Mission Support Update
By Terri Endres, DM
Thanks to all of our congregations who are giving regularly from your offerings to fund the work of the ELCA locally, nationally and globally through undesignated mission support.
As of the end of June the synod office has received $1,170,798.04 or 34.44% of the budget. This is slightly ahead of the same period last year, and just over budget by $854.81. Part of the reason for us being over budget is that the synod office is holding expenses to the bare minimum as total dollars in mission support commitment from our congregations is less than in 2010. Many of our congregations are feeling the need to watch expenses. And yet the work of the church continues as more of God’s people cry out in need. I am hopeful that congregations will be able to give more than committed if the economy begins to show stronger signs of recovery and as our congregations give a renewed emphasis on holistic stewardship education for their members.
It seems like the past few years have been an almost constant time of transition in the ELCA both within our synod and nationally. As the members of the Minneapolis Area Synod look toward an unexpected bishop election in mid-February, please take time to talk with your leaders and members about what it means to be part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and how your congregation can best support the work of the church body of which you are a part.
In September the synod office will have a resource for our congregations to help you as you prepare your 2012 budgets that will provide information about the work of the synod and how the sharing of your offerings is used to do God’s work in the world. Our hope is that every congregation will utilize it and provide feedback to us on how we can best assist you in telling the story of what we do together.
Blessings to each of our congregations as we all make final preparations for the fall.
Endres is a diaconal Minister and the director of stewardship and development for the Minneapolis Area Synod. She can be reached at t.endres@mpls-synod.org.
Top Ten Stewardship Verses
(Reprinted from Stewardship for the 21st Century, the weekly e-newsletter of The Center for Stewardship Leaders at Luther Seminary.)
At last summer's Rethinking Stewardship conference, Mary Sue Dreier, associate professor of Congregation Mission and Leadership at Luther Seminary, asked participants to identify their favorite stewardship verses. Listed below is the top ten, with commentary on each verse provided by Grace Duddy, M.A. senior.
# 10: 2 Corinthians 8
"Anything you can do I can do better"
Generosity is not circumstantial and giving is a privilege. In this passage, Paul uses the story of the Macedonians' abundant generosity in the face of trial to encourage the Corinthians to give generously.
# 9: Micah 6:8
"Three steps to the good life"
The focus of stewardship is not our money or our possessions, but rather the attitude of our heart. The attitudes of justice, kindness and humility shape the way we view, use and give our money and possessions.
# 8: Luke 18:18-27, especially 18:25 (Mark 10:17-22)
"Let's hope that camel has been on a diet"
Stewardship is a matter of the heart. Our possessions often interfere with our relationship with God, steering our focus from creator to creation. Although wealth brings many privileges and benefits, Jesus cautions his followers to beware of wealth's power to lure their hearts away from God.
# 7: Genesis 1-2:4, especially 1:26-27, 31
"Who do you see when you look in the mirror?"
Stewardship originates from the creation story. In this story, God impresses God's own image upon humanity and charges humanity to care for all creation. God is the maker of all things and we are called to be responsible stewards of God's creation.
# 6: 2 Corinthians 9
"Reaping, sowing and your pearly whites"
God provides all that we need and we give in response to God's provision. God desires intentional gifts that can be freely given with a smile. As we give we not only meet the needs of others but we also give thanks to God.
# 5: Luke 19:1-10
"So money does grow on trees"
Stewardship is, first and foremost, about relationships. Zacchaeus' relationship with his possessions, and by consequence his relationship with others, is affected by Jesus' initiation of a relationship with him. Through our relationship with Jesus we are changed; our relationship with Jesus ignites within us a desire to use our possessions responsibly to meet the needs of others.
# 4: Luke 21:1-4 (Mark 12:41-44)
"Two coins makes all the difference"
Jesus commends the widow for giving all that she had to live on. As stewards we are called to give our whole life—time, talent and treasure—to God. We are also called to create sustainable systems of giving so that the rich do not prosper at the expense of the poor. Stewardship is for everyone, the rich and the poor.
# 3: Matthew 6:21 (Luke 12:34)
"Burying your treasure in the clouds"
Where you put your money takes your heart with it. "The point isn't that how we spend our money reveals what sort of people we are, but that how we spend money determines what sort of people we become." (Giving to God, Mark Allan Powell, Robert and Phyllis Leatherman professor of New Testament, Trinity Lutheran Seminary)
# 2: Luke 10:25-37
"Yes, your neighbor includes that random naked guy"
The parable of the Good Samaritan reminds us that we, as stewards of God's world, are called to care for all creation, including our neighbors. Good stewards recklessly give of themselves to their neighbor and in doing so model God's love for all creation.
# 1: Matthew 25:13-40
"Where have you been hiding your money lately?"
The parable of the ten talents emphasizes that we are all stewards, no matter how little or how much God has entrusted us with. As stewards, how we spend, save and share our money matters to God.
