Following is a forwarded message from Bishop Mansholt. To reply to Bishop Mansholt, please use gmansholt@css-elca.org or you may call the synod office at one of the numbers listed below. Thank you.
Dan Glamann, Assistant to the Bishop
Central States Synod, ELCA
913.948.9701 or toll-free 866.915.3548
August 31, 2010
Dear Partners in Ministry,
I deeply regret that I must write about the financial challenges within the Central States Synod and inform you of decisions that will impact the ministries of the Church, including your synod staff and campus pastors. Because of continued decline in mission support, the Synod Council Executive Committee on Friday, August 27, revised yet again the 2010 Spending Budget and implemented actions to insure we end this fiscal year with no deficit. The following actions were taken, effective immediately:
· Support for churchwide ministries is reduced from 52% to 50% for the remainder of the year.
· Distribution of grants to Agencies and Institutions will cease for the remainder of the year. The following ministries are impacted: Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, Wartburg Seminary, Region IV, Camp Tomah Shinga, Bethany College, Hollis Renewal Center.
· Spending is restricted to items for which we are contractually obligated. This means significant reduction to monies for travel and the work of teams and committees.
· Synod staff and campus pastors will go on unpaid furlough for one week this fall. The synod office will be closed September 20-26. Staff who have previously scheduled obligations will be given time off at a later date. Campus pastors will designate one week before the end of October for their week of unpaid furlough.
I grieve these decisions and the impact on the lives of people and the ministries of the Church. The financial crisis is caused by a number of factors, including those individuals and congregations that are either withholding or redirecting mission support. The economic downturn continues to impact us, as does the changing culture around and within the life of our congregations.
In the midst of these challenging times I invite your prayers for the Church, including the congregations and ministries of the Central States Synod. I ask for congregations to prayerfully consider how they might respond to these challenges and support the mission and ministry to which we have all been called.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all.
Bishop Gerald Mansholt
Central States Synod
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Rev. Linda Anderson-Little
St. Mark's Lutheran Church
6325 Clayton Road
St. Louis, MO 63117
314.721.6974 (w)
314.581.6365 (cell)
www.stmarkselca.com
