SC approves funds for home mission expansion
Breaking news
The Synodical Council (SC) meeting in Milwaukee April 25-26 approved a request from the Board for Home Missions (BHM) that it be allocated $500,000 of an anticipated $2.2 million surplus in the synod's operating budget for fiscal year 2007-08. The funds are designated for new mission opportunities and will be appropriated when they actually become available at the end of the current fiscal year (June 30).
According to current SC policy, all surplus funds are placed into a "buffer fund" to offset future budgetary shortfalls.
The SC considered that the current budget had reduced BHM allocations. It also recognized the desire of the 2007 convention to expand mission efforts by planting new mission congregations. In view of the level of support provided by congregations and individuals since the convention, and in view of the ministry opportunities available to Home Missions, the SC unanimously determined that using $500,000 from the buffer fund is appropriate both in terms of ministry and in terms of faithful stewardship.
Rev. Mark Schroeder, WELS president, says he fully supports this decision. "I'm convinced that this is the right thing to do for a number of reasons," he says. "First, the SC action is one more concrete way in which we are following through on the convention's commitment to expand our mission efforts. This allocation plants new home mission congregations and provides manpower to enable additional new congregations in the future."
"Second, this funding is available because the people of the synod responded so generously with their gifts and offerings. I believe that efforts such as these are exactly why God's people brought those offerings—they are committed to increasing our mission efforts. This is one more way in which we can plant the seed of the gospel, confident that God will make that seed grow."
The anticipated funds are part of $917,000 BHM has designated for new mission opportunities for fiscal year 2008-09.
$837,000 would be used to fund manpower to:
Establish new congregations in
- Las Vegas, Nev.
- Rochester, Minn., in partnership with Resurrection, Rochester
- Crossville, Tenn.
- New Lenox, Ill.
Support Spanish-language outreach in
- Detroit, Mich.
- Orlando, Fla.
Assist expanding ministries at
- Prince of Peace, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Hope, Irmo, S.C.
Provide resident manpower at
- New Hope, Racine, Wis.
$80,000 would be used to support outreach-oriented early childhood ministries in
- Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
- Redmond, Wash.
