The North American Lutheran Church (NALC) has received a $1 million gift that will expand the new church body’s work in carrying out its mission and in training and educating its pastors, the NALC announced Thursday, Feb. 10.
The NALC will use the gift to launch two designated funds that will be significant for the church body’s future. One fund will support theological education — the training and continuing education of NALC pastors. The other fund will be used to provide “Great Commission Grants” to fund special mission projects, including new congregation starts, missionaries, and other initiatives to spread the Gospel and make disciples for Christ.
The $1 million gift was given by Tom and Saundra Smith of Elderton, Pa. The Smiths are members of Mount Union Lutheran Church of Elderton. The Smiths were reluctant to be recognized for their gift, but they agreed to the public announcement because it could inspire others to support these special projects in the NALC.
“What a marvelous gift from Tom and Saundra Smith. Their generosity is a sign of their confidence in the future of the North American Lutheran Church and their personal commitment to our mission. The funds they have provided will enable us to carry out a vigorous ministry and outreach,” said the Rev. Paull Spring of State College, Pa., NALC bishop.
“I hope that their gift will motivate all of us to be generous supporters of the North American Lutheran Church,” Bishop Spring said.
“The new ‘Great Commission Grants’ reflect the NALC’s commitment to be a mission-driven church. We want to keep the true mission of the Church to preach the Gospel and make disciples for Christ at the center of the NALC’s common life. This fund is an expression of that commitment,” said Ryan Schwarz of Washington, D.C., NALC treasurer.
“The NALC has also set a goal to provide funding for the seminary education of its pastors through support from its members. This gift provides us a good start toward that goal as well,” he said.
The NALC’s general operations are funded by its congregations through their benevolence offerings. The two new funds will enable individuals and congregations to support the NALC’s priority ministry initiatives above and beyond basic operating support.
“We have been very pleased by the support the NALC has received from its congregations and from many individuals. This support illustrates the deep commitment of our members to the NALC and their excitement about being a part of this new church body,” Schwarz said.
The NALC Executive Council also set aside a portion of the gift as a contingency fund for NALC operations. “In these still-challenging economic times, we think it prudent to establish a sort of ‘rainy-day fund’ for the church,” Schwarz said.
The North American Lutheran Church, which embodies the theological center of Lutheranism in North America, has been growing rapidly since it was constituted Aug. 27, 2010. More than 130 congregations have voted to join the NALC in its first six months of existence. Many more congregations are expected to vote to join the church body in the coming weeks and months. The church body has been adding several congregations a week.
The NALC centers its life around four key attributes: Christ-Centered; Mission-Driven; Traditionally-Grounded; and Congregationally-Focused.
Additional gifts to the “Great Commission Grants” fund or the theological education fund or general gifts for the NALC may be sent to: NALC; 2299 Palmer Drive, Suite 220; New Brighton, MN 55112. If you would like your gift to go to one of the special funds, please note that with your gift.
2 comments:
Why don't you use some of that money to help out the congregation mentioned in your Sunday, Feb 27 post? You know, the one with the following title: ELCA forces closure of another congregation and seizes its property. Or do you just post those stories to further your own power grabbing agenda? Just curious.
"Power grabbing"? Some might call it that, but others would call it simply telling the truth.
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