2024 Lecture

Why Another Synod: The Beginnings of the Wisconsin Synod

In the late 1840s, there were already several Lutheran church bodies with congregations in the Milwaukee area. What led three pastors from Germany to begin a new Lutheran church body in 1850? What challenges did the fledgling Wisconsin Synod face in the early decades of its existence? What developments helped chart it on a course that have contributed to what we see in WELS 175 years later?
These questions (and others) will be considered as we examine the beginnings of the Wisconsin Synod and see God’s grace at work.
 

Date & Time: Saturday, October 19   |   3:00 pm

Location: Nain Evangelical Lutheran Church  (in the downstairs fellowship hall)

1665 South 57th St., West Allis, WI 53214

Speaker: Rev. Otto chairs the WELS 175th anniversary committee (2025). Since 2011, he has served at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, where he teaches church history and education and is the dean of students. Previously he served congregations in Michigan, California, and Wisconsin. He is also the chairman of the WELS Historical Institute and serves on the Commission on Inter-Church Relations. He has previously served on the Commission on Worship, the Commission on Lutheran Schools, the WELS Hymnal Project, and as a writer for Forward in Christ.

Registration: The lecture is free, but we kindly request that you register in advance if you plan to attend.  

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

 

Past Lectures

2023 Lecture

Nice to Meet You!  Getting to Know the New Songs of Christian Worship

With this hymnal 'the Wisconsin Synod has finally come into its own' (CrossAccent, Summer 2023).  Learn about (and sing!) hymns in Christian Worship from WELS poets and musicians, along with some of the contributions from the wider Christian church of the 21st century.
 

Speaker: Dr. Jeremy Bakken has been Director of Worship and Sacred Music at Northwestern Publishing House since September 2016.  He participated in the development of Christian Worship as a member of the Hymns Subcommittee, contributed four tunes to the new hymnal (along with several harmonizations), and has played a key role in developing support resources, especially the Easy Hymns Accompaniments and Musician's Resource. Jeremy serves as adult choir director and liturgical ensemble coordinator at Trinity Lutheran Church in Waukesha.  He holds music degrees from Wisconsin Lutheran College (BS, 2004), University of New Mexico (MM, 2013) and University of Southern California (DMA, 2022).