JULY 21, 2026

WELS CONNECTION  |  EVENTS  |  OFFICIAL REPORTS

TOGETHER IN MINISTRY 

WELS welcomes new director of communications

Mr. Dan Nommensen, who had been serving as the synod’s director of communications, recently accepted a call to serve as a Christian giving counselor. His successor is Mrs. Carolyn Barsch. She began serving in her new position near the end of June. Read more

LATEST NEWS

Synod leaders analyze 
2025 statistics

The 2025 WELS Statistical Summary and Analysis is now available. Annually, WELS churches self-report on membership, ministrations, and finances to help synod leaders measure WELS’ health as a church body. Read more

LWMS 2026 convention highlights WELS' mission work

More than 1,300 people gathered at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison, Wis., on June 25, for the opening worship service of the 63rd Annual Lutheran Women’s Mission Society (LWMS) Convention. Read more

Youth rally emphasizes serving as Christ’s ambassadors

WELS youth groups—both large and small—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 and 500 adults—participated in worship, large-scale keynote addresses, and workshops, all emphasizing the theme “Christ through us: We are Christ’s ambassadors.”  Read more

Martin Luther College faces licensure challenge

Throughout June 2026, Martin Luther College (MLC) shared information regarding the status of the licensure eligibility for all of its education programs as a result of review by the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB). As of June 26, 2026, PELSB temporarily discontinued licensure eligibility for all 16 of MLC’s teacher education programs. Read more

Endowment gifts open doors for gospel outreach

This July, the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society (LWMS) Legacy Endowment Fund and Rakow Endowment Fund provided approximately $20,000 to support the First Public Service Assistance project. Read more

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