2013 National Offering

Every three years LCMS households, congregations and organizations are invited to participate in a synodwide gathering of financial gifts called the National Offering.  Leading with a collection received in worship services during the 2013 Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in St. Louis, this triennium’s National Offering gives participants five choices through which they can share Christ’s forgiveness and mercy both at home and abroad.  It also affords LCMS congregations and their members an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to our life together as the world’s leading confessional Lutheran body.  

For the 2013-16 triennium, five gift designations cover a range of Witness, Mercy, Life Together efforts, all of which happen only with broad support from LCMS congregations and households. Baptized for this moment, you are free to join with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ in sharing His forgiveness and mercy in a world desperately in need of it. Please join with others in support of this triennium’s National Offering.

 

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  What do these designations support?

Participating in the National Offering

Beginning in April, LCMS congregations and clergy can order special bulletin inserts and informational resources at no cost to help promote the 2013–2016 National Offering. June 2 of this year has been designated as “National Offering Sunday.” LCMS congregations can mail a single gift, comprising gifts from their members, using a self-mailer supplied by Synod’s Mission Advancement department. Congregations may also forward individual gifts made payable to “The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.” Congregations may choose to send their offering to the 2013 Convention in St. Louis in person, hand-carried by their delegates, to be given during the special worship service planned or deposited into one or more special collection boxes located in the Convention Hall or Exhibitor’s area. Individual households wishing to participate in the National Offering can do so a number of ways by:

• Supporting your local congregation’s effort to gather gifts in support of the National Offering
• Making an online donation
  
• Mailing a check, made payable to “The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod,” to:

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
2013 National Offering
P.O. Box 790417
St. Louis, MO 63179-0417

On the memo line of the check write “2013 National Offering”.  Include a note indicating one or more of the five designations to which you would like your offering applied.

• Make a gift of appreciated securities, property or other assets by contacting The LCMS Foundation at:

(800) 325-7912 or by visiting www.lcmsfoundation.org

 
Gifts for the 2013-16 National Offering are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Whenever possible, individual tax-deductible receipts will be issued to the donor making the gift. 

Reports on our Synod’s response to the National Offering will be made available here during the 2013 National Convention in St. Louis and in the months following. To learn more about the 2013-16 National Offering or to receive help with your questions, please call Mission Advancement’s Donor Care line at 888-930-4438.

About the Designations

Together As Synod (Life Together)

Unrestricted gifts are vital to the national and international work of the LCMS. Together As Synod, we are able to accomplish more when we work alongside each other than any of us could if we worked alone. Together As Synod gifts can be combined with other donations as needed and invested where needed most according to the financial and programmatic priorities approved by Synod’s Board of Directors. These gifts are one of the most cost-effective ways to deploy resources at the national and international levels. They are tightly monitored as they are expended and audited for appropriate use.  

The 2013 National Offering Goal for Together As Synod: $200,000

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LCMS Global Mission (Witness, Mercy, Life Together)

Gifts to LCMS Global Mission are a cost-effective and controlled way to support and strengthen Witness, Mercy, Life Together efforts carried out by the Office of National Mission and the Office of International Mission. Restricted to supporting the work of the two offices, offerings to LCMS Global Mission supply resources whenever and wherever specially designated gifts are not readily available. Immediately deployable, LCMS Global Mission gifts will sustain, strengthen and expand efforts to share the love of Jesus in word and deed both at home and abroad. They are also the resources that allow the Office of National Mission to better meet the need and expectations of our congregations, districts, RSOs and other ministries for leadership, support, resources and services. Gifts are used according to the prioritized plans of each Office and in compliance with polices established by their respective, elected boards.  

The 2013 National Offering Goal for LCMS Global Mission: $200,000

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Lutheran Malaria Initiative (Mercy)

One child in Africa dies from malaria every 60 seconds; most are under the age of three. Gifts to the Lutheran Malaria Initiative (LMI) empower LCMS mercy teams to join in a coordinated battle to end malaria deaths in Africa by 2015, and in ways that shine the light and hope of the Gospel on afflicted homes and communities. Focusing on education, prevention and effective, affordable treatments for malaria, LMI reaches communities at the last mile of the longest road. As mercy work is conducted, teams are telling affected households and communities of the hope found only in Jesus, opening avenues for continued evangelism and instruction in the Christian faith. LMI works closely with Lutheran partner churches in Africa to identify areas where our prevention and treatment efforts have the greatest impact. It is our prayer that every child in Africa be baptized into new life with Jesus as their Savior and that they might live in a world without malaria.

The 2013 National Offering Goal for the Lutheran Malaria Initiative: $200,000

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The Joint Seminary Fund (Life Together)

One of Synod’s primary purposes is to train the next generation of pastors through its seminaries. Over the past decades and for a number of reasons, the amount of unrestricted funding available through Synod’s annual budget to support our seminaries has declined. Our Synod’s primary mechanism for supplementing what unrestricted financial support is available can be seen in the Joint Seminary Fund. Offerings to the Joint Seminary Fund will be disbursed to our seminaries: Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind., and Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. Gifts are equitably divided between the two seminaries according to an agreed-upon formula and are unrestricted income available for use as their Regents see fit. With one gift, you can support both seminaries as they faithfully prepare future generations of pastors, deaconesses and leaders for service in the Lord’s harvest fields.

The 2013 National Offering Goal for The Joint Seminary Fund: $200,000

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Global Seminary Initiative (Witness)

Lutherans around the world are clamoring for the theological treasures we steward in the LCMS. As partner churches grow, they desire to establish their own seminaries and prepare their own pastors. They want church leaders well grounded in Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. The Global Seminary Initiative exists to accomplish both, equipping partner church pastors to serve as well-formed seminary professors as well as future partner church leaders. The Global Seminary Initiative brings eligible partner church pastors to our seminaries for advanced theological education. It also helps send LCMS seminary faculty to partner church seminaries, bringing the treasures of Lutheran theology to students through instruction and consultation. The Global Seminary Initiative also supplies the essential theological resources needed by students and professors in a partner church seminary. Gifts to the Global Seminary Initiative will empower partner churches as they become self-sufficient in preparing future generations of confessional Lutheran pastors and as they seek indigenous church leaders who possess the depth of our theology as Lutherans.  

The 2013 National Offering Goal for the Global Seminary Initiative: $200,000

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