Vision For Funding the Mission [Click here to view the PowerPoint Presentation]

Presentation Slides [color – PDF/289k]

Presentation Notes [b/w – PDF/332k]

Paper copies of the PowerPoint Presentation are available through the Synod office. Please contact the office at least a week in advance by e-mail or call 866.967-3522.

About 18 months ago, Bp. Lohrmann called together a small group with the assignment of creating a vision and establishing a strategy for fully funding the mission in our Synod for the next 5-10 years. Our hope is to close the gap between what is given in undesignated mission support through the synod and what the leadership of our synod would like to pass on to several ministries with whom we have a significant relationship and history. My dream is that we arrive at a time when our leadership’s greatest challenge (congregationally and as a synod) is how to use in ministry all the money that has been given. That’s not our problem!

• Pr. Steve Bauerle (Zion, Waterville)
• John Bean (Good Hope, Bucyrus)
• Bev Ernst (Trinity, Wauseon)
• Pr. Jim Lehman (St. John, Port Clinton)
• Dan Perry (St. John, Findlay)
• Pr. Bill Roman (Hope, Toledo)
• Kermit Stroh (Trinity, Moulton)
• Bill Waterfield (St. Paul, Sandusky)
• Jeannine Grimm (St. Paul, Haskins)
• Bp. Marcus Lohrmann (Synod staff)
• Eugene Grimm (Region 6 Stewardship Specialist)
• Kathy Lemmerbrock (Synod staff)
• Pr. Marc Miller (Synod staff)

With these in mind, we attempted to approach our task from a position of strength. We identified and invited the leadership of 30 of our stronger congregations in mission support to gather so that we could say “thank you.” A number of congregations have met or exceeded their intended undesignated mission support. These were selected based on dollar amount of support, percentage of congregational budget coming through the synod as mission support, and the per capita giving in the congregation.  We said “thank you” – told them the beginning of THIS story – and asked what is it that makes giving a priority in their locale? What is it that makes it work where they are?

We heard some interesting ideas and unique insights– some blinding glimpses of the obvious. Tell the truth – provide clarity and transparency.

So here goes – in an attempt to provide clarity and transparency, let’s define the problem to which Bp. Lohrmann referred yesterday in his report.

First, clarity and transparency require that we understand this - where does the money we as congregations forward to the Synod office end up.

The first 51 cents of each dollar of undesignated giving heads to churchwide mission and ministry.

The next 25 cents of each dollar supports the operational costs of the Northwestern Ohio Synod.

The next 10 cents of each dollar provides funding for outreach grants and other congregational ministries.

The last 14 cents goes to training rostered leaders (Trinity Seminary) and our young people at colleges and universities (Capital, Wittenberg, and Ohio Lutheran Campus Ministry) – and camping ministries fall in the mix too.

As the actual number of undesignated dollars has decreased, what has that meant? Yes, do more with less. That’s not an uncommon them in today’s business world either, is it? And as operational costs for the synod have increased, what has that meant? The allocation for significant ministries has be shrinking!

Let’s also consider the “speed bumps” or “hurdles” we are encountering.  As Bp. Lohrmann acknowledged yesterday in his comments, we as a task force also recognize the challenges we all face – increasing health care costs and health insurance costs, increasing gas prices, increasing utility expenses – need I list more? And we do understand that virtually everyone is asking for money.  But the question becomes are we going to focus on what we don’t have and what we cannot do – or focus on what God has given us and what we can do?

The long and short – there is much that could prevent us from fully funding the mission of our synod – I call these challenges.  And, we can find many excuses for not funding the mission – I call these excuses. And, we can debate whether the causes are worthy – I call this prayer.  But the question remains – will we as a synod own the problem and address it?

We’ve looked at where a dollar goes – mentioned several things that can trip us up – now let’s look specifically at the problem.

While I will point to nine specific ministries and outreaches, I will use one example to highlight THE PROBLEM. Note the trend of giving through our synod to Trinity Lutheran Seminary – our seminary – through this decade? Is anyone bothered by that? Let it up there a moment – and let it sink in.  For those of us who like pictures or graphs, here’s the same information in graph form – but going back a few more years. The same trend is true for all the ministries we will mention.

Vision For Funding the Mission [Click here to view the PowerPoint Presentation]

Presentation Slides [color – PDF/289k]

Presentation Notes [b/w – PDF/332k]

Paper copies of the PowerPoint Presentation are available through the Synod office. Please contact the office at least a week in advance by e-mail or call 866.967-3522.

Please note that the next column – 2007 Ideal – Is significantly higher in each case. This column reflects what the Finance Committee thinks is where we should be (given the request that came to them and given our longer-term history) – where we should be to “fully fund the mission.”  The NEED column is simply the difference between the 2007 proposed and the 2007 Ideal.

Let’s move to the next slide. Now we add the 9th ministry, the Ohio Council of Churches.

You’ll see the total proposed for the 2007 budget for these nine ministries is $235,500.

In 2003, that actual figure was $395,450. OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS, WE’VE DECREASED OUR CONTRIBUTION AS A SYNOD BY $159,950 TO THESE MINISTRIES!

Now, one further clarification, when this funding comes from “undesignated giving”, the 1st 51% goes to churchwide ministries and mission – “churchwide” is not an evil – just a reality – and a responsibility. So, in 2007, to meet the proposed budget, we need to take in $355,605 from undesignated mission support to fund the ministries. That’s the mission support portion of the synod’s – our- 2007 proposed budget

Just one more step. Under 2007 Ideal, you’ll see another line  – Synod staff. The 2007 proposed budget you will be considering later on does NOT, does NOT include a successor to the vacancy that will occur when Pr. Ray Gottschling retires next year. The 2007 Ideal includes a successor.

The bottom line – we can continue in the trend we’ve created – OR we can look at the bottom Right hand corner of the screen - $409,814 – own the problem – believe that God has indeed given us what we need to do ministry – and provide for a fully funded mission and ministry as a Synod – and in our congregations.

To repeat – over and above the proposed 2007 budget which you will be considering – and additional $409,814 undesignated mission support would: 1. Bring these nine ministries to where they should be according to our finance committee, 2. Provide for a successor in one of the Asst to the Bishop positions, and 3. fully recognize our partnership with the whole ELCA in that 51% of our undesignated gifts are sent through church-wide.

As Bp. Lohrmann suggested – and the math is not that difficult – we have approximately 100,000 members in the NW Ohio Synod of the ELCA – about 30,000 are in the pew each week. If each of those 30,000 gave an additional $14 to Christ yet this year – and again, another $14 addition of undesignated mission support for Fiscal Year 2007 – and then continued on from there, this problem would be solved.

What if? What if we don’t increase our funding to Trinity Seminary? Do you want to send a message to our future pastors and rostered leaders that we don’t care?

What if? What if we do not found Ohio Lutheran Campus Ministries? Do you want to lose connection with our sons and daughters who attend state universities?

What if? What if we do not fund Lutheran Outdoor Ministries of Ohio? Do you want to tell our young people and our families there will be no camp one of these summers?

What if? Frankly – unless we do something – that is where we’re headed!

But we know that Lutherans respond – and respond generously.  Bp. Lohrmann spoke of many examples yesterday – including that at least $55 million was given to World Hunger and Disaster Relief (Tsunami in Indonesia, earthquake in Pakistan, Hurricanes in US) in the last 18 months or so.