Quarterly newsletter for Northwestern Publishing House

1. Vol. 13, No. 2 For Friends and Customers of Northwestern Publishing House Spring 2007
NPH Has a Presence in Europe
Dear NPH,
I hope this shows how your A WELS World Mission
Thank you for the shipments
books are getting put to good friendly counselor
of books that you have sent
use. Because of your ship- (missionary) wrote this
me during my time in
ments, news of your mission letter. In order to share
Sweden. I, in turn, have
and Christ-centered products the word about the latest
shared the books with the
is spreading. In fact, I have products and services,
pastors here and have also
helped several pastors and the NPH Marketing
used them to promote NPH
church members place orders Department frequently
on your behalf.
with NPH, which is further sends out review copies
Before passing along the
proof that your products are of selected new materials
books to others, I read
being used here. Thanks to pastors in every WELS
them myself. My wife and
again for the packages. district and world mission
I especially appreciate the
field. These copies are often
devotion books, which we
shared at pastoral confer-
often use with our evening
ences so that other pastors,
meal. When I finish reading
in turn, can spread the
the books, I then distribute
word at their respec-
them to other pastors,
tive churches. The
seminary students, and
letter here shows
congregation members. I
just how far that
also take them to pastoral
word can spread.
conferences as well as
Next time you use
frequently share with
an NPH book or
pastors in Finland, Norway,
product, consider
Latvia, and Ukraine books
sharing it with or
that I think they will find
recommending it
topically interesting. After
to someone else
the books make the rounds,
as part of their
I donate them to a pastor
personal ministry.
Thank You...
in our fellowship in
Europe or to a seminary
library for even more
readers to appreciate.
Do you have an interesting story about an NPH product? Please let us know, and we may
print your story in a future issue of Inside Journal. Perhaps by reading your article, other
congregations will get ideas to help them “Proclaim Peace through Jesus.”

2. Prepublication Offer for
New Daily Devotional
bulletin boards so
until after August 1,
First there was Meditations,
the quarterly devotion booklet that church leaders
2007, NPH will begin
from NPH. Since its beginning can easily tally bulk
taking orders in
50 years ago, the devotional congregational orders.
March (through
booklet has supplied readers April 15) for 10 Meditations has pro-
with daily encouragement in or more copies at ven to be one of the
God’s Word, and its popularity 40% OFF the regular most visible products
and readership have grown. price of $19.99. from Northwestern
Now, five decades later, (Note: This special Publishing House.
Meditations on Favorite prepublication offer is not Why? People from many
Scriptures commemorates available at www.nph.net; different denominations
50 years of Meditations in please call 1-800-662-6022 subscribe to the periodical,
an attractive hard cover book. or visit the retail store.) The and people in all walks of life
This special anniversary volume savings of $8 per copy will rely on the devotions’ gospel
compiles some of the best- certainly make this an attractive messages. Now Meditations
loved meditations—updated offer for congregations that on Favorite Scriptures will
and revised for easier reading— wish to pass along the savings shepherd you through a year
from the archives of the popular to their members through a with the familiar touch of the
periodical. Every reading in the church bulk order. A special periodical. This new keepsake
new daily devotional centers on packet of information will be volume also makes a great gift
a portion of favorite Scripture mailed in March to all WELS for any occasion!
and offers the comfort and and ELS churches. Included in
guidance of God’s Holy Word. Want more information about
the packet will be a letter, copy
While Meditations on Favorite subscribing to Meditations?
masters, and a sign-up sheet
Scriptures will not be available Visit www.nph.net/periodicals.
for posting on church or school
FYI
Faith Foundations St. Paul Lutheran Church,
pages (with answers) as well
as optional teaching materials. New Ulm, MN—Saturday, June 30
Faith
Faith Foundations also
Foundations: St. Paul Lutheran Church,
incorporates a component to
Catechism Onalaska, WI—Sunday, July 1
stimulate spiritual discussion
Lessons—The
Mount Olive Lutheran Church,
among students and parents.
Basic Truths of
Appleton, WI—Saturday, July 14
the Bible is the
Star of Bethlehem Lutheran
new Christ-
Light catechism Church, New Berlin, WI—
curriculum for fifth and sixth Saturday, July 21
grades. Course 1 of the A special choral music work-
curriculum is due for release shop will be held at NPH
in April 2007, and Course 2 Christian Books and Gifts
is scheduled for April 2008.
in Milwaukee on Saturday,
NPH will conduct New
While this curriculum uses
August 11, 2007, from
Music Reading Workshops
the same basic lesson schedule
9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.
in summer 2007 to give church
as Catechism Lessons
musicians a chance to review For more information, contact
(IJ07N2149–51) by Adolph
Cheryl Nolte by phone at
and purchase recent choir and
Fehlauer, the look and pres-
(800) 662-6093, ext. 5763 or
keyboard music from NPH and
entation of the materials are
(414) 615-5763 or by e-mail
quite different. For example, other publishers.
at noltecl@nph.wels.net.
replacing the hardcover text- Workshops will be presented
Workshop information,
book is a wire-bound, 210-page,
at the following: including online registration,
full-color workbook (one for
Michigan Lutheran Seminary, is also available at
each year). The Teacher’s Guide
www.nph.net/music/workshop.
Saginaw, MI—Saturday, June 16
contains copies of the student

3. Christ-Light Field Test 2006
2
In summer 2006, the NPH • Options for increased
in the Prek-K lessons was more
student involvement
Marketing Department worked grade appropriate than the art in
with the Christ-Light staff to the current Christ-Light lessons • New Bible story pictures
gather feedback about a revised and that the new materials were for the Prek-K level
Christ-Light curriculum (CL2). well written and user friendly.
Thanks to all the field test
Field-testing CL2 lessons would Teachers also indicated that
participants and to our Christ-
help determine their strengths certain changes in organization Light customers for providing
and needed improvements. and layout aided instruction— us with recommendations.
Throughout the summer, bolded words, dual text color, We value your opinions and
Sunday school and Lutheran and the use of icons and feedback about our curriculum.
elementary school teachers were paragraph form. Teachers also Your input helps us determine
randomly contacted to assemble appreciated the new, research- ways to improve our product
a list of interested field test based teaching strategies. line for new generations of
participants. Free lesson
Christ-Light users.
This field test was not a
samples, a questionnaire, and
scientific study; rather, it
instructions were sent to each
was focus group research.
participant, who was to teach
Questionnaires were loosely
and review the materials and
structured to allow participants
return the questionnaire. The
to respond as they wished.
Marketing Department then
documented, analyzed, and Although opinions and
summarized the responses for responses did not represent
the Christ-Light staff. those of the entire market, they
were helpful. Here are some
Responses were mixed but
features NPH is considering
very positive overall. Feedback
for the revised Christ-Light:
touched on artwork, Bible lesson
content, student activities, • Full-color student lessons
teaching options, design, layout,
• Simplified student activities
and more. Many teachers agreed
• Short lessons
that the new Bible story artwork
NPH on the Lookout for False Doctrine
NPH serves its customers not product is received, NPH mails it If you ever come across a
only by publishing its own product purchased from NPH
to a WELS reviewer along with a
products but also by making that you think is doctrinally
review form and instructions on
available for sale materials from unsound, please bring it to the
the reviewing process. After
other Christian publishers. attention of John Braun, vice
reviewing a particular product,
These other president of publishing at NPH,
the reviewer fills out the form
publishers along with the details—title,
with comments about
send NPH author, page number(s), and
the contents,
about a nature of the problem(s). The
especially
thousand product will then be
noting
products reevaluated, and a decision will
any false
each year for be made to continue or
doctrine
consideration. discontinue selling the product.
present in any part
of the material. On the
In order to ensure
form, the reviewer
that NPH sells only
also recommends If you are a called worker in
doctrinally sound
whether or not NPH should sell the WELS and wish to serve
products in keeping
the product. The review form is as a reviewer for NPH, please
with its mission, WELS
returned to an NPH editor, who contact Eileen Schlavensky at
pastors and teachers are
further evaluates the product 414-615-5743, or e-mail her
called upon to review all
based on all form comments at schlaven@nph.wels.net.
products received from outside
before ordering.
publishers. When an outside

4. New Releases from NPH
Inside Journal
People’s Bible Teachings series Lord’s Supper: The Lamb’s High
Christ: He Is My Lord by Harlyn J. Feast by Arnold J. Koelpin.
is a publication of the marketing
Kuschel. IJ15N0622, $13.99. IJ15N0621, $12.99.
department of Northwestern
Heaven and Hell: Eternal Life, Publishing House. Its purpose
is to provide our customers with
Eternal Punishment by Brian R.
a regular source of information
Keller. IJ15N0620, $14.99.
about products and services.
Editor: Mark Buske
For additional information on these products, go to www.nph.net. Choose Designer: Pamela Dunn
the search scope Catalog Item Number, insert the item number, and click
Copy Editor: Jeanne Fehlauer
on “GO.” You may also contact NPH Order Services at 1-800-662-6022
Contributing Writers: Mark Buske,
(Milwaukee area 414-475-6600, ext. 5800) 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. CT weekdays.
Owen Dorn, Cory Grassell,
Clif Koeller, Carl Nolte,
Ray Schumacher
Call!
Send comments/suggestions
to Mark Buske:
inal
buskem@nph.wels.net
F
Northwestern Publishing House
1250 North 113th Street
Milwaukee, WI 53226-3284
Permission is granted for any original article in
Don’t
Inside Journal to be photocopied or electronically
transmitted for use in a WELS church, school,
Making Tracks materials
or organization, provided that the copies are dis-
make planning and conducting
Delay!
tributed free and reference Inside Journal as the
a VBS program convenient and source. Any photograph or other artwork may not
be reproduced except in the context of its article.
easy! Designed to ease the stress of
For other copyright questions, contact NPH
planning around uncertain enrollment Copyrights and Permissions at (414) 454-2112
numbers, a new Student Lesson CD-ROM is available to help you or e-mail adrianb@nph.wels.net.
engineer a VBS suited to your congregation. Making Tracks
also includes materials for conducting one-, two-, and five-day
VBS programs. And a teen/adult Bible study offers an
opportunity to involve the entire congregation.
Visit www.nph.net/vbs for a full listing of available
Making Tracks materials and to sample lessons, logos,
and music.
Bring your congregation aboard!
Order VBS materials today by calling 1-800-662-6022 or visiting
www.nph.net/vbs. A nonreturnable Sample Kit is available
(SC10N1522,$15.00).
Price is subject to change
without notice. All orders
are subject to shipping and
handling costs and sales
tax where applicable.