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Gary Janetzke
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Family ministry provides a total family ministry framework for the local church, with special emphasis on building healthy, well-functioning families of all types. Parenting training, marriage enrichment seminars, counseling training for professionals, and extensive family resources are available to all churches and individuals.
Singles ministry enriches and expands resources and services to adults who are single because of divorce, death, separation, and never-marrieds of all ages and gender. Training events, resource provision, retreats, and conferences are regularly offered for single people and their leadership.
Congregational planning assists congregations in assessing their current ministry needs, and formulating corporate goals and constructing a realistic action plan to achieve the stated goals. Personal, custom visitations over several days are offered by a specially trained congregational consultant.
Educational ministries to children and adults provide resources, workshops and seminars, and training for teachers of Sunday school, vacation Bible school, midweek school, Confirmation instruction. We also work to help congregations and their leaders promote and resource Bible classes for adults.
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 Hmong International Mission (HIM) is a Hmong mission group made up of LCMS pastors, missionaries and laity. Its goal is to build an affiliated seminary to train Hmong pastors and leaders to expand the mission in Thailand. On Aug.15, 2008, HIM held its first conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Rev. Jeff Prewitt, Rev. Mark Berlin, Rev. Yia Vang and his wife Susan, all from the SWD, attended the conference.
 Tens of thousands of Harley-Davidson motorcycle riders roared into Milwaukee the last week in August for the company’s 105th anniversary and reunion. Members of Hope, Milwaukee, near the company’s headquarters took advantage of their captive audience and, in lieu of a midweek worship service, they put their faith into action.
 The SWD outreach task force will offer a workshop at St. John, Portage, on Saturday, Nov. 15 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Flyer 
Many factors in the church necessitate building a network for leadership training and mission support for rural/small town congregations. In this one-day workshop, Dr. Ralph Geisler, director of the St. Paul Institute for Education ( spife.org) in Concordia, Mo., will prepare you for this mission field.
Seminary library on the grounds of the Lutheran Church of Nigeria.
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Your gifts were well received!
Many of you remember bringing used hymnals, clothing, theology books, paraments and other articles to our collection at the District office for the Lutheran Church of Nigeria (LCN) last November and December. We reported to you in January that the 40-foot container of 15,000 books and all the rest was on its way to Port Harcourt. Everything arrived safely and has by now been taken to the LCN seminary, where the items are being stored and distributed to congregations. The people are overjoyed with your gifts!
 During the week of June 30 to July 3, eleven teens and their pastor, Rev. Allen Behnke from Bethlehem, Wales, set out each day to serve. Cooperating Congregations of Waukesha County, A Place of Refuge’s Resale Shop and the S.O.S. Center in Milwaukee were on the receiving end of their Christian love.
The missions department had a wonderful surprise the week of June 8 when Lutheran Heritage Foundation (LHF) executive director, Rev. Dr. Bob Rahn stopped by to visit with  Rev. Dan McMiller. Rahn announced that 11,000 Spanish Bibles, with Catechisms included, are now in print and he presented a few copies to the District. It was a project that was just a vision in 2001, and has now become a reality that will have wide usage in our District and in many other places throughout the world.
Rev. Dr. Robert Rahn (left), executive director for Lutheran Heritage Foundation, shows a new Spanish Bible to Rev. Dan McMiller, South Wisconsin District missions executive.
 When you think of college students in Mexico on spring break what images come to mind? You probably picture students having fun and soaking up the sun on the beach. Well a group of eight college students, two recent graduates and two staff people from Madison’s Calvary Chapel campus ministry went to Mexico for spring break. It was anything but a typical vacation. We went on a mission trip to Saltillo, Mexico. The purpose of the trip was to help one of the local churches with some painting and VBS. (Click the read more link for a photo gallery.)
 As Easter is a time of new life and resurrection, it was an appropriate blessing for Rev. Chris Ikanih and Rev. Richard Boeck, along with the growing family of believers at Bethany, to welcome into the family of God 45 new souls (from babes in arms to adults) through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. An additional nine persons were baptized the following Sunday, for a total of 54 new baptisms in a congregation that had been reduced to 15-20 worshippers and at the verge of closing just before Christmas.
 On Saturday, April 12, 2008, over 200 people attended a prayer breakfast for a "Summer of Peace and Hope in the City” held at Bethany Lutheran in Milwaukee’s inner city.
Pictured left to right: State Representative Jason Fields, Alderman and Common Council President Willie L. Hines, Jr., Rev. Chris Ikanih, and Dr. Howard Fuller (former MPS superintendent).
 On Feb. 23, the Hispanic Business and Professionals Association (HBPA) presented Rev. Pedro Lopez a community enhancement award at their 2008 banquet. The award was given in recognition of his contribution to the community of Racine. Lopez is pastor of Primera Iglesia Luterana congregation in Racine and is also a board member of the HBPA.
 The International Friendship Center at the UW campus in Madison is always a beehive of activity. There are English conversation classes, Bible study groups, and special events—and sometimes an international student happens to stop in to use the phone. Please rejoice with us as you read more about how the Holy Spirit has been at work there recently!
 From Jan. 14-25, Rev. Jeff Prewitt (New Hope, Neenah) and Rev. Yia Vang (Hmong Hope, Milwaukee) visited Chiang Mai, Thailand. Their purpose was to teach Thai and Laotian Hmong students who are studying to become mission pastors in Thailand and Laos.
 LCMS World Mission has short-term mission team opportunities available. Calling all LCMS congregations, universities, small groups, mission responders, families, and members to respond to the urgent need for more than 200 international short-term mission teams in the coming year. Could this be you or someone you know?
 Olivia Versteegh and Kalie McCaughn from Immanuel Lutheran School in Brookfield came to the District office to help load their books for the shipment to Nigeria with Gui Kasongo Kabeo (left), Mission Executive Rev. Daniel McMiller, and their teacher, Paul Gohde.
On May 13, there was great rejoicing and praising God for the outpouring of his Holy Spirit on his people of Hmong Hope Lutheran Church in Milwaukee.
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