As WELS women we believe that Jesus was speaking to each of us when he directed his disciples to "...go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19 To this end we freely give of the time, talents, and treasures with which God has richly blessed us.
This year the convention was held in St. Louis, Missouri. Fred attends the annual meetings with Annette. We were joined together again with our good friends from Milwaukee -- Don and Marge Gebert, Jean Villwock and Marilyn Krueger. Photos by Fred Wulff, unless otherwise stated. You may make copies by clicking on the pictures and sliding them over to your desktop. The WLMS tour of Grant’s Farm and the St. Louis Basilica have been placed on the end of this blog.
Photos by Fred Wulff unless otherwise designated.
We arrived a day early to check in at the Millennium Hotel and Convention Center (photo from Travelocity).
I took a picture of the North Tower throug our dirty window, but it turned out not bad considering.
Registration
Signing up for Banquet seating
The Grand Ballroom begins to fill for the Opening Service
Preacher Jonathan Rockhoff (left); Liturgist Douglas Tomhave (right)
Attendance 841 Mission Collection $ 19,168
Communion
LWMS President Paula Danekas
Friends of China Program
Workshop: Douglas Tomhave Knowing His Ways to Showing His Ways”
Wayne Shevey Mission Speaker
Marge and Don Gebert with Annette Wulff
Annette order pork shank
View was worth a photo
Time of Grace Mark Jeske
SATURDAY, JUNE 26
President Paula Danekas
Devotion: James Witt
Funding recipients
Daniel Koelpin, World Missions (left)
Harold Hagedorn Home Missions (right)
Kermit Habben Japan Mission
Michael Duncan: Pakistan and Nepal
LWMS dignitaries
Good old friends: Missionary wife Peggy (nee Bishop) Witt and Annette Wulff
Workshop: Jeffrey Mahnke “Shown God’s Ways to Show Others God’s Ways”
Workshop participants
Missionary Wife Unsung Hero
Kermit and Marjorie Habben “Show Me the Way”Workshop
MN Representatives
The Banquet Mt. Lebanon Delegation
Milwaukee sponsors the next convention and they gave us a taste of Milwaukee from the Fonz to Lavonne and Shirley.
Followed by Harmonizers
SUNDAY, JUNE 27
Closing Worship Service Liturgist Jeffrey Mahnke Preacher Kermit Habben
Ceremony of the Flags and Recessional
THe LWMS also sponsored field trips in St. Louis for its members.
One tour that was offered included a trolly car ride from the hotel to both Grant’s Farm and the celebrated St. Louis Basilica.
The friendly driver who added helpful information about the sites.
The farm region had been owned by President Grant.
Transportation around the park and to the Entertainment Center was provided in the form of a vintage train.
Exotic animals everywhere
Turtles were washed
Cooling off
Free tap Budweiser beer
Part two -- the Basilica of St. Louis and the famous mosaic tile embellishments.
The exterior of the Basilica
The St. Louis Railroad Depot was turned into a Mall,
We ended up at the Concrdia Lutheran Cemetery where we saw this replica of the first LCMS seminary,
CFW Walther had been a seminary professor in a humble log cabin back in 1839.
In June of this year the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society presented a gift of nearly $75,000 to the Pakistan Kids c.a.r.e.Project ($50,000 from LWMS and $25,000 from the Antioch Foundation). This money will be used for Sunday Schools in Pakistan. We are now operating 32 Sundays schools with 79 teachers, and 1,341 children. With this generous gift our plan is to: (1) Open 5-10 new Sunday Schools each year for five years; (2) Develop a curriculum for the training of Sunday School teachers; (3) Conduct 1-2 teacher training workshops each year and (4) Provide materials for all Sunday Schools so that children like Ibrahim can learn about Jesus. “On those living in darkness a great light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2).
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THE BRANSON ADD-ON
As long as we (Geberts, Wulffs, Jean Villwock and Marilyn Krueger) in Missouri we panned on making a side trip to Branson, Missouri. All photos below were taken by Fred Wulff.
Sunday afternoon we checked into the Spinning Wheel hotel for a 3 nights stay.
Before heading for our first show, we stopped to eat at the Cracker Barrel for country cookin. Fred usually tops his meal off with black berry cobbler, but this time he had to settle for peach cobbler. Still worth a picture, though.
Our 8 pm show was supposed to be Broadway Musicals, but the theatre changed it without notice to some thing called “Glee.” We were disappointed, but all of other 4 shows were excellent.
Monday morning we had our lunch at the Olive Garden. Very nice food. The Wulffs were surprised with a celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary and were given a golden gift. We toasted with wine, too.
Don Gebert found a show that we could add in the afternoon called Comedy Jamboree. By
calling in directly, he managed an $8 per ticket discount.
In between shows we went to Shorty’s for some Bar-B-Cue ribs. Before Fred could take a picture of the feast before us, all we had left were plates of bones.
One of the oldest shows in Branson and many would say, the best, was Presleys' Country Jubilee.
Our next show was entitled Red, Hot and Blue. This production was awarded best morning show,
best costumes and best dance awards. Great music from the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s & 70s.
Naturally, we played Cribbage between shows
Our last show was Baldknobbers. It was hilarious!
Good family entertainment!
