2023 Mission Starts

Yellow = 2023 new starts and enhancements: WELS Home Missions approved 15 new home mission starts and enhancements in March 2023. These are the first missions approved towards our synod’s goal of starting 100 missions and enhancing 75 ministries in the next ten years.

Red = Current home mission churches: Current home mission churches have applied for and received full home mission status from the Board for Home Missions. Funded home missions receive direct financial support from Home Missions. Unsubsidized, or self-funded, home missions do not receive direct financial support but still have access to the many other benefits offered to all home mission congregations: assistance through their district mission board, mission counselors, and synodical support staff plus full access to loans and grants from WELS Church Extension Fund and the Board for Home Missions.

Blue = Exploratory missions: District mission boards and mission counselors work with exploratory missions to develop a core group of members and begin Bible study and initial outreach before coming to the Board for Home Missions for official home mission status. These missions are not currently approved, but are preparing the groundwork needed for their formal ministry request to the Board for Home Missions. Each request is thoroughly vetted and either prioritized, deferred, or denied. Prioritized requests are authorized as funding is available. Please note that there might be some exploratory missions on this list that will not end up receiving home mission status after the review process.