Good Shepherd, Plymouth, Wis. – 2024

Enhancement: Plymouth is a stable town in northern Wisconsin with 9,000 residents. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church received short-term support to kickstart outreach efforts once again to take advantage of the gospel outreach opportunities the Lord is providing.

Fast Facts:

  • Rev. Eli Steinbrenner was assigned from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary to serve this mission restart in May 2024. He was installed on July 14, 2024.
  • Read more about this mission restart in this Missions Blog from September 2024: Tuning up before taking off
  • Plymouth is home to a few large, family-owned companies in the area: Sargento, Sartori, Masters Gallery Foods, and Johnsonville.
  • The current facility offers many opportunities to host outreach activities for the community, including things like a weekly square-dance group and blood drives.

Prayer:

Good Shepherd of the sheep, sometimes you allow challenging times to come so that we will seek your protection and guidance all the more. As you have brought the people of Good Shepherd in Plymouth Wis., through some challenging years, we rejoice that they will receive short-term support from Home Missions to kickstart outreach efforts once again. We now ask you to bless them with a mission-minded shepherd who will work beside them as they seek the lost sheep of their community. Amen.

Contact:

Rev. Eli Steinbrenner, Home Missionary
pastor.steinbrenner@gmail.com
262-408-3141

Northdale, Tampa, Fla. – 2024

Enhancement: Northdale Lutheran Church is in a growing area of north Tampa, which has seen a large influx of Spanish-speakers move into the community. Northdale’s academy reflects this demographic shift, as 25 percent of its student body comes from a Spanish-speaking family. Short-term Home Missions support will allow Northdale to call a Spanish-speaking pastors to take advantage of these outreach opportunities.

Fast Facts:

  • Rev. Noah Satorius was assigned from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary to serve as Northdale’s new Spanish-speaking pastor in May 2025.
  • The community around Northdale has seen immigrants arriving from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Mexico, Argentina, and other parts of South America.
  • Thirty-five percent of the population in the greater Northdale area has been in the U.S. less than two years.

Prayer:

Loving Lord, you’ve sent us to carry your message of salvation to every nation, tribe, language, and people. Those opportunities aren’t just across the waters and on different continents, but in our own backyards and communities. We thank you for opening the door for Northdale Lutheran Church to be able to reach out to the underserved Hispanic population in their congregation and academy. We join them in thanksgiving that their Home Missions enhancement request was approved so they can begin calling for a full-time missionary to conduct Hispanic outreach. Use this plan for their ministry efforts to reach more and more souls. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Contact:

Rev. Matthew Guse, Northdale Lutheran Church
pastor@northdalelutheran.org
920-517-9000

St. Marcus, Milwaukee, Wis. – 2024

Enhancement: St. Marcus Lutheran Church received support to fund a “campus shepherd” at its third school campus, which serves 300 children, most of whom are unchurched. This person connects with the parents of school children, oversees the spiritual instruction of the kids on that campus, organizes baptism efforts, leads chapels, and supports staff. This position is also responsible for coordinating evangelism efforts across the three campuses. Mr. Brent Krohn began his work as Campus Evangelist during the 2024-2025 school year.

Fast Facts:

  • Mr. Brent Krohn began his work as Campus Evangelist during the 2024-2025 school year.
  • During the 2022–2023 school year, St. Marcus baptized more than 50 school students.
  • The third campus enrolls 300 students. When the campus reaches maximum capacity (which they expect soon), enrollment will stand at 600.
  • Out of the nearly 1,200 students across all three campuses, only 350 report having a church home.

Prayer:

Triune God, you have blessed St. Marcus Lutheran Church and School with nearly 1,200 students within their three campuses. Less than 30% of their students report having a church home. We thank you for the approval of St. Marcus as a mission enhancement so they could call a lay leader, Mr. Brent Krohn, to serve as the school chaplain for their third campus. Bless his work of connecting the students within all the campuses to Word and Sacraments within St. Marcus Lutheran Church. Bless the work of all the pastors, teachers, and staff at St. Marcus so that your kingdom may continue to grow through their Means of Grace ministries. Amen.

Contact:

Rev. James Hein, St. Marcus Lutheran Church
pastorjameshein@gmail.com
414-562-3369, Ext 1610

St. Paul, Calgary, AB, Canada – 2024

Enhancement: St. Paul Lutheran Church in Calgary, AB, Canada, is located in one of the most diverse areas in Canada. The immediate neighborhood around St. Paul is 50 percent immigrants and includes people from India, the Philippines, Pakistan, Africa, and the Middle East. Home Missions support allowed St. Paul to hire two part-time workers to assist the pastor in discipleship, community outreach, service/volunteer coordination, and other cross-cultural mission efforts.

Fast Facts:

  • Rebecca Ulmer serves part-time as the Member Ministry Coordinator, and Anna Reinemann serves part-time as the Refugee Ministry Coordinator.
  • St. Paul has members from 25 different countries.
  • In the Castlebridge community, where St. Paul is located, 63 percent of immigrants are first-generation immigrants.
  • From 2010–2020, St. Paul has welcomed 50 or so refugees. It sponsors refugees from South Sudan and partners with a Sudanese non-profit to provide parenting classes for parents of at-risk youth and outreach to South Sudanese refugees experiencing poverty and homelessness in Calgary.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, we thank you for your abundant blessings over St. Paul Lutheran Church in Calgary, AB, Canada. We praise you for the seeds that have been planted through this ministry already, and eagerly anticipate the plans you have for them as they enhance their ministry with additional manpower to assist with cross-cultural ministry. Strengthen and equip Pastor Reinemann, Anna Reinemann, and Rebecca Ulmer as they lead this effort. Grant wisdom in their decision-making and help them spread Christ’s gospel in their community. Give St. Paul all the resources they need to fulfill your plans and open doors for their mission field to expand and grow. By your Spirit, motivate their members with the joy of salvation in Christ their Savior. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Contact:

Rev. Chester Reinemann, St. Paul Lutheran Church
stpaulcalgarypastor@gmail.com
403-970-2414

Mount Calvary, Redding/Anderson, Calif. – 2023

Enhancement: Mount Calvary in Redding, Calif., and Faith in Anderson, Calif., merged into one unified congregation worshiping at two locations and received unsubsidized mission status in the spring of 2022. As their ministry continued to grow, the Board for Home Missions was asked to provide additional enhancement funding to call a full-time staff minister who could help make the most of the many gospel outreach opportunities being presented.

Fast Facts:

  • Tom Benzing accepted the call to serve as staff minister and started service in October 2023.
  • This new staff minister will be the site director of the Anderson campus, focusing on evangelism and youth/family ministry.
  • The 3.5-mile radius around the Mount Calvary site in Anderson is projected to grow by 5.3 percent.

Contact:
Rev. Benjamin Schaefer, Mount Calvary Lutheran Church
revschaefer@yahoo.com
530-515-1535

Christ the King, Palm Coast, Fla. – 2023

Enhancement: Christ the King in Palm Coast, Fla., will receive short-term Home Missions support to call a campus pastor to reach out to school families in its growing Christ the King Academy. The academy currently has 279 students enrolled, of which 125 students have no church home. This new missionary will also assist Christ the King in meeting the anticipated growth of the Palm Coast community, which is expected to double in size in the next ten years.

Fast Facts:

  • Palm Coast is the 5th-fastest-growing city in Florida and the 18th-fastest-growing city in the United States.
  • Called workers and leadership at Christ the King Church & Academy have worked diligently to develop a clear plan and harvest strategy for the outreach efforts to academy families.
  • Christ the King has 38 active connect groups that serve by offering small-group activities in the areas of Bible study, service projects, and social gatherings.

Contact:
Rev. Dan Schroeder, Christ the King Lutheran Church
dschroeder@ctkpalmcoast.com
619-852-2440
Website: ctkpalmcoast.com

Hope in Deerfield, Wis. – 2023

Enhancement (Unsubsidized): St. John in the Town of Lake Mills started a second site called Hope in Deerfield in fall 2021 with support from other local congregations. Members worship weekly at a funeral home in town and are committed to reaching out with the gospel to their community members. Unsubsidized mission status gives Hope in Deerfield access to grants from WELS Home Missions and Church Extension Fund (CEF) as well as support from the district mission board and mission counselor.

Fast Facts:

  • Deerfield serves as a bedroom community for people who work in Madison, Wis. With its small-town feel and more affordable housing options, Deerfield is growing.
  • The community members in Deerfield are 58 percent unchurched.
  • Hope in Deerfield has hosted a multitude of outreach activities throughout the years, including Praise and Proclaim training and grocery canvassing, trunk or treat, community picnics, etc.

Contact:
Rev. Kevin Hundley, St. John, Town of Lake Mills, and Hope in Deerfield, Wis.
hundley.kev@gmail.com
262-237-2660

Cross of Christ, Las Cruces, N.M. – 2023

Enhancement (Unsubsidized): Cross of Christ started in a member’s home 11 years ago. As an unsubsidized mission, they will have Home Missions support through their district mission board and mission counselor and access to special grants from Home Missions and WELS Church Extension Fund. The congregation has 73 members and owns land along a major access road where most of the city’s new development is taking place and where hundreds of young families are moving.

Fast Facts:

  • The Las Cruces area is currently home to more than 66,000 people, with an estimated population of more than 76,000 by 2032.
  • Since August 2021, average weekly worship attendance has gone up 30 percent.
  • The Las Cruces area is 57 percent Hispanic. Missionary Nathanial Jensen and members are working with Hispanic Outreach Consultant Tim Flunker to reach out to this demographic with the gospel.

Contact:
Rev. Nathanael Jensen, Cross of Christ Lutheran Church
nathanael.j.jensen@gmail.com
575-680-6980

Beautiful Savior, Des Moines, Iowa – 2023

Enhancement (Restart): Beautiful Savior in West Des Moines, Iowa, is looking to restart their ministry with Home Missions support. They have an existing worship facility and parsonage in the rapidly growing suburb of West Des Moines. The 95-member church has reinvigorated their outreach efforts and been blessed with adult confirmations and baptisms as a result, and they’re looking forward to continued growth with a new home missionary at the helm.

Fast Facts:

  • Rev. Brian Schmidt accepted the call to serve as Home Missionary at Beautiful Savior and was installed on August 27, 2023.
  • The area around Beautiful Savior has seen year-over-year growth of 1.8%, with population projected to reach 522,204 by 2024.
  • The church and parsonage are located across the street from a public elementary school, next door to an assisted living facility, and numerous new subdivisions and apartment buildings are going up in the area. The opportunities for ministry are abundant.
  • Even during their vacancy this past year, attendance for both worship and Bible study are up, elders are active, and they have had adult confirmations and four infant baptisms.

Contact:
Rev. Brian Schmidt, Home Missionary
brian.schmidt0615@gmail.com
515-225-4392

Fairview, Milwaukee, Wis. – 2023

Enhancement: Fairview in Milwaukee, Wis., is partnering with A City for God, a WELS para-synodical in the greater-Milwaukee area, to assist in their outreach efforts. A City for God has two chaplains who are at the Hope Semper and Hope Prima schools. WELS Home Missions is financially supporting these two chaplains to use half of their time to do outreach to the Hope school families they are already working with to connect them to ministries at Fairview.

Fast Facts:

  • Fairview has mission-minded leaders and the facility in place to do this ministry.
  • There has been a dramatic increase in worship and Bible study attendance since A City for God started using Fairview facilities as their ministry base.
  • While the two chaplains currently serve the Hope Semper and Hope Prima schools, they will also be able to reach out to students and families at Shining Star Christian School, a non-affiliated Christian school that is using the school space at Fairview for one of their three campuses.

Contact:
Rev. Paul Steinberg, Fairview and A City for God
psteinberg@acityforgod.org
414-530-0476