Campaign goals
(in millions)
ELCA congregations ELCA rostered leaders
Youth and young adults Disability ministries ELCA missionaries
International leaders-women Global ministries World Hunger
ELCA Malaria Campaign ELCA By Elizabeth Hunter O
n Feb. 3, ELCA leaders launched “Always Being Made New: The Campaign for the ELCA,” a $198 million, five-year fundraising campaign.
Aſter 25 years “there is much to celebrate,” ELCA
Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton wrote to church leaders. “And yet, we know God is calling us to do more. Share the gospel. Stop malaria. Start new congregations. Expand ministries to people living with disabilities. Break the cycle of hunger and poverty. Engage youth and young adults. Support our church’s future leaders.” Speaking at a launch event designed to encourage 100
percent participation in financial commitments to the campaign from ELCA churchwide staff, Eaton talked about raising funds in challenging times. Her home synod of Northeastern Ohio raised more than $200,000 for the ELCA Malaria Campaign. “Ohio took a big hit during the recession,” she said. “But we realized some- thing: We were not helpless. Neither were we poor. God is the one who will provide generously for us.” Linked to the ELCA’s 25th anniversary, this first-ever
comprehensive campaign was approved (671-242) by the 2013 ELCA Churchwide Assembly to help sustain and expand the church’s ministries in the U.S. and around the globe. Te assembly approved expanding the designated funding goals for the priorities liſted up in the campaign
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www.thelutheran.org
$15 $12
$4
$22 $4
$4 $7
$115 $15
Grand total $198
campaign underway
Source: ELCA Mission Advancement
from $121 million over five years by another $77 million, to a total of $198 million. ELCA members, congregations, synods and other
groups will be able to make giſts above and beyond regular giving for existing and new ministry initiatives (see chart). Giſts can be designated for specific campaign priorities or for wherever the need is greatest. Tere’s already quite a bit of passion behind the
campaign, as voiced by campaign steering committee members. Committee chairs Loren and MaryAnn Anderson,
ELCA members from Minneapolis, believe the campaign is uniquely poised to strengthen the church’s mission in the world. “We’re healthiest as a church when we’re focused on our mission, more than our ministry,” Loren said. “It’s not that ministry isn’t important, but mission adds life and vitality to our ministries. So for us, this [campaign] is about mission.” MaryAnn added, “It’s a kairos moment. Te last 25
years of the ELCA have been about coming together and figuring out what we’re about. Now we’re able to grasp that and go forward in a way that will strengthen ELCA congregations and members with what we can do together. Te ELCA’s campaign can have an incredible impact on our outreach to our communities.” Loren points to what faithful Lutherans have done
Expanded goal of $77 million
year aſter year in funding ELCA World Hunger and the ELCA Malaria Campaign. “Tese are the kinds of things we Lutherans have long done well,” he said. “ ‘Always Being Made New: Te Campaign for the ELCA’ is a chance to strengthen our hand. For example, we desper- ately need the best pastors we can educate, which is a particular challenge now with the cost of education.” Committee member Ulysses Burley, a young medi-
cal researcher, worships at St. Stephen Lutheran, an African-American congregation in Chicago. “I’m even more excited about the work of the campaign since an additional $4 million was added [by the churchwide assembly] for the purposes of youth and young adult pro- grams,” he said. “Tis is a recognition that young people are important for the future of the church.” Burley, who is just starting out in his career, admits
that he doesn’t have as many financial resources as some. But, he insists, “we all have something we can contribute for the growth of the kingdom. [We] are just as needed as the individual donor who can give a larger amount. Some people in my context might not be able to identify with everything with the overall church, but they can identify with the campaign priority of the renewal of congregations [and] investing in the campaign for the
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