Partnering with Pastors June 25, 2018 Dear Lay Leader, Greetings in the name of Jesus from your seminary in Mequon! Four weeks ago we had the privilege of seeing another graduating class assigned into our synod s public pastoral. This next year will mark thirty-five years since your pastor s graduation from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. We are encouraging your congregation to mark this anniversary by making it possible for your pastor and wife to attend a retreat Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary is organizing. This retreat (Remaining in Grace) will be held Wednesday, April 24 through Friday, April 26, 2019, in San Antonio, Texas. This will be the second year we have sponsored a year-thirty-five retreat. You may be aware that three other retreats will be held in San Antonio for those marking 3 years since graduation (Begun in Grace); for those celebrating 10 years since graduation (Renewed in Grace); and for those who marking 25 years since graduation (Excelling in Grace). Like those retreats, Remaining in Grace will celebrate a ministry milestone, encourage in worship and Bible study, and provide opportunities to reconnect with peers. We are convinced your congregation, not just your pastor and wife, will be blessed by the encouragement your pastor and wife will receive while in San Antonio. This retreat is part of an effort by your synod to strengthen and encourage those serving us in pastoral ministry. In the previous four decades, we have lost 541 pastors to resignation. However, God is blessing efforts like these retreats to reduce that resignation rate during this current decade by 28%. Investing in the encouragement of our pastors is an investment in ongoing gospel ministry! It is particularly important to help pastors who are reaching their final years of ministry to consider how they might prepare to transition toward retirement years in ways that are a blessing for them and those they serve. While in the decade ahead they may begin to serve their Savior in a different way, most of all they will be reminded at this retreat that they remain in God s grace as his dearly loved children in Christ. That explains the name of the retreat (Remaining in Grace) to which your pastor is invited! Here are responses from some who attended previous retreats: Everything was wonderful, from the relevant topics to the fellowship/free time to the accommodations! It's hard to pick a highlight from such a wonderfully planned event. I was thankful that the themes focused on joy in the personal Gospel and support for ministry struggles; I had been worried that the emphasis would be more on improving one's ministry skills, etc. There is surely a time and place for that, but it was wonderful to come and hear the good news without any guilt-tripping about things that could be done better! Thank you for the joyful Gospel focus! Being there with just my wife. This was the first time we've been away from our children in 11 years for more than two nights. They were fine. We were fine. It was great! The Bible studies renewed my eagerness to serve. The fellowship was wonderful; it was so fun to catch up with everyone. We hadn't seen anyone there since graduation. GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. 2 PETER 3:18 Prof. Richard Gurgel, Director Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary 11831 N Seminary Dr. Mequon, WI 53092 rich.gurgel@wls.wels.net www.wls.wels.net/grow-in-grace 262.242.8181
Time being refreshed. Knowing we're not alone. Remembering what an awesome job we have before us. Seeing old friends. Digging into the Word. Talking through things. We came home refreshed in every way possible. This was a blessing beyond our expectations. Thank you!!!!! In the months ahead, more information will follow online on our Grow in Grace web site and through emails we will send out as we finalize the agenda for each retreat. Of course, as someone charged with being a good steward of your congregation s resources, we realize that the cost of this retreat is an important part of the decision you make. While final costs for the 2019 retreat will depend on finalizing contracts with our vendors, we hope to keep the costs comparable to this year s retreats. Here are the estimated costs: Two nights hotel: $ 395 (Including taxes) Retreat registration (per couple): $ 399 (Registrations after 2/15/19 will be $425) Travel/airfare (base amount per couple): $ 700 Total cost: $ 1,494 To help even out travel costs, Grow in Grace will match dollar-for-dollar all travel costs beyond $700 (per couple). That kept the average total quite close to the amount listed above. While many congregations encouraged pastor and wife to arrive early or stay later, the cost of those extra nights are not reflected above. It may be of interest to note that last year about 75% of congregations who sent their pastor and his wife covered the entire cost (2-night hotel stay, conference registration, and travel costs not matched by Grow in Grace). While each congregation is free to determine how they will respond to this opportunity, I believe you can see from the responses that the cost of this retreat is indeed an investment in gospel ministry. I was blessed to see firsthand the appreciation expressed by pastors and spouses for the encouragement received at the retreat and the gracious support of their congregations that made their attendance possible. There are many ways a congregation could provide this retreat for their pastor and his wife. Some congregations have simply put the cost into their budget. Others have used a door offering to cover costs. Still others have made the congregation aware of the opportunity and allowed members to respond with special gifts. Online registration will open in November, and we will send out further information as that time approaches. We urge the leaders of your congregation to discuss this opportunity to support your pastor s ministry. It is our prayer that with your congregation s support, your pastor and his wife will be among those who gather in San Antonio next year. More than that, it is our prayer that their attendance at the retreat proves a blessing to them and to you for many years to come! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or our event coordinator, Kim Workentine at (Kimberly.workentine@wls.wels.net). In Him, Professor Rich Gurgel
Partnering with Pastors June 25, 2018 Dear Lay Leader, Greetings in the name of Jesus from your seminary in Mequon! Four weeks ago we had the privilege of seeing another graduating class assigned into our synod s public pastoral. This next year will mark twenty-five years since your pastor s graduation from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. We are encouraging your congregation to mark this anniversary by making it possible for your pastor and his wife to attend a retreat Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary is organizing. This retreat (Excelling in Grace) will be held Wednesday, April 24 through Friday, April 26, 2019, in San Antonio, Texas. This will be the sixth year we have sponsored a year-twenty-five retreat. You may be aware that three other retreats will be held in San Antonio for those marking 3 years since graduation (Begun in Grace); for those celebrating 10 years since graduation (Renewed in Grace); and for those who marking 35 years since graduation (Remaining in Grace). Like those retreats, Excelling in Grace will celebrate a ministry milestone, encourage in worship and Bible study, and provide opportunities to reconnect with peers. We are convinced your congregation, not just your pastor and wife, will be blessed by the encouragement your pastor and wife will receive while in San Antonio. This retreat is part of an effort by your synod to strengthen and encourage those serving us in pastoral ministry. In the previous four decades, we have lost 541 pastors to resignation. However, God is blessing efforts like these retreats to reduce that resignation rate during this current decade by 28%. Investing in the encouragement of our pastors is an investment in ongoing gospel ministry! It is particularly important to help pastors who have passed the midpoint in ministry since they may have begun to recognize that strength and energy levels are not what they once were. This retreat seeks to assure them that God s grace can enable them to excel in all their callings also at this stage of life. That explains the name of the retreat (Excelling in Grace) to which your pastor is invited! Here are responses from some who attended previous retreats: Everything was wonderful, from the relevant topics to the fellowship/free time to the accommodations! It's hard to pick a highlight from such a wonderfully planned event. I was thankful that the themes focused on joy in the personal Gospel and support for ministry struggles; I had been worried that the emphasis would be more on improving one's ministry skills, etc. There is surely a time and place for that, but it was wonderful to come and hear the good news without any guilt-tripping about things that could be done better! Thank you for the joyful Gospel focus! Being there with just my wife. This was the first time we've been away from our children in 11 years for more than two nights. They were fine. We were fine. It was great! The Bible studies renewed my eagerness to serve. The fellowship was wonderful; it was so fun to catch up with everyone. We hadn't seen anyone there since graduation. Time being refreshed. Knowing we're not alone. Remembering what an awesome job we have before us. Seeing old friends. Digging into the Word. Talking through things. We came home refreshed in every way possible. This was a blessing beyond our expectations. Thank you!!!!! GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. 2 PETER 3:18 Prof. Richard Gurgel, Director Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary 11831 N Seminary Dr. Mequon, WI 53092 rich.gurgel@wls.wels.net www.wls.wels.net/grow-in-grace 262.242.8181
In the months ahead, more information will follow online on our Grow in Grace web site and through emails we will send out as we finalize the agenda for each retreat. Of course, as someone charged with being a good steward of your congregation s resources, we realize that the cost of this retreat is an important part of the decision you make. While final costs for the 2019 retreat will depend on finalizing contracts with our vendors, we hope to keep the costs comparable to this year s retreats. Here are the estimated costs: Two nights hotel: $ 395 (Including taxes) Retreat registration (per couple): $ 399 (Registrations after 2/15/19 will be $425) Travel/airfare (base amount per couple): $ 700 Total cost: $ 1,494 To help even out travel costs, Grow in Grace will match dollar-for-dollar all travel costs beyond $700 (per couple). That kept the average total quite close to the amount listed above. While many congregations encouraged pastor and wife to arrive early or stay later, the cost of those extra nights are not reflected above. It may be of interest to note that last year about 75% of congregations who sent their pastor and his wife covered the entire cost (2-night hotel stay, conference registration, and travel costs not matched by Grow in Grace). While each congregation is free to determine how they will respond to this opportunity, I believe you can see from the responses that the cost of this retreat is indeed an investment in gospel ministry. I was blessed to see firsthand the appreciation expressed by pastors and spouses for the encouragement received at the retreat and the gracious support of their congregations that made their attendance possible. There are many ways a congregation could provide this retreat for their pastor and his wife. Some congregations have simply put the cost into their budget. Others have used a door offering to cover costs. Still others have made the congregation aware of the opportunity and allowed members to respond with special gifts. Online registration will open in November, and we will send out further information as that time approaches. We urge the leaders of your congregation to discuss this opportunity to support your pastor s ministry. It is our prayer that with your congregation s support, your pastor and his wife will be among those who gather in San Antonio next year. More than that, it is our prayer that their attendance at the retreat proves a blessing to them and to you for many years to come! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or our event coordinator, Kim Workentine at (Kimberly.workentine@wls.wels.net). In Him, Professor Rich Gurgel
Partnering with Pastors June 25, 2018 Dear Lay Leader, Greetings in the name of Jesus from your seminary in Mequon! Four weeks ago we had the privilege of seeing another graduating class assigned into our synod s public pastoral. This next year will mark ten years since your pastor s graduation () from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. We are encouraging your congregation to mark this anniversary by making it possible for your pastor and his wife to attend a retreat Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary is organizing. This retreat (Renewed in Grace) will be held Wednesday, April 24 through Friday, April 26, 2019, in San Antonio, Texas. This will be the eighth year we have sponsored a year-ten retreat. You may be aware that three other simultaneous retreats will also be held in San Antonio for those marking 3 years since graduation (Begun in Grace); for those celebrating 25 years since graduation (Excelling in Grace); and for those who marking 35 years since graduation (Remaining in Grace). Like those retreats, Renewed in Grace will celebrate a ministry milestone, encourage in worship and Bible study, and provide opportunities to reconnect with peers. We are convinced your congregation, not just your pastor and wife, will be blessed by the encouragement your pastor and wife will receive while in San Antonio. This retreat is part of an effort by your synod to strengthen and encourage those serving us in pastoral ministry. In the previous four decades, we have lost 541 pastors to resignation. However, God is blessing efforts like these retreats to reduce that resignation rate during this current decade by 28%. Investing in the encouragement of our pastors is an investment in ongoing gospel ministry! It is particularly important to help pastors who have been out about a decade, since the zeal they felt in their early years of ministry can begin to wane. This retreat seeks to renew them in their joy for the privilege of pastoral ministry. That explains the name of the retreat (Renewed in Grace) to which your pastor is invited! Here are responses from some who attended previous retreats: Everything was wonderful, from the relevant topics to the fellowship/free time to the accommodations! It's hard to pick a highlight from such a wonderfully planned event. I was thankful that the themes focused on joy in the personal Gospel and support for ministry struggles; I had been worried that the emphasis would be more on improving one's ministry skills, etc. There is surely a time and place for that, but it was wonderful to come and hear the good news without any guilt-tripping about things that could be done better! Thank you for the joyful Gospel focus! Being there with just my wife. This was the first time we've been away from our children in 11 years for more than two nights. They were fine. We were fine. It was great! The Bible studies renewed my eagerness to serve. The fellowship was wonderful; it was so fun to catch up with everyone. We hadn't seen anyone there since graduation. Time being refreshed. Knowing we're not alone. Remembering what an awesome job we have before us. Seeing old friends. Digging into the Word. Talking through things. We came home refreshed in every way possible. This was a blessing beyond our expectations. Thank you!!!!! GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. 2 PETER 3:18 Prof. Richard Gurgel, Director Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary 11831 N Seminary Dr. Mequon, WI 53092 rich.gurgel@wls.wels.net www.wls.wels.net/grow-in-grace 262.242.8181
In the months ahead, more information will follow online on our Grow in Grace web site and through emails we will send out as we finalize the agenda for each retreat. Of course, as someone charged with being a good steward of your congregation s resources, we realize that the cost of this retreat is an important part of the decision you make. While final costs for the 2019 retreat will depend on finalizing contracts with our vendors, we hope to keep the costs comparable to this year s retreats. Here are the estimated costs: Two nights hotel: $ 395 (Including taxes) Retreat registration (per couple): $ 399 (Registrations after 2/15/19 will be $425) Travel/airfare (base amount per couple): $ 700 Total cost: $ 1,494 To help even out travel costs, Grow in Grace will match dollar-for-dollar all travel costs beyond $700 (per couple). That kept the average total quite close to the amount listed above. While many congregations encouraged pastor and wife to arrive early or stay later, the cost of those extra nights are not reflected above. It may be of interest to note that last year about 75% of congregations who sent their pastor and his wife covered the entire cost (2-night hotel stay, conference registration, and travel costs not matched by Grow in Grace). While each congregation is free to determine how they will respond to this opportunity, I believe you can see from the responses that the cost of this retreat is indeed an investment in gospel ministry. I was blessed to see firsthand the appreciation expressed by pastors and spouses for the encouragement received at the retreat and the gracious support of their congregations that made their attendance possible. There are many ways a congregation could provide this retreat for their pastor and his wife. Some congregations have simply put the cost into their budget. Others have used a door offering to cover costs. Still others have made the congregation aware of the opportunity and allowed members to respond with special gifts. Online registration will open in November, and we will send out further information as that time approaches. We urge the leaders of your congregation to discuss this opportunity to support your pastor s ministry. It is our prayer that with your congregation s support, your pastor and his wife will be among those who gather in San Antonio next year. More than that, it is our prayer that their attendance at the retreat proves a blessing to them and to you for many years to come! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or our event coordinator, Kim Workentine at (Kimberly.workentine@wls.wels.net). In Him, Professor Rich Gurgel
Partnering with Pastors June 25, 2018 Dear Lay Leader, Greetings in the name of Jesus from your seminary in Mequon! Four weeks ago we had the privilege of seeing another graduating class assigned into the pastoral ministry of our Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. This next year will mark three years since your pastor s graduation () from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and his Assignment Day. We are encouraging your congregation to mark this third anniversary by making it possible for your pastor and his wife to attend a retreat Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary is organizing. This retreat (Begun in Grace) will be held Wednesday, April 24 through Friday, April 26, 2019, in San Antonio, Texas. This will be the fourth year we have sponsored a year-three retreat. You may be aware that three other simultaneous retreats will also be held in San Antonio for those marking 10 years since graduation (Renewed in Grace); for those celebrating 25 years since graduation (Excelling in Grace); and for those who marking 35 years since graduation (Remaining in Grace). Like those retreats, Begun in Grace will celebrate a ministry milestone, encourage in worship and Bible study, and provide opportunities to reconnect with peers. We are convinced your congregation, not just your pastor and wife, will be blessed by the encouragement your pastor and wife will receive while in San Antonio. This retreat (and other efforts such as our mentoring initiative for new pastors) is part of a comprehensive effort by your synod to strengthen and encourage those serving us in pastoral ministry. In the previous four decades, our synod suffered the loss of 541 pastors to resignation. However, God is blessing efforts like these retreats to reduce that resignation rate. During this current decade, we are seeing a 28% decrease in resignations. That is a reminder that investing in the growth and encouragement of our pastors is an investment in ongoing gospel ministry! It is particularly important to help young pastors mark a good beginning to their ministry and to help them build on what they have begun under God s grace. That explains the name of the retreat (Begun in Grace) to which your pastor and his wife are invited! Here are responses from some who attended previous San Antonio retreats: Everything was wonderful, from the relevant topics to the fellowship/free time to the accommodations! It's hard to pick a highlight from such a wonderfully planned event. I was thankful that the themes focused on joy in the personal Gospel and support for ministry struggles; I had been worried that the emphasis would be more on improving one's ministry skills, etc. There is surely a time and place for that sort of thing as well, but after an occasionally exhausting Lenten journey it was wonderful to just come and hear the good news without any guilt-tripping about things that could be done better! Thank you for the joyful Gospel focus! GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. 2 PETER 3:18 Prof. Richard Gurgel, Director Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary 11831 N Seminary Dr. Mequon, WI 53092 rich.gurgel@wls.wels.net www.wls.wels.net/grow-in-grace 262.242.8181
Being there with just my wife. This was the first time we've been away from our children in 11 years for more than two nights. They were fine. We were fine. It was great! And we got the chance to implement a lot of what we talked about when we got home! The Bible studies renewed my eagerness to serve. The fellowship was wonderful; it was so fun to catch up with everyone. We hadn't seen anyone there since graduation. Time being refreshed. Knowing we're not alone. Remembering what an awesome job we have before us. Seeing old friends. Digging into the Word. Talking through things. We came home refreshed in every way possible. This was a blessing beyond our expectations. Thank you!!!!! In the months ahead, more information will follow online on our Grow in Grace web site and through emails we will send out as we finalize the agenda for each retreat. As far as the cost of the retreat, since your congregation has participated in the Pastor Partners mentoring initiative, almost all the financial costs of the retreat are covered. Grow in Grace uses a portion of that cost of mentoring to cover the retreat registration costs, two nights at the hotel for your pastor and his wife, as well as the first $700 of travel expenses to/from San Antonio. Travel expenses beyond that $700 amount would be shared equally by Grow in Grace and the calling body. The only other cost would be to provide the time off for your pastor to attend. If possible, there would also be wisdom in arranging preaching help so that your pastor does not need to preach just two days after returning from the retreat. If your congregation would like to encourage your pastor and his wife to enjoy a bit longer time in San Antonio by coming before the retreat begins or by staying longer after the retreat, those extra hotel costs would not be covered by Grow in Grace. Online registration will open in November, and we will send out further information as that time approaches. We urge the leaders of your congregation to begin to discuss this opportunity to support your pastor s ministry. It is our prayer that with your congregation s support, your pastor and his wife will be among those who gather in San Antonio next year. More than that, it is our prayer that their attendance at the retreat proves a blessing to them and to you for many years to come! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or our event coordinator, Kim Workentine at (Kimberly.workentine@wls.wels.net). In Him, Professor Rich Gurgel