Congregations embrace Year of Jubilee
Filed Under: Christian Giving, donation, Finance, gift, jubilee, Year of Jubilee
Congregations synodwide are in their own ways embracing the special Year of Jubilee offering—authorized by the 2007 synod convention to eliminate the synod's $22.4 million debt and free up funds for other ministry.
Christ the Lord in Clearwater, Fla., has done the math to calculate a rough goal for its members. "Of course the gospel of our Savior will be the main motivator," says Rev. Jeff Mahnke. "We think that breaking it down this way enables our members to see how reachable this goal is as a congregation and as a synod."
The Ministry of Christian Giving is providing all congregations with resources and promotional materials for the special offering—including instructions for producing a banner. Members at Our Savior's in Zion, Ill., worked with the basic design and took things a step further so that the words "Year of Jubilee" are replaceable and the banner can be used again at future occasions.
Year of Jubilee is designed to be celebrated in consecutive worship services from Nov. 23 through Dec. 14. A package of resources, including instructions and a special DVD presentation, was mailed to all congregations after district conventions in June. If this package didn't arrive or if it has been misplaced, contact WELS Ministry of Christian Giving by calling 414-256-3218 (toll-free 800-827-5482). Many of the worship planning resources are also available online, including a promotional insert for October worship folders.
To date, WELS members and congregations have given about $693,000 for the offering.
