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By Sue Brandt, Director of Finance, Administration and Grant Management

The Synod's Grant Programs are an excellent example of how funds can have a direct impact on leadership, congregational health, innovative thinking, and the wider church.

Today, I write about the Congregational Capital Improvement Challenge Grant. Now in its fourth year, it is a great and popular program because it’s a relational program—the synod and a congregation working together to see a project to fruition. The relationship begins as congregations confirm they have made a Mission Support Commitment to the Synod, that they have completed their Annual Report to the ELCA (Forms A & C – Parochial Reports), and that pastors have completed their Report for Ministers of Word and Sacrament. The information these reports provide to the ELCA – Churchwide and the Synod help us to see who we are, make plans as we move forward, and confirm that congregations are accountable to their members by keeping historical information. The Report for Ministers of Word and Sacrament enables pastors to share their hopes, dreams, and concerns with the Bishop. All relational information; all partnership-thinking.

This year’s grant projects include roofs, hot water tanks, furnaces and boilers, sewer hookups, parsonage repairs, and adding accessibility. Not exactly projects that excite worshipping communities, but foundational work, to be sure. As I get to know the members of congregations that receive grant funding, I hear that they are not only working on the literal foundation, but on their spiritual foundation as well. One congregation that received a small grant to relocate and rewire a music/video room said this in its grant application: Our desire is to better lead God’s people and to advance God’s Kingdom. We understand that our method of sharing the Gospel may need to look different than it did years ago. We recognize the need for intergenerational worship. Our goal is to increase our youth and young adult membership. This congregation has a mission plan for a project that will be hidden behind drywall! I love that. 

As the synod’s grant manager, I am blessed to receive the thanks that are due you—partners with the Synod. Here are some comments received from

those who were awarded grants:

"The Synod’s grant will help us continue being a church and school of excellence that glorifies God in our worship and educational programs."

"We will start to use these funds to make much-needed improvements to our property and to better serve and reach out to our faith-based community".

"We are so grateful for the generous support the Synod has afforded us. Only with this support are we able to make the much-needed repairs to our church."

"Thank you for the CCIC Grant that was awarded. I offer this thank you on behalf of many individuals who utilize our church, God’s house. It is not just

worshippers who use this building. We already have many community partners and this money will help us make the needed repairs, so we can grow our mission of “Sharing God’s Welcome” to even more individuals and groups. Our Focus Areas of Hunger/Homelessness, Diversity/Equality, and Campus Ministry bring us in contact with many who hunger for God’s Word and desire a spiritual renewal. Our church provides a resource to these individuals. The repairs we will be able to make assist us in our robust efforts of having more individuals and groups learn of the many wonders and gifts that God makes available to all. The grant helps to take care of that [property] issue, so we can focus on other areas of mission and ministry."

Another responsibility of mine is to record all gifts the Synod receives. Each month I tally the Mission Support and other gifts received supporting ELCA programs, partnership organizations, etc. I then take 51.5% of the Mission Support received and forward that to ELCA Churchwide. That means the Synod gets to keep 48.5% of the gifts received! Each year, the Synod increases its share to Churchwide by one half of a percent. I remember fondly a stewardship sermon on tithing, when a pastor said, ‘We get to keep 90% of all gifts received.’ I remember the joy—the excitement when she said that—we get to keep 90% of everything God provides for us. We are truly blessed. You can find the 2019 Mission Support Commitment form, here. Please prayerfully consider your giving to your congregation and your congregation’s giving to the Synod and ELCA Churchwide.

May God continue to bless you and all ministries in this Synod.

"Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed." —1 Timothy 6:18-19