Mission Support
What is mission support?
Mission support is an offering. Just as individual members give offerings to God to support their congregation, individual congregations give offerings to God to support our synod and the wider church. Congregations can also serve as role models when they tithe—giving a percentage of their income to our synod as mission support.
Where does mission support go? What does it do?
Mission support goes to people in ministry, to make it possible and keep it strong. It is a significant way in which we live out our calling as an interdependent church.
In our church as a whole
Our synod regularly sends a portion of your mission support to the ELCA churchwide organization. In 2020, that portion is 52.5%, and it will support a staggering array of ministries: congregations, missionaries, seminaries, colleges and universities, campus ministries, early childhood centers, elementary schools, outdoor ministries, social ministry organizations, advocacy, and community development on a national scale.
As we give, the ELCA also sends us partnership support for our synod’s mission via grants, services, programs, staff, and resources.
In our synod
The other portion of your mission support funds the work of our synod: evangelical outreach, partnership grants, leadership training, conference strategies, the call process, mobility, stewardship, candidacy, youth ministry, diakonia, the synodical diaconate, retreats, educational grants, hunger relief, multicultural mission, relationships with our global companion synod, work with local social ministry organizations, ecumenical relations, worship, synod governance, the Synod Assembly, communication, and administration.
Thanks for your prayer and support!
The Mission Support Commitment Form for 2020 is now online! Finance committees and congregation councils, please prayerfully consider what level of support you can send and what it will enable us to achieve for mission together. Thank you!