WELS 175th Anniversary
Christ Through Us
WELS History on YouTube
Watch the WELS Historical Institute YouTube channel for more about WELS History!
Christ through us for 175 years
1850-2025
On May 26, 1850, three pastors met at Salem in Granville, Wisconsin (now Milwaukee) for the constituting convention of the Wisconsin Synod. In 2025, WELS is celebrating the 175th anniversary of that small beginning.
175 Years of Grace
It is the prayer of the committee that this anniversary will increase awareness of both the importance of knowing and studying our synod’s history and a growing appreciation for God’s grace to WELS for 175 years. There are very few Lutheran church bodies which have retained their identity and can trace their history as far back as WELS can. That is a gift of God’s grace working through his Word. Our synod has had the privilege of proclaiming that message of God’s grace in Christ for 175 years. This is a story worth remembering and telling.
175 YEARS OF WELS HISTORY
Christ Through Us
Bible Study
Wisconsin Synod, 1850-2025
The Wisconsin Synod Lutherans
A historical overview of WELS beginning with the Synod’s roots in Germany to present day.
Anniversary Special Offering
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” —Ephesians 1:3
WELS coordinated a special anniversary offering to not only give thanks to our Lord for the blessings of our history but also to fund the goals set in our next long-range (ten-year) strategic plan with the expectation that Jesus will do more than all we ask or imagine. We thank God for the generous gifts given to support his work through our synod as $481,914 was raised throughout the anniversary.
Gifts given to the WELS 175th Anniversary Fund support:
- North American Ministry (Home Missions, Congregational Services)
- International ministry (World Missions)
- Worker training (Ministerial Education)
For more information on this special offering, download the 175th Offering Brochure.
Resources for Congregations
Celebrate the 175th Anniversary by preserving your congregation’s history. Use the resources below to get started:
Anniversary Resources
Numerous resources continue to be produced and made available to help congregations and individuals celebrate this anniversary and learn more about the history of WELS. Available resources include:
- NPH WELS history publications
- Interactive timeline of WELS history
- Articles on key individuals in WELS history
- Ready-made bulletin inserts
- Worship resources
- Forward In Christ anniversary features
- Videos on the WELS Historical Institute YouTube Channel
- Anniversary events
- 175th apparel and commemorative items
Access all of the 175th congregational, promotional, and educational resources below.
The logo
The WELS anniversary logo helps us remember God’s grace to our church body as the gospel of Christ has come to us and gone out through us for 175 years.
Christ Through Us
2 Corinthians 5:18-20
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.