About Us
The Minnesota District of WELS is a geographic subdivision of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). The district encompasses the states of Minnesota, Iowa, and Missouri.
WELS Mission Statement
As men, women, and children united in faith and worship by the Word of God, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod exists to make disciples throughout the world for time and for eternity, using the gospel in Word and sacrament to win the lost for Christ and to nurture believers for lives of Christian service, all to the glory of God.
Contact
Pastor Eugene DeVries maintains this site: admin＠welsmn.org
Pastor James Panning administers the district mailing list: reporter＠welsmn.org
Southwest Minnesota Area Lutheran Chorale
December 15, 2022
Dear Pastors, Teachers, Choir Directors and all interested singers,
The Southwest Minnesota Area Lutheran Chorale will begin rehearsing for their 2023 Season on January 15, 2023. We ask that you inform and invite your choirs and any other members who love to sing to join us.
Our concerts will be held at St John, Sleepy Eye and St John, Vesta.
Rehearsals are planned to prepare us for our concerts, which will be held on March 26, 2023. The first 6 rehearsals will be held at St. John Lutheran Church in Redwood Falls, MN from 2:00-5:00 pm on the following Sundays:
- January 15
- February 5
- March 5
- January 22
- February 19
- February 26
March 12 and March 19 will be held at the concert sites.
Recording, Friday, March 24(from 7 to 10 pm) at Redwood Falls
Concerts will be on Sunday, March 26 at 2:00 & 7:00 pm.
Jim Renz and Linette Scharlemann will be sharing the directing duties this season. If you have questions or if you would like further information about this Chorale, please contact Jim at (507) 327-7222 or Linette at (507) 227-2161.
Please share this notice of our rehearsals with your Church Choir and Congregation. We pray many new singers from your congregation, as well as all who have sung in the past, will be able to join us as the Chorale gathers to sing praises to our Savior King.
God's blessings as you celebrate Jesus' birth, James Renz (jrskzner_628@yahoo.com) and Linette Scharlemann (linette.m.scharlemann@gmail.com)
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN WORKING IN A CHRISTIAN HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENT?
For nearly 124 years, The Lutheran Home Association in Belle Plaine, MN has been offering top quality care for older adults and people with special needs while making “the care of the soul the soul of our care” . As we seek to continue to offer this care, we are looking for more people to join our staff. Please see the poster or visit www.tlha.org/careers for more information. We would love to have you join our Christian care environment.
Leaders
Presidium
District President: Rev. Dennis Klatt (contact)
First Vice-President: Rev. Wayne Schoch (contact)
Second Vice-President: Rev. Matthew Pfeifer (contact)
Secretary: Rev. Eugene DeVries (contact)
St. Croix Conference
Chairman: Rev. Dan Walters (contact)
Secretary: Rev. Tim Rosenow (contact)
Circuit Pastors:
Redwing Conference
Chairman: Rev. Brian Kom (contact)
Vice-Chair: Rev. Dan Reich (contact)
Secretary: Rev. Peter Sternberg (contact)
Circuit Pastors:
Minnesota River Valley Conference
Chairman: Rev. Nathanael Scharf (contact)
Secretary: Rev. Adam Manian (contact)
Circuit Pastors:
- New Ulm North: Rev. Paul Meitner (contact)
- New Ulm South: Rev. Jeffrey A. Bovee (contact)
- Redwood Falls East: Rev. Peter Sulzle (contact)
- Redwood Falls West: Rev. Johann Caauwe (contact)
Southern Conference
Chairman: Rev. Roger Neumann (contact)
Secretary: Rev. Seth Georgson (contact)
Circuit Pastors:
Crow River Conference
Chairman: Rev. Bill Werth (contact)
Secretary: Rev. James Grabitske (contact)
Circuit Pastors:
Mankato Conference
Chairman: Rev. Adam Pilarski (contact)
Secretary: Rev. Martin Bentz (contact)
Circuit Pastors:
To Congregations and Pastors within the Minnesota District,
The Minnesota District Board of Home Missions is reaching out to share another update on the Home Missions within the district.
The Home Mission Update (March 2022) includes a short video from Pastor Lucas Callies who highlights the new Home Mission started up in North Liberty, Iowa. In addition, we have included a short update on a recent Home Mission Board conference in which all the Home Mission Boards across the synod met to discuss the 100 missions in 10 year initiative.
Follow the link below to access the March Update on our website. This month we included another resource which outlines the process for the Home Mission Board on starting up a new Home MIssion.
MNdistrictmissions.com
If you have any feedback regarding new home mission prospects, information on the website, or any general home mission questions, please use the feedback button at the bottom left of the website. We will continue to expand this website to engage more with congregations to help us identify new areas across the district, whether it is a new prospect location or mission enhancements in existing congregations.
We ask you to share this link and information of the Home Missions within your congregation. The March 2022 Update on the website contains a downloadable file at the bottom of the page which you can also distribute. In addition, we appreciate your congregations keeping these new Home Missions in your prayers!
In Christ Alone,
The Minnesota District Board of Home Missions