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Mission Update
The Missions office of the
South Wisconsin District - Peg Raabe
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Passionate believers... confessing Christ for the next generation
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"Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully ...", declares the Lord. "Is not my word like fire ... and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?"
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Read all about this Rural & Small Town national conference taking place in Wichita, KS, November 1-3, 2016.
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 I have a motto on a magnet that clings to my filing cabinet. I don't remember how or when I got it, but it's a quote from Robert Louis Stevenson that says, "Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant." I know for sure that I did not get it from any religious group or church body, and I am pretty sure that Mr. Stevenson had no intention of making any connection of those seeds to the Gospel, but it surely does it for me! The mission harvest is not ours to reap--that will be the Lord's work on the Last Day. But God has given us seeds to plant, and plant them we do--in some of the most unexpected places, and when we least expect the opportunity.
You know that the real work is not up to us. Thank God for that! But it gives comfort to know that God gives us the tools to plant those seeds, to water and tend them, and He will take it from there!
So mission work goes on wherever God wants it to until this world ends. And with this Mission Update, I will keep you informed of our District's opportunities to spread the seeds of the Gospel, because together we are on a mission!
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 Speaking of missions and planting...
Here are two opportunities to attend the Center for U.S. Missions "Churches Planting Churches" (CPC) seminar, and they are coming up real soon! They are not held in our District, but are relatively close to some of us and offered to our District at no cost to you! (Except travel and lodging.)
On September 16-17 this CPC seminar will be held at Hosanna Lutheran Church in Mankato, MN (MNS District), and on October 7-8 the same seminar will be held in the North Wisconsin District, probably the Stevens Point area (still TBD), and definitely doable for most SWD congregations.
In a letter to the congregations of MNS, Rev. Dr. William Utech writes, "... we know that a sure sign of church health is when and where a congregation replaces any kind of fixation it might have on its 'seating capacity' with a new and/or renewed concentration on its 'sending capacity.'"
"In other words, when a local congregation steps out in faith and sacrificially sends out resources of time, energy, effort, and leaders into the mission field for the sake of those living outside a saving relationship with Jesus, then that kind of giving and sacrifice and sending always brings new people into God's Kingdom in exponential ways."
Here is all the information and a link to register for the Mankato location. More information will be forthcoming for the NWD location as plans are finalized. Call me for an update if you are interested!
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Go and make disciples 
Perhaps influenced by a church planting seminar offered by Center for US Missions a year ago, some of our District pastors formed a coalition of three circuits and began to realize their vision of beginning outreach to the growing Hispanic communities in the Sheboygan area. Early this year, Vicar David Blas was installed to do Hispanic ministry there under the guidance and with the support of St. John-Plymouth, St. Paul-Sheboygan Falls, Immanuel and St. Paul-Sheboygan, and the District.
"THE LORD is doing great things at Sheboygan County Hispanic Outreach!" says Vicar Blas. "He is bringing the people who need to be here in order to hear the Gospel and be saved! I'm really happy and humble to be up here in Sheboygan County!"
This past May, after instruction by Vicar Blas, Maria was baptized. This was not only an exciting moment for Maria and her family, but it was also exciting for Vicar Blas since this was his first baptism. You can watch the baptismal service on You Tube!
Please keep this newly-planted ministry in your hearts. Your prayers and gifts are always welcome!
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 Dear South Wisconsin District,
We are happy to announce the birth of Andreas Robert Preus, born July 25, 2016 at 12:54a.m. He was baptized on Sunday, July 31, 2016. Weighing in at 8lbs. 5oz., 21 in., he is a healthy little boy and is getting lots of attention from his older siblings.
As far as our departure plans are concerned, the paperwork process is moving along smoothly. We are currently waiting for the baby's passport, which should arrive within the next two weeks. After that, we will apply for his dependent visa, and then will be all set to relocate to the Dominican Republic! If all continues without delay we anticipate a late September departure.
We are so thankful to finally have Andreas here - mother and baby healthy and well - so we can get on with our mission work in Latin America. Thank you for your continued prayers and support. We appreciate it more than we can say!
In Christ,
Pastor David and Jenny Preus
and Hans, Rebekah, Rolf, Lena, Søren, Leif, and Andreas
Here is a link to more information about the Preus's mission to the DR, our District's world mission partner.
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 YOUR turn to be the missionaries!
Please share this with M.D.s, P.A.s and R.N.s whom you know or are members of your congregation!
Many of you have been on a short term mission trip of one kind or another. Some such trips are to assist areas that have been devastated by hurricanes, tsunamis and the like. Others are intended to build relationships through the teaching of English, or to build safer housing, or even to build a chapel. And some bring medical teams along to areas of our world that do not have access to basic health care. All of them, especially those initiated by an LCMS organization such as MOST Ministries, are motivated by our desire to share the love of God, Who in mercy sent the His Son, our Savior, to our broken world.
At the encouragement of Carol Claybaker, a District member who has gone on many medical mission trips, we are very interested in putting a medical mission team together through MOST Ministries. If you are at all interested-no commitment needed right now-in joining such a mission team to leave next spring or possibly fall, and likely going to Guatemala, please read further, and let us know ASAP!
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