WELS Missions » graduation

Ordination of New Pastors

dweiser — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 19:42:32 +0000

They turned around to face the assembly in full celebration mode. Seven new pastors of All Saints Lutheran Church of Nigeria, resplendent in their new white gowns, purple stoles and starch-white clergy collars, managed broad smiles. A rousing cheer of joy rose from two hundred church members packed inside the Ishibori church, joined by another 200 outside under sun-drenched canopies. The All Saints Lutheran clergy roster had just jumped from two pastors serving 5000 people to nine pastors. It was a milestone, this first ordination conducted entirely by All Saints LCN on 20 April, 2008.

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Safe at Home, but Hearts in Nigeria

dweiser — Fri, 02 May 2008 23:50:16 +0000

The LWMS visiting team has come home to the USA. Michelle Markgraf, Carol Egelseer, Sarah Malchow and Pastor Weiser arrived home on 26 April. Ima Udofia landed two days later, along with her husband Ikpe and son Anieti. They made a family trip of it, by flying along with Ima. And yes, it was great to get home again to the embrace of family and WELS friends.

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In Africa at Last

dweiser — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:23:01 +0000

He was more than a little excited. His dream had been to serve as missionary in Africa. The Lord seemed to point him that way three times before in the last 20 years. Each time, the Lord led him to the answer “not yet.”

Meanwhile, a brother pastor was spearheading WELS assistance to Christ the King Lutheran Seminary in Nigeria. The team of volunteer WELS pastors was lacking a man to teach in the last WELS session at the Nigerian seminary. The WELS Liaison then remembered a brother pastor. “Paul Lemke, will you go to Nigeria to teach a session at the seminary?” “Let me check with my church and family. But for me the answer is absolutely, yes.” On 4 January 2008 Pastor Paul Lemke landed in Africa at last. He worked hard, teaching his course plus a make-up course.

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LWMS Women’s Visit to Nigeria Continues

dweiser — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:44:08 +0000

Our LWMS visitors decided they like the bush churches. Like yesterday in Yala area SW of Ogoja. Rural village, small church, short walls, tin roof not far overhead, over 200 eager women plus a few men and lots of children crowded into every space. About 100 degrees indoors.

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Where There Are Children, There’s Carol

dweiser — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:21:29 +0000

She seeks them out. She draws them out. Nigerian kids of all ages love to flock to Carol Egelseer on the LWMS April visit. This morning we worshiped at Christ the King Lutheran in Calabar. This congregation has children in the worship service instead of closeted away for Sunday School. You could hear their voices piping up loud “Halleluias” at all the appropriate times. Carol had pretty much made eye contact with every child in that church by service end.

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LWMS Women Visit Nigeria

dweiser — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:10:20 +0000

Greetings from Calabar, Nigeria! Carol, Ima, Michelle, and Sarah are half way through their women’s conferences. Three so far, ending in Calabar today. 220 and 160 at the first two, and about 40 today.

What fellowship, what love sister to sister! Our four presenters are just great! What they are learning from the Lutheran women of Nigeria is eye-opening and life-changing.
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Off to Nigeria

dweiser — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 01:28:54 +0000

Tomorrow we fly. Michelle Markgraf, Sarah Malchow, Carol Egelseer and Pastor Doug Weiser will head to New York City tomorrow. After an overnight stay, they will join Ima Udofia on Thursday afternoon, en route to Lagos, Nigeria. Ima’s husband Ikpe Udofia will also fly over with us for a visit to his homeland. Our travel goal is to reach Christ the King Lutheran Seminary by late Friday afternoon local time, to be ready for the big graduation service on Saturday the 5th of April.

As we start this journey of faith, our thanks to God above all. Thanks also to the families who are sharing their loved ones for this time in Nigeria. We are highly grateful to the Antioch Foundation for its support and to Jeff Wehrenberg and North American Airways for the flights.

Pray for us please. Pray first for our safety and health, and then also for the Lord’s blessings on our women-to-women outreach.

A Reason to Celebrate

eduwe — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 01:50:04 +0000

Four students of the “It Is Finished” Bible Institute in Chiang Mai have a particularly special reason to celebrate. After five years of studies, these young men have completed their Biblical coursework at the Bible Institute and are now preparing to fulfill their callings as part of the Great Commission.

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Nigeria - Feb 08 Update

dweiser — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 02:29:05 +0000

The last of the WELS traveling teams has finished its work at Christ the King Lutheran Seminary. Graduation for the ten seminary students is set for April 5, 2008. The three Christ the King Lutheran graduates will serve as vicars until their ordination in December 2008.

Two weeks after graduation, seven of the graduates will be ordained as pastors of All Saints Lutheran Church of Nigeria, the ordination service taking place in Ogoja, at the north end of Cross River State. This is a big step forward for a synod of nearly 5,000 members currently being served by just two pastors.

A big event this April is the “Sisters Serving Jesus” visit by four women of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society. They will travel with Liaison Pastor Doug Weiser, and meet with their sisters from both Christ the King Lutheran Church of Nigeria and All Saints Lutheran Church of Nigeria. As God blesses this visit, there will be three one-day conferences in each of the two synods there. The idea is to have conferences to which women of the local area can more readily travel. On returning to the USA, the WELS women will speak at the LWMS convention in Tucson, and be available to speak about Nigeria to groups wishing to hear them.

Christ the King Lutheran Church has increased its congregations enough that one of their parishes subdivided. CKLCN now has 38 congregations in eight parishes. All praise to God for a report from the pastors of CKLCN that they have been blessed with a new sense of unity in their ranks. All available pastors met with Liaison Weiser in January, and plan to march in the April graduation service as a sign of their unity.