Ethnic Ministries at Benediction
“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’” --Revelation 7:9,10
In recent years the area around Benediction and our congregation itself has begun to look more like heaven. We are in a very diverse part of Milwaukee. In recent years there have been many new immigrants who have moved to the northwest side of Milwaukee including Hmong and Africans. By God’s grace we have been able to reach out to these new neighbors with the Gospel of our Savior. God has blessed us with ethnic workers who have worked hard to bring the Gospel to our neighborhood. Our first worker was Rev. Blong Vang, who began in 2004 and served at Benediction until he received a call to Hmong Outreach in Oshkosh upon his ordination in 2007.
Hmong
Currently our Hmong Ministry is led by Mr. Moua Vang. Moua came to
the United States from Thailand in 1992. He is currentlya vicar from Concordia
Seminary, St. Louis. Moua is married and has three sons.
Hmong worship is conducted on Sunday morning at 11:30 am. It is
preceded by a weekly Bible class at 10:30 am. Each summer we conduct a
Hmong Summer Program in which we teach Hmong culture and language to
the Hmong youth.
French African
Our French African Ministry is led by Vicar Kasongo Gui Kabeo. He
came to the United States from the Congo in 2005. He is married and has
four children.
Eglise Lutherienne Internationale de Sionbecame
associated with Benediction and the Lutheran Church in the summer of
2006. Their pastor began training for the Lutheran ministry at
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in the summer of 2006. This ministry is
in cooperation with Immanuel Lutheran Church, Brookfield, which
supports Vicar Kasongo as one of their workers.
French Africa Worship is conducted on Sunday evening at 3:00 pm.
We also offer English as a Second Language Classes (ESL)for recent immigrants on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm.
German
In 1997 Pastor Hougard began a German ministry along with Pastor Eberhard Klatt in which we offer monthly German services. We also have a weekly radio program called, Evangelische Andacht, which is aired each Saturday on WJYI, AM 1340 at 4:30 pm. For the complete schedule of German services see www.evangelischeandacht.org.