Principals, pastors, DCE/DCO/DFLM/DCMs, deaconesses and other staff interested in family ministry will want to attend the January 22nd Team Ministry Workshop at St. Marks in Wausau. Building Families of Faith and Character is a vision pillar in our NWD Ministry Plan. This day will provide ministries with a framework and tools for family ministry in the congregation. We are excited to have Rev. Dr. Todd Biermann from the Concordia Center for the Family as our speaker/presenter. Smaller congregations with only a pastor are also invited to attend this important event. Registration will open soon at nwdlcms.org.

Our church workers dedicate themselves, day in and day out, to serving their church and school communities. That means it’s always the right time to show them our appreciation. To help the church be intentional in showing that appreciation, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) has set aside the month of October and other special days throughout the year to highlight different kinds of church workers and their service. You are encouraged to join with your brothers and sisters in Christ across the LCMS in using these opportunities to show appreciation to our church workers, who serve us in a multitude of ways as they preach, teach and care for God’s people in body and soul.

• October - Pastors, Deaconess, Director of Family Life Ministry, Director of Christian Outreach, and Director of Church Ministries Appreciation
• April - Director of Parish Music Appreciation
• May - Teacher Appreciation
• June - Director of Christian Education Appreciation

The LCMS offers suggestions and resources to show your gratitude and support. Learn more HERE.

Congregations receive God’s love and mercy in worship. Pastors craft sermons to bring Christ and His Word to their people. Pastors and their members sometimes also feel like they are treading water, or know they want to move forward but are not quite sure what to do. Small Church Clarity (meaning congregations with up to 200 people per week in worship) is a four-week event that will lead congregations to develop and implement a plan for ministry. A cohort of churches is beginning this fall, and a new cohort (six-eight congregations) in the spring of 2026. We give thanks for our partners at LCEF for leading the training, and the NWD Board of Directors for providing the funding to cover the cost. Watch for more information. Consider participating in the next cohort. Contact President Shoup with questions.

The North Wisconsin District Labor of Love grants are for rostered church workers, both full time and part time, employed in NWD congregations, schools, or missions. They are limited to individuals with at least $10,000 in combined educational debt and will assist in repaying college and/or seminary educational loans (excludes post-graduate work or that beyond an M.Div.).

The annual application process opened on Sept. 15, with an application deadline of Dec. 10. Recipients will be notified via email in early January regarding their specific award amounts.

Grants and amounts will be awarded based on the applicant’s overall financial need, current financial commitments, special circumstances, and the District’s availability of grant funds.

Apply HERE.

We are blessed to have another 3 year agreement with our friends at MinistrySafe. Through December 2027 any NWD ministry can provide sexual abuse awareness training to its staff and volunteers at NO COST, thanks to the generosity of the NWD Board of Directors. Contact DJ to get started.

Congregations that are considering applying for a seminary graduate or a Vicar should contact the President's Office for additional information. The deadline for all applications is February 27, 2026. Please add this to your congregational voter's meetings for consideration for November/December so that you can complete the necessary documents in a timely manner. If your congregation is considering an Associate Pastor and would like to request interviews at either seminary, your requests need to be made by January 1, 2026. For more information, please contact Lori - lori@nwdlcms.org or 715-845-8241, ext. 103.

These annual gifts for future church workers continue to make a difference in the lives of undergrad and seminary students.

Read the below from Rachel P. …

Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for your generous donation and for making this student grant fund possible. Thank you for helping me pursue a degree in Lutheran music education. This calling that the Lord put on my heart would be so much harder to achieve on my own, and I will be forever grateful for your financial support. God is working through you to help future church workers lead others to Christ, and that is such a beautiful thing.

One of the top priorities of the LCMS is to promote and nurture the spiritual, emotional and physical well-being of pastors and professional church workers. In October, the LCMS celebrates Worker Wellness Month, placing an emphasis on church worker appreciation and providing resources on a variety of topics for those who are called to serve. Whether you are a church worker, spouse or congregation member, the LCMS prays you will find these resources helpful. View resources - HERE.

Please pray for our NWD pastors who will gather for their fall conference at The Lismore Hotel in Eau Claire.

• Topic – The Current State of the Pro-Life Movement
• Presented by: Rev. Aric Fenske and Dcs. Chrissy Gillet, PsyD, of Lutherans For Life
• Details available HERE.

President Shoup plans to spend a half day with the non-ordained, non-teacher called workers of the NWD on December 4 in Wausau. His desire is to bring Christ and His Word to these important leaders, encourage the value of their call, seek to understand the joys and challenges of their service, and explain the NWD emphasis on building families and children of faith and character. Registration is open at nwdlcms.org.

Since its inception in 2020, Dr. Reed Lessing has been leading three preaching workshops and one seminar on a book of the Bible per year through Concordia St. Paul's Center for Biblical Studies. Held both on campus or online, these workshops are also recorded, making them ideal for pastors with demanding schedules.

On October 24, Dr. Lessing will lead an Advent/Christmas workshop called Something Better. All details for this and upcoming workshops can be found HERE.

You’re invited to the Wisconsin Federation of Lutheran Altar Guilds convention on November 1, 2025, at Elm Grove Lutheran Church, Elm Grove, WI. The WFLAG is an organization made up of members in the LCMS North and South Wisconsin Districts. Each year the organization holds a convention alternating between locations in the NWD & SWD. The purpose of this wonderful organization is to advance the knowledge of the members in a ministry of bringing a sense of beauty and worship to the preparation of the church’s altar area. Information about the WFLAG and convention details are available on the www.wflag.org website. Registration deadline is October 18.

Save the date for the 34th Annual Parish Nurse and Congregational Health Ministries Conference! This event will be held May 13-14, 2026, on the campus of Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon. Consider joining the team of presenters. - Details HERE

The 69th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod will take place at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Ariz.

Attendees will gather under the convention theme, "Christ Is Risen Indeed," based on 1 Cor. 15:20–22. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus are of first importance (1 Cor. 15:3–4). Christ’s resurrection changes everything; Christ conquered the last enemy, death itself. In Him all believers have eternal life and are delivered from the sin we inherit from our old Adam. This forgiveness and life are freely given, but not freely obtained. It cost Christ His precious blood. But just as God raised Him from the dead, so we, too, walk in the newness of life as those who belong to Christ, those who will inherit eternal life. May we ever rejoice in this truly Good News, and may His praises be ever on our lips.

As preparations to gather in Phoenix continue, updates and information about the convention will be posted to https://www.lcms.org/convention/national.

The current pastoral vacancy & supply lists are available on the District Resources website under Congregations/Vacancies - HERE.