MN District Home Missions

Mission Enhancement at St. John in St. Paul, MN 

St. John in St. Paul, MN is a congregation established by German immigrants over 150 years ago. Over the years, the congregation has seen a change in the demographic of their neighborhood.  This has led to a need to transform into a congregation of Hispanic immigrants over the next 5-10 years. 

The Minnesota District mission board has had an indirect relationship with St. John for many years, because Immanuel Hmong rents space in their building for worship services and ministry operations. That relationship became more direct when leaders from St. John approached us with an idea to reach out intentionally to the sizable Hispanic population in the surrounding area

Outreach to the Hispanic community makes a lot of sense here, as the Mexican Consulate is only a few doors down. Astatewide service organization for Latinos, called CLUES, will be renting a portion of St. John’s facility. CLUES will use this space for charitable activities, such as distributing pantry items and clothing, to the community. There is also a Spanish Bible study for women already being conducted on site by Mrs. Karen Hennig (whose husband is a local WELS pastor), who connected with these women through her work with a pregnancy resource center. These activities bring dozens of people to the building every week, ensuring that the Spanish speaking missionary will have no trouble meeting people.

A few years ago, St John closed their school.  In 2018, their pastor took a call.  Since then, the congregation has been served by two vacancy pastors, both of whom worked to help the congregation not only to see their mission field but also work through a variety of plans on how to proceed. In December of 2021, the congregation contacted the Minnesota District Home Mission Board to help them set their plans into motion.  In spring of 2022, St John extended a call to Pastor Tim Otto who was serving a Hispanic ministry in Las Vegas, NV.  Pastor Otto accepted the call and was installed in June.

Even though neighborhoods can change over time, we know God’s Word is unchanging.  We pray that God would bless this new mission enhancement at St. John and enable the congregation to reach out to a community that needs to know they have a loving Savior!

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Minnesota District Home Missions Board Retreat

In July, the Minnesota District Home Mission Board held their annual retreat.  This year, the group met in Cedar Rapids/North Liberty, Iowa which is where a new mission in North Liberty recently started up.  The annual retreat is a time to discuss current missions as well as discuss potential new mission startups and enhancement.

Here is a current summary of the Home Missions:

• Multi-Cultural Home Missions
  • Immanuel Hmong, St. Paul, MN (Currently worshiping at St. John in St. Paul)
  • St John, St. Paul, MN – Hispanic Outreach (Pastor Tim Otto installed in June 2022)
  • Board is monitoring 2 additional Mult-Cultural opportunities across district
• Mission Establishment – Multi-Site
  • Good Shepherd, North Liberty, IA (Dual site with Cedar Rapids, IA)
  • Board is monitoring 4 additional opportunites across district
• Mission Establishment – New Start
  • Christ Our Savior, Collinsville, IL (Currently calling pastor)
  • Board is monitoring 3 additional opportunites across district
• Mission Enhancements
  • There are 9 potential Mission Enhancements currently identified across district of which 2 are actively pursuing funding this coming year.

If you have any Home Mission ideas or questions, the Minnesota District Board would love to work with you to solidify these New Missions and Mission Enhancements.  

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MN District Mission Board & Resources

Over the past 12 years, Mr. Dave Sauer has faithfully served on the Minnesota district mission board. His term came to an end in June. We recognize the time and dedication he has used for the good of God’s kingdom. It has been an honor to serve along side of him and wish him well in his “retirement” from the board!

In July, we welcomed to the Minnesota district mission board Rev. John Boeder. Pastor Boeder is currently serving as the Martin Luther College campus pastor. It will be great to tap into Pastor Boeder’s connections at MLC and his years of experience in the ministry. Welcome Pastor Boeder!

Rev. Steve Waldschmidt (Chair) Christ Alone Dardenne Prairie, MO pastorsteve@christ-alone.church (636) 445-0440	Mr. Doug Dorn St. Paul’s Litchfield, MN doug.dorn@agcountry.com (320) 212-6100
Rev. Rev Mark Kaesmeyer West Lutheran High School Plymouth, MN mkaesmeyer@westlutheran.net (763) 498-9940	Rev. John Boeder Martin Luther College New Ulm, MN boeder@mlc-wels.edu (507) 404-0624
Rev. Rob Guenther St. John’s New Ulm, MN pastorguenther@gmail.com (507) 240-2433	Mr. Daryl Schultz Resurrection & Life Rochester, MN dschultz@us.ibm.com  (507) 261-6906

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Good Shepherd Lutheran – North Liberty, IA Campus

New Home Mission in North Liberty, Iowa

In 2020, Good Shepherd Lutheran in Cedar Rapids, IA, was approved to start up a new mission as a dual site ministry in North Liberty, IA. The city of North Liberty is located about 20 miles south of Cedar Rapids.  A few years prior 2020, Good Shepherd Lutheran had to make a tough decision to close down their grade school; however, this lead to a focus on starting up the dual site in North Liberty.  

In May 2021, God blessed Good Shepherd Lutheran with a new Sementary graduate, Pastor Lucas Callies, to serve at the North Liberty site. Pastor Callies will be serving along Pastor Billy King, who is the current pastor for the Cedar Rapids campus.  In June 2021, the congregration started up bible studies and worship services in North Liberty at a local community center.  A trailer was purchased for storage at the North Liberty site.  Over this past year, Good Shepherd has held various community events such as Easter Egg hunts and Summer Baseball camps.  In December 23, 2021, North Liberty hosted it’s first ever Christmas Eve-Eve service. 

This Spring, Good Shepherd Lutheran is planning on a special outdoor Easter service in North Liberty.  The congregation is busy inviting the community to this special event.  

A special Thank-You to the congregation and all those who have been involved in this mission startup.  It is an exciting opportunity God has given to expand the mission outreach in North Liberty!  Please keep Good Shepherd Lutheran in your prayers that God may bless their ministry!

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Home Missions Board Conference Update

In early February 2022, the WELS Home Mission Boards across all 12 districts met in Las Vegas to discuss the 100 Missions in 10 Years initiative.  This initiative is to start up 100 new missions and 75 new mission enhancements in 10 years starting in 2023.  

The Home Missions Boards received more background on the this initiative and discussed various open questions.  

Here are some of those questions with key notes:

• How will these new missions be staff?  The group discussed the focus on how we grow future pastors.  This would include but not limited to recruiting across our lutheran grade schools and high school.  We could encourage 2^nd career ministries to encourage men into ministry.
• How can we better leverage and encourage lay leaders?  We need to tap into lay leaders to help with the work in starting up new missions and enhancements.  Many lay leaders have the planning, business and financial skills needed for new start ups.
• What funding is currently available and will be needed to support the new missions?  The members were given an overview of funds that are already available as well as funding drives during the 10 year period and beyond.  More information on this will be share across congregations in the near future.
• Will there be discussions on consolidating congregations or defunding areas across the synod in order to help streamline resources to the new missions?  There was some discussions on this, but need more thoughts and prayers on how this would be done and how would align to this initiative.
• Are there opportunities to encourage individuals and families to become core members in a new mission startup?  With the growing professional world able to work from any location (work from home) or individuals looking to relocation for new job opportunities, there was discussion on who to best communicate and encourage these individuals and familes to relocate to areas where we have a new startup.  This would strengthen the core members in the new areas. 
• What is the difference between a start up and an enhancement?  Start up mission is generally a mission being established in a new area of outreach.  Enhancement is where an existing congregation is adding to their outreach.  This could be a cross cultural ministry, outreach to School Choice families, campus ministries.or an expanded site/location.  More detailed distriptions will be provided in future communications.

In addition to the questions on this initiative, the board members received insights into Church Planting from Pastor Jared Oldenburg.  Pastor Oldenburg has been involved in leading a support group for new home missionaries to help them with church planting and resources available to them.  The Board also discussed current and future mission prospects and core group development plans.  This was helpful in getting resources and ideas on how to identify future prospects using tools available such as the Mission Insight tool. Much more information and plans will continued to be shared as received.

Examples of Mission Enhancements are: Hispanic and cross cultural ministries; Outreach to School Choice families, and campus ministries.

If you have any Home Mission ideas or questions, the Minnesota District Board would love to work with you to solidify these New Missions and Mission Enhancements.  

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MN District Mission Board & Resources

Rev. Steve Waldschmidt (Chair) Christ Alone DarDenne Prairie, MO pastorsteve@christ-alone.church (636) 445-0440	Mr. Doug Dorn St. Paul’s Litchfield, MN doug.dorn@agcountry.com (320) 212-6100
Rev. Rev Mark Kaesmeyer West Lutheran High School Plymouth, MN mkaesmeyer@westlutheran.net (763) 498-9940	Mr. Dave Sauer Christ Eden Prairie, MN daconsauer@usfamily.net (952) 401-9142
Rev. Rob Guenther St. John’s New Ulm, MN pastorguenther@gmail.com (507) 240-2433	Mr. Daryl Schultz Resurrection & Life Rochester, MN dschultz@us.ibm.com  (507) 261-6906

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New Home Missions Approved!

Over this past year, there as been two new mission startups in the Minnesota District have been approved!  

The first Mission Start-up this year is in North Liberty, Iowa, which is located right by Cedar Rapids.  North Liberty will be part of a dual site with Good Shepherd Lutheran, Cedar Rapids.  This past Spring, North Liberty was blessed with a new Sementary graduate, Pastor Lucas Callies.  

The second Mission Start-up this year is in Collinsville, Illinios.  Collinsville is a new mission in the St.Louis East Metro.  Christ Savior Lutheran is an extension ministry of Martin Luther Evangelical Lutheran Church in St. Louis, Missouri to better serve the spiritual needs of the people in the southern Illinois area.  Christ Savior Lutheran in Collinsville is currently in the process of calling a pastor.

We are excited to have an opportunity to expand our mission outreach in North Liberty and Collinsville.  Please keep both congregations in your prayers that God may bless their ministries!

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100 Missions in 10 Years

At a recent synod convention, WELS delegates overwhelmingly endorsed an opportunity to expand our effrots to share the gospel.  The plan is to start up 100 new missions and 75 new mission enhancements in 10 years starting in 2023.  

WELS Board for Home Missions’ plan is similarly ambitious.  Large areas of the United States are still not served by a WELS congregation.  Why not plan big and determine, under God, to open new missions and mission enhancements in the next 10 years?

The Minnesota Home Missions Board is seeking your help with this initiative.  If you notice an underserved area in our district, live in a growing subsurb, or see cluster of members traveling a distance to attend worship at your church, please reach out to our Board members.

Large parts of Minnesota already have congregations, so there may be more Mission Enhancements opportunities.  Mission Enhancements are where congregations see an opportunity to expand their ministry to reach more lost souls, and they have started to develop plans and commit resources for this expanded ministry; however, local financial resources are limited.  A Mission Enhancement could help infuse funding over a short 2 to 4 year period to kick start this minstry.

Examples of Mission Enhancements are: Hispanic and cross cultural ministries; Outreach to School Choice families, and campus ministries.

If you have any ideas or input, the Minnesota District Board would love to work with you to solidify these New Missions and Mission Enhancements.  We will help you submit the plans and financial needs to the Synod Board for Home Missions for approval.

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MN District Mission Board & Resources

Rev. Steve Waldschmidt (Chair) Christ Alone DarDenne Prairie, MO pastorsteve@christ-alone.church (636) 445-0440	Mr. Doug Dorn St. Paul’s Litchfield, MN doug.dorn@agcountry.com (320) 212-6100
Rev. Rev Mark Kaesmeyer West Lutheran High School, Plymouth, MN mkaesmeyer@westlutheran.net (763) 498-9940	Mr. Dave Sauer Christ Eden Prairie, MN daconsauer@usfamily.net (952) 401-9142
Rev. Rob Guenther St. John’s New Ulm, MN pastorguenther@gmail.com (507) 240-2433	Mr. Daryl Schultz Resurrection & Life Rochester, MN dschultz@us.ibm.com  (507) 261-6906

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