Minami Sanriku. These efforts are in addition to those already underway in Kesennuma, a city of 75,000 people. WELS Christian Aid and Relief has granted an additional $50,000 to fund these ongoing relief efforts.

2011-03-31: Devastated Japanese community receives aid from WELS

WELS has begun distributing aid to victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami. Rev. Brad Wordell, WELS missionary, and Rev. Takeshi Nidaira, Japanese national pastor, delivered a two-ton truck full of supplies to Kesennuma on March 28.

2011-03-22: WELS relief efforts in Japan underway

Rev. Brad Wordell, WELS' missionary based in Tokyo, and members of the Lutheran Evangelical Christian Church, WELS' sister synod in Japan, have begun gathering relief supplies for delivery to residents devastated by the earthquake and tsunami that struck March 11.

2011-03-14: WELS provides aid in wake of Japan disaster

WELS, through its committee Christian Aid and Relief, is providing $20,000 in initial aid to victims of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan March 11.

2010-11-16: WELS members send aid to Indonesia

Since the end of October, more than 200 people have died and more than 200,000 have been evacuated in Indonesia following the repeated eruptions of Mt. Merapi, the "Mountain of Fire." WELS members have responded by granting $10,000 from WELS Christian Aid and Relief to Gereja Lutheran Indonesia (GLI), or the Lutheran Church of Indonesia.

2010-11-04: WELS members impacted by Hurricane Tomas

National media outlets are reporting that as many as 14 people may be dead after a Category 1 hurricane hit the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, Castries, Oct. 31. WELS has one church in St. Lucia—Trinity, a congregation of about 160 people. No members were injured, but many families' homes sustained considerable damage.

2010-04-27: Outreach efforts in Haiti continue

With the work of volunteer nurses in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti now complete, WELS Latin America Administrative Committee has sent national pastor Rona Abraham to conduct exploratory mission work in Cap-Haitien, just north of Haiti's capital city.

2010-04-15: WELS nurses praised for work in Haiti

Nine nurses—part of a group of 18 volunteers organized by WELS Committee on Relief (COR) that just completed a medical relief mission to aid victims of the earthquake in Haiti—are being praised for their efforts.

2010-02-23: WELS prepares to help Haiti victims

A WELS logistics team arrived in Dominican Republic Feb. 22 to make final preparations for teams of volunteer nurses and doctors who will be treating victims of the Haiti earthquake who have made their way to a hospital in the border town of Jimani.

2010-02-03: WELS relief team arrives in Dominican Republic

A two-man team from WELS has arrived in Dominican Republic to begin assessing how the synod can best address the physical and spiritual needs of victims of the earthquake in neighboring Haiti.

2010-01-27: Haiti relief update

WELS Committee on Relief (COR) has released another $25,000 for the relief effort in Haiti, bringing total contributions from WELS to $50,000 since a massive earthquake struck that country Jan. 12.

2010-01-14: WELS offers aid for Haiti earthquake relief

WELS Committee on Relief is in the process of releasing a $25,000 grant to an international relief agency to help victims of the earthquake in Haiti this week.

2009-12-01: Visiting professors: both teacher and student

Prof. Keith Wessel was called to serve for one semester at Asia Lutheran Seminary (ALS) in Hong Kong. Wessel accepted—leading him on a journey that would change his worldview.

2009-08: WELS president's statement on ELCA gay clergy decision

Rev. Mark Schroeder, president of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), is expressing regret at the vote of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) convention regarding homosexual clergy.