| Fifty-fourth Biennial Convention of the Minnesota District |
| "From Cross to Calling: Christ Through Us" |
| Martin Luther College, New Ulm, MN |
| June 9-10, 2026 |
| Tuesday Morning, Session 1, 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. | |||
| Time | Business | Speaker | Resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. | Registration | ||
| 9:00 a.m. | Opening Devotion | Pastor Nathanael Scharf | |
| 9:15 a.m. | Organization of Convention | ||
| Committee #1: Credentials & Membership | Pastor Billy King | Committee 1 Report | |
| Greetings from Martin Luther College | President Richard Gurgel | ||
| Additional Greetings | |||
| Committee #17: Housing | Pastor Jeff Schone | ||
| Committee #16: Convention Steering | Pastor Wayne Schoch | ||
| Committee #6: Media Relations | Pastor Jeffrey Bovee | ||
| Committee #15: Copy Review | Pastor Matthew Pfeifer | ||
| Committee #3: Nominations Committee | Pastor James Panning | Nominee Biographies | |
| 9:45 a.m. | President's Report | President Dennis Klatt | 2024 District President Report |
| 10:15 a.m. | Committee #5: Elections | Pastor Adam Manian | Men Eligible to Serve as District Officers |
| 10:20 a.m. | Break | ||
| 10:35 a.m. | Report: WELS Report | Pastor James Huebner | |
| 10:50 a.m. | Report: MLC report | President Rich Gurgel | MLC report slides MLC report |
| 11:05 a.m. | Report: Board for Ministerial Education | ||
| 11:20 a.m. | Committee #5: Elections | Pastor Adam Manian | |
| 11:25 a.m. | Report: Home Missions | Pastor Mark Gabb | Home Missions slides |
| 11:40 a.m. | Report: World Missions | Pastor Larry Schlomer | World Missions presentation World Missions video Multi Language Productions TELL |
| 11:55 a.m. | Committee #5: Elections Announcements |
Pastor Adam Manian | |
| 12:00 p.m. | Lunch | ||
| Tuesday Afternoon, Session 2, 1:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. | |||
| Time | Business | Speaker | Resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:15 p.m. | Devotion #2 | Pastor Joshua Olson | |
| 1:30 p.m. | Session 1 Minutes Committee #5:Elections |
Secretary Eugene DeVries Pastor Adam Manian |
Minutes |
| 1:40 p.m. | Presentation | Professor Keith Wessel | |
| 3:00 p.m. | Break | ||
| 3:15 p.m. | Reports from District Commissions • Home Missions • Parish Schools • Discipleship • Evangelism • Special Ministries/CCCW • Worship • Legislation • Constitution |
Pastor Steve Waldschmidt Teacher David Gartner Pastor Matt Ewart Pastor Stephen Meyer Pastor Patrick Feldhus Pastor Joel Gawrisch Pastor Martin Bentz Pastor David Peters |
DMB report District Schools Coordinator Discipleship report Evangelism report Special Ministries slides Worship Report Legislation Report Constitution Committee |
| 4:30 p.m. | Committee #5 Elections | Pastor Adam Manian | |
| 4:35 p.m. | Committee #3 Nominations Committee | Pastor James Panning | MN delegates to 2025 WELS convention |
| 4:50 p.m. | Announcements Closing Prayer |
||
| 5:00 p.m. | Committee Meetings/Conference elections | ||
| 5:30 p.m. | Supper | ||
| Tuesday Evening, 6:30 p.m. - TBD | |||
| Time | Business | Speaker | Resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:30 p.m. | Worship Service/Installation of Officers Chapel of the Christ |
Pastor Dennis Klatt | |
| 8:00 p.m. | Biennial Meeting of LIMA (Lutheran Institutional Ministry Association) |
||
| 8:30 p.m. | Committee Meetings | ||
| Wednesday Morning, Session 3, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | |||
| Time | Business | Speaker | Resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. | Devotion #3 | Pastor James Panning | |
| 8:15 a.m. | Session 2 Minutes Committee #5:Elections |
Secretary Eugene DeVries Pastor Adam Manian |
Minutes |
| 8:25 a.m. | Report: Ministry of Christian Giving | Pastor Peter Sulzle | MCG slides |
| 8:40 a.m. | Report: LIMA | Pastor Brian Kom | |
| 8:55 a.m. | Report: Kingdom Workers | Pastor Gerald Geiger | Kingdom Workers one page |
| 9:10 a.m. | Report: Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School | Dr. Tim Plath | Report Slide |
| 9:20 a.m. | Report: Saint Croix Lutheran Academy | Mr. Nate Kallies | SCLA slides |
| 9:30 a.m. | Report: West Lutheran High School | Mr. Dave Gartner | West LHS slides |
| 9:40 a.m. | Report: Wisconsin Lutheran College | Pastor Wayne Shevey | WLC Report WLC video |
| 9:50 a.m. | Report: Northwestern Publishing House | President Jeremy Angle | NPH presentation |
| 10:00 a.m. | Synodical Council Report | Mr. Kurt Sames | SC slides |
| 10:15 a.m. | Break | ||
| 10:25 a.m. | Committee #5 Elections | Pastor Adam Manian | Committee 5 report |
| 10:30 a.m. | Committee #14 Ministry Support | Pastor Greg Tobison | Committee 14 report |
| 10:50 a.m. | Committee #12 Special Matters | Pastor Darren Green | Committee 12 report |
| 11:10 a.m. | Recruitment Presentation | Pastor Joel Thomford | Recruitment Slides QR code referral Gifts for Ministry page Prospect Card |
| 11:30 a.m. | Reports from affiliate ministries: • Branch Lutheran Schools of Haiti • CFS • LMSG |
Emily Helmen Sarah Reik Brad Price |
Branch Lutheran Schools presentation link to CFS MAP video CFS MAP flyer CFS MAP portal CFS MAP district benefits LMSG report LMSG bridges poster LMSG ammo can poster |
| 11:55 a.m. | Announcements Closing Prayer |
||
| 12:00 p.m. | Lunch | ||
| Wednesday Afternoon, Session 4, 1:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | |||
| Time | Business | Speaker | Resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:15 p.m. | Devotion #4 | Pastor Roger Rockhoff | |
| 1:30 p.m. | Session 3 Minutes | Secretary Eugene DeVries | Minutes |
| 1:35 p.m. | Committee #11 Congregational Services | Pastor Nathan Cordes | Committee 11 report |
| 1:50 p.m. | Committee #7 Home Missions | Pastor Stephen Schmiel | Committee 7 report |
| 2:05 p.m. | Committee #8 World Missions | Pastor Nathanael Scharf | Committee 8 report |
| 2:20 p.m. | Committee #9 Ministerial Education | Pastor Rob Guenther | Committee 9 report |
| 2:35 p.m. | Committee #10 Congregational and District Ministries | Pastor James Grabitske | Committee 10 report |
| 3:00 p.m. | Break | ||
| 3:15 p.m. | Committee #1 Membership | Pastor Billy King | Committee 1 Report |
| 3:20 p.m. | Committee #4 Resolutions and President's Report | Pastor Matthew Rauh | Committee 4 report |
| 3:30 p.m. | Committee #2 Registration Committee #13 Excuses |
Mr. Dave Gartner Pastor Jeremy Glowicki |
Committee 2 report Committee 13 report |
| 3:35 p.m. | Unfinished Business • Setting the date for 2026 Convention • Session 4 Minutes • President's Closing Remarks • Adjournment |
All minutes | |
| 4:00 p.m. | Closing Service Chapel of the Christ |
Pastor Mark Rieke | |
| 5:00 p.m. | Supper | ||
| Supplementary Materials | |
| Name | Resource |
|---|---|
| Greetings from other districts: • Northern Wisconsin • Arizona-California • Michigan • Dakota Montana • Pacific Northwest • South Central • North Atlantic • Nebraska • Southeast Wisconsin |
NWD greetings AZ-CA greetings MI greetings DM greetings PNW greetings SC greetings NA greetings NE greetings SEW greetings |
| WELS Christian Aid and Relief | Link to video Flyer Presentation |
| WELS Church Extension Fund | CEF update |
| Grace In Action | GIA flyer |
| WELS Foundation and WELS Investment Fund | link to Annuity video Foundation flyer Investment Fund flyer |
| Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary | WLS Spotlight |
| Luther Preparatory School | LPS Update |
| Michigan Lutheran Seminary | MLS Snapshot |
| Wartburg Project EHV anniversary | EHV anniversary |
| WELS 175th Anniversary | WELS Anniversary Video 175th Anniversary brochure |
| Hahn Financial Group - Shepherd Plan | link to 593 MB video |
| Floor Committee Info Map with Room List |
||
| Committee | Chairman | Room |
|---|---|---|
| #01 Credentials and Membership | Pastor Billy King | |
| #02 Registration | Mr. Dave Gartner | |
| #03 Nominations | Pastor James Panning | |
| #04 Resolutions | Pastor Matthew Rauh | 162 |
| #05 Elections | Pastor Adam Manian | 166 |
| #06 Media Relations | Pastor Jeffrey Bovee | |
| #07 Home Missions | Pastor Stephen Schmiel | 168 |
| #08 World Missons | Pastor Nathanael Scharf | 174 |
| #09 Ministerial Education | Pastor Rob Guenther | 175 |
| #10 Congregational and District Ministry | Pastor James Grabitske | 177 |
| #11 Congregational Services | Pastor Nathan Cordes | 178 |
| #12 Special Matters | Pastor Darren Green | 181 |
| #13 Excuses | Pastor Jeremy Glowicki | 187 |
| #14 Ministry Support | Pastor Greg Tobison | 266 |
| #15 Copy Review | Pastor Matthew Pfeifer | |
| #16 Convention Steering | Pastor Wayne Schoch | |
| #17 Housing | Pastor Jeffrey Schone | |