Helping Frail Elderly in the Pew – This brochure lists some obstacles and suggests how to help frail members so they can be served in the public service until they can no longer leave home.
Aging Bible Studies – Devotions and Bible reference for use in ministry to the aging. Download Bible studies
Oct. 9-12, 2017
Country Springs Hotel, Pewaukee, Wis.
“Filled with the Gospel.”
Pastor Aaron Christie will tell OWLS about Luther and his music, former WELS chaplain Pastor Josh Martin and his wife will talk about the joys of their life and serving the European civilian chaplaincy in Germany, seminary Professor Bradley Wordel will tell of the work being done in our Japanese mission field. Pastor Tony Schultz will fill hearts with the joy of sharing Jesus with young and old.
Early arrivals at the convention can enjoy Monday morning’s tours of historic WELS churches in the Milwaukee area as well as tour the WELS Center for Mission and Ministry.
Workshops will offer OWLS a wide variety of topics, including guidance on writing your life story, information about puppet ministry, little known facts about US presidents and their wives, the international student program at MLC, or meet with a WELS member who serves as a representative in the Wisconsin Assembly, Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt.
The Organization of WELS Seniors (OWLS) convention is open to all WELS / ELS members who are retired and / or over the age of 50. Among the special guests this year, former WELS Civilian Chaplain in Europe, Pastor Josh Martin and his wife Katie will be present. The OWLS have been major funders of the WELS European Civilian Chaplaincy, and this year’s convention features a silent auction with proceeds designated for that cause. The hotel complex provides a complimentary indoor water park for attendees. With plenty of time to make new friends and connect with friends from the past, the Pewaukee Convention promises to be a relaxing and enjoyable opportunity for seniors.
Registration materials are available below. If you’ve attended previous conventions, a mailing has been sent to you.
Questions? E-mail the Convention Coordinator, Werner Lemke, at [email protected].
The 2016 OWLS convention was held in October in Omaha, Nebraska. Learn more here.
Read here to find out more about the OWLS organization.
The resources on this page will be useful for starting a congregational Care Committee for Called Workers (CCCW) and for building loving, caring relationships with your called workers and their families. A detailed overview of the work of a Care Committee for Called Workers, called the “CCCW Quick Start” can be downloaded below.
The “Care to Care Manual” explains the work and provide sample questions to use in interviews with called workers. Three kinds of interviews are included: when a new called worker arrives, when the called worker is interviewed annually, and when the called worker transitions to a new call or to retirement.
“Care to Plan” materials provide CCCW teams with resources to encourage called workers to prepare for retirement, or at least be informed about the resources available to them. “Care to Plan for Called Worker Retirement” will help the CCCW team, or another appropriate group, prepare to discuss retirement resources available to called workers. “Retirement Guide” is a resource that the CCCW can give called workers to inform them about the resources.
Informational brochures for dealing with mental health issues.
The WELS/ELS Christian Therapists Network provides a network for professionally-trained therapists in fellowship with the WELS or ELS to enhance the delivery of Bible-based, Christ-centered therapy. It is a referral source for WELS/ELS congregations and called workers, and the Network helps Christians find professionally-trained, Christian therapists in their area.
Another resource for WELS called workers and their families, and for members of WELS churches, is Christ-centered counseling through WLCFS-Christian Family Solutions which provides an array of counseling services including outpatient, intensive outpatient, day treatment programs, and medication management. Services are available in person or through a secure video connection (telehealth) in some states. Their Member Assistance Program (MAP) is also available for congregations and schools that wish to cover the costs of counseling services for their members. CFS counselors also provide Educational Presentations on a variety of topics, in-person, via webinar, or asynchronously through the CFS website.
Responding to the Spiritual Impact of Child Abuse- Freedom for the Captives is a WELS Special Ministries taskforce that provides resources for survivors of child sexual abuse, and for churches and their leaders who desire to minister faithfully when cases of such abuse become known. A wide variety of resources can be found on the Freedom for the Captives website, freedomforcaptives.com. Responding to the Spiritual Impact of Child Abuse makes clear the need for such resources. It can be printed out for presentations or sharing with individuals to make them aware of the need for Christians to respond in a godly manner, and to introduce them to the website. Free online abuse prevention training, called “Standing Up for Children,” is now available at welscongregationalservices.net/abuse-prevention/
Conquerors through Christ- Conquerors through Christ (CtC) is a WELS Special Ministries taskforce to help Christians deal with the temptations and devastation caused by Internet pornography. A wide variety of resources and videos can be found on the CtC website, conquerorsthroughchrist.net. This brochure can be printed to share with groups or to help someone find the resources and support they need to deal with this problem.
WELS Mission for the Visually Impaired provides Christian spiritual materials in braille, large print and audio formats. People who are visually impaired or print impaired can also access Christian books and periodicals on the WELS Listen Library. The Listen Library and other MVI resources are available only to people who cannot read print materials because of vision impairment or reading disability. Learn about ministering to people who are blind or visually impaired or download the catalogs of materials available for borrowing through MVI or the Listen Library.