Rev. Johnold Strey
Tuesday, Jan 24
3:15 – 4:30 pm
Planning Smarter, Leading Better
WELS Congregational Services offers a powerful array of worship resources—from the structure and richness of Christian Worship to the ready-to-use tools found in The Foundation. But many congregations are only tapping into a fraction of what’s available. This session equips pastors, worship planners, and lay leaders to get the most out of both—streamlining worship planning, deepening member engagement, and supporting year-round gospel ministry.
Participants will explore how to align the Christian Worship suite of resources with The Foundation’s seasonal worship kits, evangelism training tools, graphics, videos, devotions, and outreach strategies. You’ll learn how to plan smarter—not harder—by integrating these resources into your congregation’s rhythm in a way that reflects your local culture and goals. Whether you’re seeking to improve worship consistency, increase lay involvement, or build a sustainable outreach plan, this breakout will show how WELS tools can help you lead better—keeping Christ at the center every step of the way.
Rev. Johnold Strey served WELS congregations in northern California for 15 years and as the Arizona-California District Worship Coordinator for a decade before coming to Crown of Life in Hubertus, Wis., in 2016. He earned a master’s degree in worship and church music from Santa Clara University in 2009. He was a member of the School of Worship Enrichment team and the rites committee for Christian Worship: Hymnal. He has also served as a presenter at WELS worship conferences and has authored several articles on worship and the book Christian Worship: God Gives His Gospel Gifts (Northwestern Publishing House, 2021). Johnold is involved with his alma mater, Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School, as a member of the school’s executive committee, and as the secretary for the Board of Directors. He and his wife, Emily, have been blessed with four children.
