New Monthly Featured "Circuit" for February
In the midst of a Midwestern winter (mild, but still winter), we are altering the usual pattern for our monthly featured circuit. Instead of a circuit in one of our twelve districts, this month we are taking a trip to the warmth of the southern hemisphere to feature the work of our brothers in the Malawi Mission Field (along with some “guests” from the Zambian field). With thanks to our brothers in Malawi, and with the prayer that we can beg, borrow, and steal ideas from them, this is presented as our “featured circuit” for February 2012.
Renewed in Grace Retreat 2012
Grow in Grace has launched a new initiative—Pastor Partners—in order to encourage ministry-long spiritual and professional health through a coordinated system for growth, support, and development. It is our goal to strengthen and support pastors from seminary to sunset.
Part of our work through Pastor Partners includes planning and hosting ministry celebrations/retreats for pastors and their wives as they move through their public ministry years. The events are held at key milestones in a pastor’s ministry to build on peer mentoring relationships, strengthen marriages, and offer education and encouragement.
Events will eventually be held for men who are: three years out of the seminary (Begun in Grace), 10 years out (Renewed in Grace), 25 years out (Finishing Well in Grace), and at retirement (Completed in Grace). Program content and presenters will be specific to each group.
The first in these series of gatherings, Renewed in Grace, will be held in San Antonio, TX, April 2012.
Register for Satellite Summer Quarter Courses
NEW! Hebrew Review and Institute at WLS during Summer Quarter, 2012.
The Hebrew Review 2012 and Hebrew Institute 2012 courses, held for several years in New Ulm, will now also be offered in Mequon every other year. The courses will make their Mequon debut at this year’s Summer Quarter. The Hebrew Review (June 25-29) provides parish pastors the opportunity to regain and enhance their skills in working with Hebrew. The Hebrew Institute (July 2-6) features the rapid reading of Hebrew prose as a way to gain confidence in Hebrew language skills. To register for one of these courses, click on its link above.
Symposium 2012 - Brotherly Admonition
What is our response when a fellow Christian falls into the trap of sin? What if the fellow Christian is a brother in the ministry? How does the Church deal with servants of the gospel who fall into the trap of false teaching or unfaithfulness? How do believers determine these errors, and who among the believers deals with discipline? The issue is critical, since the sins and sinful weaknesses of a public minister can confuse and harm the entire body of believers. The annual fall symposium at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary will be held on the seminary campus on September 17-18, 2012. Click here for more information.
NEW! Online Registration for Freshness & Variety in Proclaiming Law & Gospel during the MLC Summer Quarter is Now Available
Online registration for Professor Gurgel’s Freshness & Variety in Proclaiming Law & Gospel course during the MLC Summer Quarter (July 9-13) is now available. Click here to register.
NEW! The Pastor's Bible Class, Part 2
The long-awaited class has arrived and you’re invited! Professor Daniel Deutschlander will lead a two day seminar on Mark 1:22 and following. This Bible study for pastors will take place in Watertown, WI from January 29-30, 2012. The Western Wisconsin District is sponsoring the event. For more details and information on how to register, click here!
A Symposium on Lutheran Schools - September 19-20, 2011
Almost 450 participants gathered at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary to hear presentations about Lutheran Schools in WELS. Besides seminary students and professors, 334 pastors, school principals, and others involved in WELS educational agencies attended. The essays and reactions may be downloaded and copied.
Videos of the essays and reactions:
Essay 1 - Essay 2 - Essay 3
Spiritual and Professional Growth Plan
Over the years of ministry, pastors often develop many different paths for pursuing spiritual and professional growth. Many of those ways prove to be a rich blessing both for our growth in faith and our growth in ministering to God’s people.
But there are often two challenges that can keep our efforts from bearing as much fruit as they otherwise might. One challenge is pursuing spiritual and professional growth somewhat at random rather than crafting a coordinated plan. The other challenge is pursuing professional growth apart from a careful consideration of current and ongoing ministry challenges in the calling in which we are serving.
To assist pastors in overcoming both of those challenges, three new documents have been posted on the Planning for Growth section of the Grow in Grace site, under “Developing Personal Study Plans”. One document helps pastors think through why planning for growth may be time well spent. The other two documents provide options and documents to use in doing that planning.
The Pastor's Bible Study - Professor Daniel Deutschlander
On February 21-22 of 2011, Professor Deutschlander gave a seminar entitled The Pastor’s Bible Study. For many years he faithfully taught what it means to be a Lutheran pastor, preacher and Seelsorger. We are pleased to be able to offer the original study guide and a three part recording of Professor Deutschlander’s presentation for your benefit.
You can find all the files at Proclaim Grace! under Key Issue #4
Partnering in the lifelong pursuit of spiritual and professional growth.
Click the above picture to visit the Proclaim Grace! preaching site.
Courses
Through Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary’s faculty and adjunct faculty, Grow in Grace offers a broad range of continuing education courses and presentations. For-credit courses are offered on-campus during Winterim and Summer Quarter. Courses are also offered off-campus and online throughout the year. Pastoral circuits and conferences can also schedule shorter, non-credit presentations, called Pastors Institutes, throughout the year. Many offerings can be tailored either for-credit or as non-credit presentations depending on available agenda time.
Upcoming Dates
Submit Your Ideas
Do you have an idea on how Grow in Grace can be an even better partner with those serving in the field? Or maybe you’ve got a good example of how you, your congregation, circuit, conference, or district is working at growing in grace? We’d be happy to hear your thoughts.
Sharing Ideas
Learn how others around the synod are pursuing continuing education.
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October 11, 2011
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May 27, 2011
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April 1, 2011
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March 23, 2011
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