April 27th is North WI District Disaster Response Sunday. Building awareness of this critical ministry is our priority. The NWD has a Disaster Response Coordinator, Pastor Andy Weden, who serves at Peace Campus Center. Pastor Andy serves as our liaison to LCMS National Disaster Response and is on the board of directors for Shepherd’s Heart Disaster Response Ministry (a Registered Service Organization of the LCMS). These roles provide him a deep understanding of the support and services the LCMS can provide to disaster areas and to those looking to serve. His role is to help our NWD congregations with training, networking and support, when possible.

What can you do?

• Pray for people suffering through disasters.
• Consider your congregation's plan to serve those in need, then contact Pr. Andy to provide training, support and networking at 715-345-6510.
• Donate to NWD Disaster Response. Donate online on the “GIVE NOW” tab at nwdlcms.org or mail to NWD LCMS, 3103 Seymour Lane, Wausau, WI 54401
• Review the Bible studies and LCMS links under Disaster Response at https://nwdlcms.org/nwd-missions.

Register now for the Spring Pastors' Conference being held at St. Jakobi Lutheran, Shawano on May 12-13, 2025. Guest speaker, Rev. Dr. Kevin Golden will present on "Potent Prophetic Preaching for Pastors." Deadline to register is April 28. Registration & Details - HERE

The purpose of these annual NWD student grants is to make it possible for young men and women to prepare for professional church work while reducing the financial burden to attend our Synod schools. District financial support is available to all college and seminary students who are attending an LCMS university or seminary preparing to become a pastor, teacher, deaconess, DCM, DCE, music director or other full-time church vocation. A new application must be filed each year. Students simply need to contact the school’s financial aid office to get the district financial aid application and return it to their school before May 15. The form and other eligibility information can also be found at nwdlcms.org under Financial/Financial Resources/Financial Aid or HERE. We give thanks to those who have donated to these special funds in the past, allowing these gifts to be given annually. Awards will be made late summer. Contact DJ with questions.

The NWD Board of Directors has earmarked budgeted dollars for Mission Grants. These mission grants are a significant way to encourage and equip our NWD ministries to vigorously make known the love of Christ. The purpose is to encourage and support local outreach and evangelism… to help proclaim the Gospel to non-Christians. This year grants will range from $200 to $10,000. Grant requests will be evaluated according to their outreach/evangelism potential; tell how your project directly ties to local missions/Gospel outreach. Examples: canvas the community and give away t-shirts; hire a preschool teacher; develop a marketing video; share a youth worker with another congregation; expand VBS to include intentional outreach goals; host a community youth event; develop radio commercials or Facebook advertisements; host a Community Christmas Event; etc. Grant requests must be received by August 15, will be awarded in September, and must be used by December 31 of NEXT year. Find the entire rules and application on the NWD website under Events and Info.

The 2025 Adult Gathering will be held on Tuesday, October 14, at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Weston. Rev. Dr. Dan Paavola will be our keynote speaker on the topic Our Way Home: A Journey through the Lord's Prayer. Registration will be available later this summer.

LCMS Rosters, Statistics and Research Services has extended the deadline to May 2, and is requesting that all congregations complete their 2024 congregation year-end statistics & lay leader info via the https://lc.lcms.org/ website. You may also review your congregation’s profile and lay leader information anytime throughout the year to make sure your contact information, service times and other important data are current. Up-to-date statistical information is essential for the Synod as it plans current and future ministry efforts. Such information is also critical for determining proper voting representation at conventions. If you cannot remember the username and/or password you created previously for your congregation, follow the on-screen helps on the login page to recover your credentials. For any questions or login assistance, please contact: rosters.stats@lcms.org or call (314) 996-1366.

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod informational tax brochure designed for ordained or commissioned ministers is available on the NWD website. Simply go to the Financial tab and look under “Forms and Policies - Taxes and Ministers”. Click here for the direct link to the publication.

PLEASE NOTE: This brochure is for information only and is not a substitute for obtaining professional tax, legal or financial advice. The services of a professional person are recommended if advice is required concerning the topics discussed.

Do you need an organist? Church Music Solutions produces and provides high quality organ music to support congregational singing in LCMS churches where an organist is unavailable. If you would like organ music assistance on a rare, occasional, or regular basis, you can learn more at www.churchmusicsolutions.com or call (800) 651-7497. You can also contact a representative directly, Rosie Adle of Imperial, NE, at rosiea@churchmusicsolutions.com or reach her on her direct line (314) 591-7313. To see how Church Music Solutions can help your congregation keep singing - click HERE.

Unknown Nations is the 2024-25 Hearts for Jesus ministry. Unknown Nations is on a mission to spread the Gospel to the most remote and spiritually dark corners of the world. Unknown Nations is changing lives and bringing hope. Check out their updated early childhood resources and other supports for teachers HERE. Send HFJ donations to the NWD Office, with checks made payable to: North WI District LCMS (with HFJ 2024-25 on the memo line).

Five years after the original launch of Set Apart to Serve (SAS), the church work recruitment initiative of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS),SAS curriculum is available. The curriculum — a product of the LCMS Office of Pastoral Education — is a collaborative effort of the LCMS and Concordia Publishing House (CPH). It reflects the contributions of a wide range of stakeholders, including the 35 LCMS districts, the two seminaries, the Concordia universities, LCMS School Ministry, LCMS Youth Ministry and more. Thanks to a generous gift from Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) and gifts from the six Concordia universities, the curriculum comes at no cost to all LCMS schools, from early childhood through high school. Click HERE for more info.

The 33rd Annual Parish Nurse & Congregational Health Ministries Conference will be held May 14-15, 2025 on the Concordia University Wisconsin campus in Mequon, WI. Details - HERE

The LCMS Foundation will be holding a Gift Planning training event on May 15th at Peace Antigo. Advocate training is aimed at pastors, school administrators, staff, and lay leadership, and is intended to help ministry leaders understand the value of gift planning and endowment development. Ministry leaders will learn how they can promote gift planning in their ministry, steward gifts as they are created, and partner with and refer potential donors to the LCMS Foundation. Registration & Details - HERE

You're invited to participate in the Best Practices for Ministry - Heartland 2025 conference, taking place August 10–12, at St. Lorenz Lutheran Church in Frankenmuth, MI. This year’s theme, "Encouragement in Our Callings," focuses on equipping and uplifting ministry leaders through worship, learning, and fellowship. The conference is an opportunity for pastors, church workers, and lay leaders to connect and gain practical insights for ministry. For more details, visit: https://stlorenz.churchcenter.com/pages/bpmh.

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