Plenary Conference: October 11-13, 2024
Pre-Conference Seminar: October 9-11, 2024

Wednesday-Sunday: 
The Sparrow's Nest at the Abbey
17304 Havenwood Rd,
Sparta, WI 54656

Saturday Afternoon Hymn Sing:
St. John's Evangelical-Lutheran Church 21693 Co Hwy A.
Tomah, WI 54660

Pricing:
Regular Conference Registration (Friday Afternoon-Sunday Morning):
$75 with room and board, $35 if staying off-site.
Student Registration:
$70 with room and board, $20.00 if staying off-site.
Seminar Registration (Wednesday Evening-Friday Morning):
$100 (Limited seats! Includes room and board.)

Return to Wittenberg is pleased to announce that we will once again be able to provide accommodations to our attendees this year on-site at the Sparrow's Nest. These rooms are available on a first-come, first served basis. Each room sleeps at least four people. We cannot accommodate private rooms unless you book four registrations. We thank you for your understanding.

Local residents of the greater Tomah area are welcomed and encouraged to commute to the Sparrow's Nest.

If you would prefer other accommodations, we recommend Country Inn and Suites by Raddison in Sparta or Best Western Plus Sparta Trail Lodge.

Presentation Topic: Battle Hymns

Until our Lord returns to usher in the age of glory in Paradise, the Church is the Church Militant. That means, whether you realize it or not, you have been under persecution your entire life. Pastor Steenbock will discuss the methods of persecution at play in the contemporary world. Next, he will emphasize our need to be strong against persecution through good spiritual food. Last, Pastor Steenbock will recommend particular Psalms as "Battle Hymns" that help your spirit fight against the specific attacks of this time most often made by the devil, the world, and your own sinful flesh.

Biography: The Rev. Benjamin Steenbock is Pastor of Zion Evangelical-Lutheran Church & School (WELS) in Hartland, WI. After graduating from the University of Washington, he spent eight years in the software development industry working for Microsoft's video game and Xbox divisions. During this time he was encouraged by one of his pastors to investigate the pastoral ministry. While he initially declined, his pastor kept encouraging him. Eventually, he decided that was the direction he wanted to take. After some time building up a nest egg to go back to college, he went back to Martin Luther College and then Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. At graduation he was assigned to a congregation in the southern suburbs of Atlanta, GA. After three-and-a-half years there, he received a call to serve at Zion and has been serving there since 2019. He is married with seven children.

Presentation topic: "The Creedal Sections in St. Paul's Epistles"

God's people in every time and place have expressed their faith, drawing on the words of Scripture to give shape and form to their confessions of faith. Join us as we examine evidence of this in select portions of Saint Paul's epistles, placing ourselves within the continuity of the Psalms, the New Testament fulfillment of God's promises in Christ, and confessions of faith such as the Lutheran chorale tradition and our worship today. 

Biography: The Rev. Kurt Hagen has served as Pastor of Zion & St. John’s Evangelical-Lutheran Churches (WELS) in Kingston, WI, since May 2020. Pastor Hagen was raised in Appleton, WI as the eldest of three children. His father Ken worked as an electrical engineer and his mother Sheryl was an RN. He attended St. Matthew’s Lutheran Elementary School and Fox Valley Lutheran High School in Appleton. He continued his education at Martin Lutheran College in New Ulm, MN, graduating with his BA in 2005. He furthered his studies at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, WI, graduating with his MA in 2009. Pastor Hagen served as Vicar at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Big Rapids, MI from 2007-2008. He served as Senior Vicar at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Port Washington, WI from 2008-2009. After graduation from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2009, he served as Pulpit Assistant at Mt. Lebanon Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, WI as he awaited assignment. In January 2010, he was called by Zion Ev. Lutheran Church in Morgan, MN and was ordained and installed February 21, 2010. He was called in March 2016 to serve St. John's Ev. Lutheran Church in Goodhue, MN, accepted that call, and began serving the saints in Goodhue in June 2016. He received the Lord’s call to serve Zion, Kingston, WI & St. John’s, Salemville, WI in March 2020 and with the Spirit’s guidance, accepted that call. Pastor Hagen married Christi (Jenkin) in 2006. Pr. and Mrs. Hagen have 6 children: Adah, Evangeline, Mark, Joey, Lilah and Nora. It is never quiet at their house!

Presentation Topic: "The Psalms: The Introit to The Distant Triumph Song"

Biography: The Rev.  Zachary Semmann accepted the call to serve as Chaplain for Return to Wittenberg on the Feast of the Annunciation, Anno+Domino 2022. He also serves as Pastor of St. Peter's Evangelical-Lutheran Church (WELS) in Eldorado, WI. Pastor Semmann was born and raised in Grafton, WI. He was born in 1995 to Steven and Andrea Semmann. He has two brothers, an older and a younger, Jacob and Noah. He attended Morning Star Lutheran School and Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School in Jackson, WI, before attending Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN; moving on to Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, WI. During High School, College, and Seminary he was active in several bands and choirs, from the Lutheran Vanguard of Wisconsin to the Seminary Chorus. Pastor Semmann enjoys above all serving the church, spreading the gospel message to new people and growing baptized Christians in the faith. He has a passion for the beauty of Lutheran Worship and its focus on the Means of Grace. In his spare time he enjoys reading and writing, as well as learning about astronomy, cooking, music, and history. He also enjoys playing board games and puzzle games.

Worship Workshop
One of the highlights of R2W is our worship. But many Pastors (and not a few laymen!) have asked: How can I take this home with me? Our Kantor, Daniel Baker, is here to answer that question and more at a worship workshop, which will kick off our plenary Conference on Friday afternoon! Although this session may seem geared toward Pastors and worship coordinators, anyone is welcome to attend and learn how to take the Divine Service literally home with them. This workshop will explore the purpose of worship and why it is organized the way it is. We will discuss how the flow of our worship services and even the architecture of our worship spaces augment the mysteries of God and the renewal of God’s people. The session will also highlight how to best use our Synodical worship resources (the Christian Worship suite) to create a rhythm of Biblical worship in the pattern of our Lutheran forefathers in both the Church and home.

Biography: Daniel Baker was called to be the Kantor of Return to Wittenberg in 2020. He has been the principal organist and worship director of R2W from the very beginning. He is an associate organist and Vice-Chairman/Elder at St. John's Evangelical-Lutheran Church (Oakwood) in Oak Creek, WI, the oldest founding congregation of the WELS. He has a Master of Music in K-12 Music Education from the University of Florida, as well as a parish music degree from Concordia University Wisconsin. His doctoral thesis at the University of Birmingham focused on the influence of Anglican Church music on Synodical Conference Lutheranism from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century. Kantor Baker is also a Schalk Scholar at the  Center for Church Music in Chicago.