Gurgel Gone - Income Up

TOP NEWS STORIES
Latest financial report shows increase
Overall receipts for WELS operating budget in July 2007 showed a marked increase over the previous July, but the synod's chief financial officer is urging caution in projecting the increase beyond the current month.

Receipts for July 2007 of $5.5 million were $3.9 million greater than July 2006, but the increase reflects receipt of the first annual installment from an anonymous WELS member who is donating $2.55 million a year for the next five years to the synod's operating budget. Changes in foreign exchange rates have added another $225,000 to the value of the installment.

July 2007 Congregation Mission Offerings (CMO) were up $550,000 over the previous July. As recently as June, receipts were 1.9 percent less than 2006. The upturn in July appears to reflect the efforts of the Conference of Presidents to increase CMO prior to the synod convention, held July 30-Aug. 3.

From January through July, CMO receipts were up 3.6 percent over the prior year--a 3 percent increase was forecast. "I give thanks to God for the support his people provided in July, but strongly caution those using July results to project support for the other 11 months of the fiscal year," says Todd Poppe, WELS' chief financial officer. "Even in my short service to the synod I have seen positive results quickly turn around."

To view WELS' latest financial report, visit www.wels.net/jump/financialreport.

Martin Luther College enrollment figures
Martin Luther College (MLC) in New Ulm, Minn., has released its official enrollment figures for the 2007-08 school year. A total of 720 on-campus students are enrolled--531 are studying for the educational ministry and 173 for the pastoral ministry. Sixteen are unclassified.

Peter Kruschel, administrator for WELS Board for Ministerial Education, says the 720 figure is "at the high end of what we had hoped for."

While 11 fewer students are enrolled this year than were enrolled at the beginning of last year, there are 10 more enrolled than were enrolled at the end of last year. It's the first time there's been a gain from the end of one school year to the beginning of the next since the 2002-03 school year.

Still, MLC's beginning enrollment is the lowest since a peak of 1,063 five years ago. Phil Leyrer, MLC's vice president for enrollment management, says the main factor is the rapid rise in tuition over those years. Kruschel says other factors include that not as many students are coming through WELS' grade school and high school system and that not all candidates for the teaching ministry have received calls.

Official enrollment figures from all four synod schools will be published in the Four Schools Report, due out by the end of September.

WELS military personnel serving in the Middle East
Pastor Paul Ziemer, national civilian chaplain to the military and Armed Forces liaison, is preparing for another trip to the Middle East. Congregations and families are encouraged to submit names of WELS military personnel to the Military Services Committee so Ziemer can serve the men and women stationed there.

Visit www.wels.net/jump/military and click "refer military personnel" to submit new information or update previous referrals. If possible, include a working e-mail address for each person being referred to the committee. For more information, contact Rev. Paul Ziemer at 910-717-0085 or welsmilitary@msn.com.

New mission counselor accepts interim call
On Aug. 18, Pastor Mark Birkholz accepted a call as interim mission counselor for the Board for Home Missions. Birkholz will serve in this position for one year as the Board for Home Missions reviews how the mission counselors program is organized and used by mission congregations within WELS.

Communicating the convention
Delegates to our recent synod convention have been visiting congregations in their district to share the bold challenge WELS faces as a result of the resolutions passed.

Congregations that have not yet been contacted for a visit are urged to notify their district president to find out which delegate is responsible for sharing convention news with them.

Pastors and other congregational leaders may choose to share convention news to their congregations on their own. WELS Communication Services has provided resources to make that task easier, including a seven-minute DVD that explains the main developments of the convention and what they mean for congregations. It can be viewed on Streams or downloaded. It is also available as the "Congregation Leaders Toolbox" feature on the September/October edition of WELS Connection, which was sent to every congregation. That edition of WELS Connection features a message from Pres. Mark Schroeder.

Printed "talking points" are also available, which give more detail behind some of the key resolutions passed. For more information, visit www.wels.net/jump/convresources.

SPOTLIGHT ON STREAMS: Flooding update
WELS Committee on Relief has offered financial and spiritual support to WELS members and others impacted by devastating floods across three states in August. In a video report, Joel Hochmuth, WELS director of communications, recaps the damage and the relief efforts.

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GJ - Hochmuth is the genius at communication who pounded a stake into the heart of Michigan Lutheran Seminary, via the Saginaw News. SP Schroeder has since repaired the damage.