Eligibility & Enrollment

Called Workers

A called worker who has been issued a formal call by WELS to serve at least half time at a WELS sponsoring organization is eligible for and automatically participates in the WELS Shepherd Plan.

Lay Workers

A lay worker who has been hired to regularly work at least 20 hours per week at a WELS sponsoring organization is eligible to participate in the WELS Shepherd Plan.

Enrollment

To participate in the WELS Shepherd Plan, an eligible called or lay worker must enroll on the enrollment website at: www.retirementplanconsultants.info/login. First, the worker should contact the Shepherd Plan administrator at his or her local sponsoring organization to ensure that the worker’s demographic information has been set up in the enrollment website. Then, the worker should follow these instructions to complete the enrollment.

Participation

After enrollment, quarterly Synod Allocations and Synod Age-Based Allocations are provided to (1) called workers; and (2) lay workers who are employed at least half-time by the WELS Center for Mission and Ministry, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Martin Luther College, Luther Preparatory School, or Michigan Lutheran Seminary, and were hired before 2015.

After enrollment, called workers and lay workers may receive employer contributions (if provided by their local sponsoring organization) and make employee contributions.

Please refer to the Shepherd Plan Benefits page for more details regarding contribution types.

Please refer to this instructional video for information on how to select beneficiaries and investment options.

Definition of Eligible Sponsoring Organization

The Synod, Member Congregations and Affiliated Agencies (as defined below).

The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

The individual congregations listed in the Directory of Congregations in the annual Yearbook of the Synod.

Organizations listed in the annual Yearbook of the Synod, and include Northwestern Publishing House, Synodical Schools, Wisconsin Lutheran College, Synodically affiliated Lutheran high schools, and Synodical and Synodically affiliated charitable, social, and educational organizations.