ELCA Recieves Nearly $2 Million to Build and Secure Churches

The largest Lutheran denomination in the U.S. received nearly $2 million in grants to help start new congregations and fund other efforts

By Pauline J. Chang, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, May 24, 2005

The largest Lutheran denomination in the U.S. received nearly $2 million in grants to help start new congregations and fund other efforts, from a not-for-profit financial service organization based in Minneapolis.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans announced May 11 its decision to help support the Evangelical Lutheran in Church in America’s 65 synods, 10,657 congregations and other mission partners .

“We're very grateful to Thrivent Financial for Lutherans for its generous gift to the ELCA churchwide organization," said the Rev. Charles S. Miller, ELCA executive for administration, to the ELCA news service.

“The gift permits us to expand our outreach through the start of new congregations, provides vital support for a host of churchwide events including the upcoming Churchwide Assembly, and gives us the opportunity to try some innovative programs in evangelism and leadership development. The gift really increases our capacity for essential ministries in behalf of this whole church," Miller said.

Of the new grant, one million will go to the ELCA Division for Outreach for planting new congregations and renewing current congregations. Nearly half a million will support the 11 churchwide ministries. The remaining $300,000 went to nine ELCA initiatives: "Mission Interpretation: A Narrative Approach to Growing Giving," "Cruzando: Journeying with Jesus in Bosnia," Multicultural Gathering, "Interfaith Initiative," "Kidfaith: Nurturing Children in Faith and Community," ELCA Small Town and Rural Ministry Alliance, Legal Issues Forum, college reception at Churchwide Assembly and strategic planning for the Decade for Nonviolence.

Meanwhile, Tim Schwan, Thrivent’s vice president of church and community outreach, said his group is delighted to serve the Lutheran church.

"Thrivent Financial has been privileged to serve the Lutheran community for more than a century, and developing new mission congregations is critical to the health, vitality and growth of the Lutheran faith," said Schwan in a Thrivent Financial news release. "We are delighted to assist the ELCA in its ministries that touch people's lives both in the Lutheran church and in the broader community.”
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