Y9 – Strong Without Apology, for young women

by

Megan Herkstroeter

youth presentation

In this workshop, we will discuss femininity led by faith, rooted in grace, and grounded in kindness.

bio info

Megan Herkstroeter is an orthopedic and sports medicine nurse practitioner and former registered nurse navigating a demanding, high-expectation field where confidence, resilience, and clarity of identity matter. Through her own journey, she has learned how easy it is to feel pressure to rush life, conform to society’s timelines for women, and measure worth through achievement and external validation rather than identity in Christ.

Balancing ambition, independence, and trust in God has deeply shaped both who Megan is and the message she shares. “Strong Without Apology” was born from that place. Megan’s heart is to encourage young women to trust God’s timing, choose relationships that strengthen them, and build their identity in Christ. She wants every young woman to know she doesn’t have to reshape herself to fit in or shrink her strength to belong—she can lead with confidence, live with kindness, and remain deeply rooted in faith.

Y11 – Three Kinds of Relationships, Three Kinds of Love

by

Dr. Karen Fischer

youth presentation

Your best friend knows everything about you. Your parents seem like they’re from another planet. And strangers? Well… they’re just there. But what if Christ could shine through you in all those relationships—not just the easy ones? This session explores how being Christ’s ambassador affects how you treat your inner circle, your family, and even people you barely know. Learn how to bring love, respect, and truth into every connection—whether you’re hanging out, disagreeing with your parents, or just checking out at Target.

bio info

Dr. Karen Fischer is a counselor and educator whose passion surrounds marrying the grace and truth of the gospel with understanding psychological stewardship. Her belief is that we can all improve the use of our minds to improve our ability to love God and others.

Dr. Fischer serves as professor and program director of the Master of Science in Professional Counseling at Wisconsin Lutheran College, Milwaukee, Wis. She brings an array of counseling, management, instruction, advising, and professional experience to the role. Previous positions included outpatient and inpatient psychiatric hospital settings and community clinic counseling. She has also served in advisory, development, and training roles and enjoys community psycho-education opportunities. Dr. Fischer holds a PhD in counselor education and supervision from Concordia University Irvine, Calif. Her research interests include resilience in a Christian context, compassion satisfaction, and flourishing.

Ben Felgenhauer and Elise Ulman

Y12 – Tasting the Fruits of World Missions

by

Ben Felgenhauer & Elise Ulman

youth presentation

You are going to learn about the side of missions that you usually don’t hear about. You will see the fruits of missions that go beyond donating money or supplies to people in need. There is a big difference between giving to something and actually being present, seeing the faces of people who need Jesus. Being the boots on the ground, witnessing the impact Jesus has on another culture, and experiencing the world from a new perspective—these fuel your desire to live a missionary life. Even if your time in a foreign country doesn’t completely change the world, it can change you.

From their time growing up in mission fields, Ben and Elise gained a whole new mindset about sharing Jesus. They have been inspired by people who see the world very differently than they do, yet love the same Jesus.

In this session, we will taste the fruits of missions, not just for the good of those overseas, but also for the good of us as Christ’s ambassadors.

bio info

Normally people introduce themselves by sharing where they’re from, but Elise Ulman has been moving around the globe since she was born because she and her family were international missionaries, so Elise can’t claim a hometown. She has lived in Malawi, Portugal, Wisconsin, and the Dominican Republic, and right now lives in Appleton. Since she didn’t have a hometown, Elise had to find her identity elsewhere. And she knows the safest and coolest place to be is in God’s hands. Elise loves to work out, read, draw, and watch movies with her husband. She’s excited to meet you and talk about mission work!

Ben Felgenhauer was born in Blantyre, Malawi, and has lived all over the world including Zambia, Germany, Canada, Kansas, and Wisconsin. He is currently a biology major at Wisconsin Lutheran College and wants to work in the outdoor conservation field. Growing up overseas gave Ben a love for meeting people, seeing new places, and understanding different cultures. He also loves being outdoors, whether hiking, swimming, or just being outside with friends. One thing Ben really cares about is being a good friend and building real connections with people. Ben’s experiences around the world have shaped how he sees faith, relationships, and what it means to live with purpose.

Y10 – Starting a Spiritual Conversation

by

David Scharf

youth presentation

It’s easy to talk about the weather, sports, etc. But Jesus? In this workshop, we will prepare ourselves for approaching people and broaching the subject of Jesus. We will discuss ideas to start a conversation with an unchurched person and turn it into a conversation about Jesus. Drinking in God’s promises will give us the confidence to start spiritual conversations and keep them going.

bio info

David Scharf served as a parish pastor at Immanuel in Greenville, Wis., and as coordinator for the Northern Wisconsin District Evangelism Commission from 2005–2016. He now serves as a professor of theology at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., and adjunct professor at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis. He is a member of the Institute for Worship and Outreach and chairman of the Commission on Congregational Counseling. He has delivered presentations at district pastor and teacher conferences; Men of His Word/Truth conferences; the WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership; Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary’s annual symposium; and the WELS National Conference on Worship, Music, and the Arts. Dave is a graduate of Luther Preparatory School, Watertown, Wis. (1996); Martin Luther College (2000); and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (2005). He and his wife, Beth, have six children aged 12-23. Dave enjoys golfing, reading, using his Traeger smoker, and riding his moped.

Y8 – Becoming Men After God’s Own Heart, for young men

by

Paul Koester

youth presentation

King David was described as a man after God’s own heart. One can imagine for us as Christian men, it would be our dream to be referred to as that! This workshop will help young men cut through the disastrous perspective the sinful world has on masculinity and will let Scripture shape our understanding of what it means to be a real man.

In this session, we will discuss the following key topics:

  • The World’s Definition: Identifying and dismantling the lies of Satan and the world regarding masculinity.
  • Identity in Christ: First embracing your most important identity—the one you have in Jesus.
  • Identity as a Male: Embracing the fact God made you a man and what that means (and does not mean) for your life now and in the future.
  • Biblical Anecdote: Why Saul failed and David did not.
  • Practical Things: Exploring actual ways to live as Christ-like men.

bio info

Paul Koester has served as one of the pastors at Bethlehem, Menomonee Falls and Germantown, Wis., for the past five years. Before that, he served as a campus pastor (more affectionately known as a “tutor”) at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., where he especially ministered to the 120 men of Summit Hall.

As a young pastor of a larger congregation, he’s had the opportunity to see wonderful examples of godly men being godly men, and in turn, he’s had opportunities to encourage the many young men of the congregation in their walk with God. Paul and his wife, Erica, have three children and enjoy spending time with both their immediate family and their church family.

Y7 – Our Need for a Greater Story

by

Sam Jeske

youth presentation

For as long as you can remember, you have been listening to stories—stories about good and evil, love and justice, life and death, and truth and belonging. Whether it is the stories you scroll through on TikTok or the narratives we hear in the news, we use stories as a way of bridging the gap between facts and values. We use stories as a way of making sense of our lives, and answer complicated questions like, Who am I? Where am I going? Why does my life matter?

Our fractured world cannot escape our need for a unifying story that is true for everyone. We need a singular story that is both externally corroborated and internally consistent. We are starving for a story that does not rest upon our restless hearts—but a story within which our restless hearts find rest. We want more than a story that feels good; we want a story that is good.

In this breakout, we will examine several popular stories (i.e., critical theory, expressive individualism, atheism, relativism, et al.) and see why those stories ultimately fall short. We will also highlight how Christ-followers can demonstrate why the greater story of the gospel is—and always will be—so good.

bio info

Sam Jeske serves as a Lutheran pastor in Crown Point, Ind., the place he, his wife, Tracie, and their son, Elijah, have been happy to call home since 2019. Sam likes meeting new people, traveling, bookbinding, reading, going to concerts, studying Chinese, and watching movies. He’s also an enthusiast for board games like Zombicide, Call to Adventure, and The Thing. He is a multi-instrumentalist who loves music and uses it to enrich worship. Sam currently serves as the content moderator for The Institute for Lutheran Apologetics. He also co-hosts a podcast called Graveyard Shift Gospel.

Y6 – Truth and Lies

by

Phil Bischoff

youth presentation

God’s truth is powerful. So are lies. Every day we face lies—lies we tell ourselves, lies our culture tells us, and lies Satan uses to distract us from a fulfilling life with God. We will explore some lies we tend to believe and how to combat them with truth. We will also briefly explore how our culture views the concept of truth and how we can lovingly call out the lies of this world and live in the truth of God—especially the gospel.

bio info

Phil Bischoff is a staff minister at CrossWalk Church in Phoenix, Ariz. He has 20 years of ministry experience. After three years of teaching at Wisconsin Lutheran High School, Milwaukee, Wis., Phil spent the past 17 years as youth minister and outreach director at CrossWalk.  He is married and has three children. Outside of ministry, Phil enjoys coaching fitness classes, hiking, backpacking, watching sports, and dining out.

Y4 – A Day in the Life of a Home Missionary

by

Jacob & Grace Ungemach

youth presentation

How, exactly, do you start a church? In this session, we will tell stories of the wins, losses, embarrassing moments, and victories during our first two years out in the wild of the big city. And simple—in fact, FUN—steps you can take to turn your congregation into a mission congregation, too.

bio info

Jacob  & Grace Ungemach are planting a church in the heart of Cincinnati, Ohio.  Jacob and Grace offer unique insights into how to plant a church using only a few dedicated folks, buckets of local coffee, and a lot of Skyline Chili.

Jacob graduated from Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., and was assigned in May of 2024. Grace owns a digital marketing agency that serves Lutheran churches and nonprofits with branding, web design, and consulting. Meeting halfway between their home states of Wisconsin and South Carolina, they use their unique gifts to find opportunities to share Jesus with friends and neighbors. Over the last two years, their singular focus has been bringing Jesus to Oakley, an urban neighborhood in Cincinnati, and they are going to tell exactly how they did it.

Y1 – Seasons of Waiting: What is ahead of me? What will I be?

by

Mark Schroeder

youth presentation

In this session, we will talk about navigating the often challenging and uncertain “seasons of waiting” in life. Our conversation will provide encouragement, insight, and practical tools to help you understand and embrace these periods, fostering growth and resilience as you look toward your future in Christ.

We will focus on the concept that waiting—whether for opportunities, change, answers, or personal growth—is a natural and important part of life. By exploring real-life stories, interactive activities, and thoughtful discussion, you will learn that the season of waiting is not wasted time, but a chance for personal and spiritual growth.

bio info

Mark Schroeder has served as a pastor in Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Arizona for nearly 20 years. He has been serving mission congregations and teaching high school students. Mark has a passion for sharing Jesus with anyone and everyone who will listen, and he absolutely loves to encourage others in finding ways they can jump into ministry. Mark and his wife, Alissa, live in San Tan Valley, Ariz., with their three teenage kids. The Schroeders love hiking, going to the gym, and traveling.

Y2 – NAP TIME: Rest in Jesus and Take a Nap

by

Nate Wordell

youth presentation

Elite military forces nap, and they must learn how to do it. You might know why. The world, especially for students, is “Go! Go! Go!” And when we get a chance to stop, we often choose scrolling and distraction instead of real rest for body and soul.

In this workshop, we will look at a little bit of science and a few Bible passages, and we will help ourselves find rest in Jesus. We will also take a nap. Not just any nap, an elite-military-forces-style nap. Students may have some nap tips, too. We will share ideas and discuss challenges to finding real rest.  With the Holy Spirit’s help, we will walk out of more rested, more ourselves, more prepared to find rest in Jesus, and more energetic to love our neighbors.

Whether you are a nap enthusiast or a skeptic, this session is for everyone who wants to learn how to embrace rest in a way that honors both your body and your Creator.

Come ready to reflect, relax, and nap!

bio info

Nate Wordell is a happy son of the King of the universe, a holy hot mess, and loved by God for Jesus’ sake, and God put him here now with these people to glorify Him by enjoying them. He adores his wife Rachel, does his best to raise two sons, and gets to be the pastor for the people at Wisconsin Lutheran College, Milwaukee, Wis. He previously did that in Appleton, Wis., and at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn. Sometimes Nate gets tired—God gave him a soul that runs out of energy and a body that is wasting away. That is true of you too. So sometimes Nate naps, and you can too.