Participate in the Larger Church through Mission Support
For many people, the Lutheran Church is probably the most important organization they belong to for making the world a better place in the name of Jesus. The larger ecology of the ELCA includes over 3.5 million people embracing ministry in their daily lives, over 9,000 congregations working collectively to provide care for their constituents and communities, and 65 synods walking alongside congregations and supporting local partners including camps, colleges, and seminaries. Furthermore, the churchwide organization provides leadership and collaboration for a broad range of ministry initiatives on behalf of the whole church, both nationally and globally.
Mission Support enables the ELCA’s congregations and synods to pool resources to love and serve our neighbors in ways that no individual, congregation or synod can do alone. It shows how we are church together and it is essential to who we are as the ELCA.
Mission Support is a primary funding mechanism for the ministries stewarded by both synods and the churchwide organization. Congregations are encouraged to share with their synod a tithe of ten percent or more of what is shared in regular giving from their members. Synods retain a portion of this and share a portion with the churchwide organization. Synods are encouraged to maintain or increase this portion shared with the wider church each year.
Just like there are always opportunities to grow in our personal giving, Mission Support is a place where congregations can make gradual increases to support the ministries stewarded by synods and the churchwide organization.
