1. How Do We Get Our Money to God? Congregational Stewardship and General Mission Support

2. Christians Give to God We give through our congregations We give through our congregations We give through other organizations We give through other organizations We give to family members and friends We give to family members and friends

3. We Have Decisions to Make!

4. How Do We Decide How God Will Receive our Gift? Through ELCA or other? Through ELCA or other? Designated or undesignated? Designated or undesignated? Gift based on amount or proportion? Gift based on amount or proportion? Local or beyond our immediate community? Local or beyond our immediate community? Purpose based or emotion based? Purpose based or emotion based?

5. ELCA or Other? ELCA is who we are –T–T–T–True partners in ministry –P–P–P–Part of the Body of Christ –A–A–A–A trustworthy community –N–N–N–Not another charity among many Other organizations have strong ministries, too –A–A–A–Also part of the larger Body of Christ

6. CONGREGATIONAL MISSION SUPPORT TO SYNOD AND PERCENTAGE OF INCOME

7. CONGREGATIONAL MISSION SUPPORT TO SYNOD AND PERCENTAGE OF INCOME (Adjusted for Inflation)

8. How $100 of Offering Received in Congregations Is Shared

9. Designated or undesignated? Designated giving keeps the giver in control Designated giving keeps the giver in control Undesignated giving shares control of the gift Undesignated giving shares control of the gift Designated giving is increasing in the US Designated giving is increasing in the US Undesignated giving is decreasing in the US Undesignated giving is decreasing in the US

10. Proportionate Giving or Giving based on Amount? Proportionate giving based on percentage Proportionate giving based on percentage Proportionate giving is Biblical Proportionate giving is Biblical Proportionate giving is fair Proportionate giving is fair Proportionate giving reflects faith Proportionate giving reflects faith Proportionate giving is a model Proportionate giving is a model

11. Local or Beyond? The answer is – Both! The answer is – Both! But which will draw our greatest commitment? But which will draw our greatest commitment? Congregations keep a greater share of giving for their own ministries Congregations keep a greater share of giving for their own ministries We are called to look outward and support the ministries of God’s work throughout the world We are called to look outward and support the ministries of God’s work throughout the world

12. Giving Beyond Ourselves General Mission support General Mission support –Bishop Berg calls for 5% minimum –Grow to 10% and beyond Specific Mission support Specific Mission support –Grow towards another 10% –Camps –Missionary Sponsorship –Local ministries –LSS

13. Sharing of Offerings Received in Congregations

14. Specific Mission Support by Destination 1989 - 2003

15. Purpose based or emotion based? We often give to what feels good We often give to what feels good –Emotional appeals work –Emotional appeals satisfy the giver Synod work can’t compete emotionally with hunger appeals or missionaries Synod work can’t compete emotionally with hunger appeals or missionaries –Most dramatic work is confidential –It’s infrastructure for ministry

16. How Do We Get Our Money To God? Lots of different ways Lots of different ways Proportionate Proportionate Undesignated Undesignated Designated Designated Purpose based Purpose based Local ministries Local ministries Beyond local ministries Beyond local ministries Through the ELCA Through the ELCA