LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 34

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

34

SYNOD REPORTS

in Mission program to provide partial or full support of one or more
missionaries!
Numerous other families have pledged regular foundational
support for LCMS World Mission through the Mission Sowers program and specifically for Ministry to the Armed Forces through the
Guardians program. Children of the LCMS through schools, Sunday
Schools, and Vacation Bible Schools have joined in God’s mission
through the Sparklers program; joint collaborative mission projects
with LCMS World Relief and Human Care offered through Concordia
Publishing House’s VBS curriculum and resource in 2008, 2009, and
2010; Lutheran Schools Week Mission project in 2008, etc.
Responsive to donor preferences and utilizing the eco-friendly,
cost-effectiveness of electronic media, we continue to expand online
learning and giving opportunities. We now regularly deliver electronic
ministry updates connected to giving opportunities via our Web site,
blogs, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, and more.
Fan into Flame
Introduction and History
Fan into Flame is a campaign to gather financial support for new
mission projects and initiatives of the Ablaze! movement. The worldwide goal of the Ablaze! movement is to reach 100 million unreached
or uncommitted people with the Gospel by 2017. How much money
does it cost to share faith with someone else? Truth be told, it doesn’t
cost anything to tell others about Jesus and to explain the Gospel
hope that we have as Christians. New resources are required, however, in several areas that will strengthen the LCMS’s ability to share
the Good News, such as more missionaries in the field, new congregations throughout North America, and creative Ablaze! projects in
both congregations and districts to encourage members to tell their
friends and neighbors about eternal salvation through Jesus Christ.
The 2004 Synod convention endorsed the $100 million fundraising campaign. Beginning in 2006, the Texas and South Wisconsin
Districts and a handful of congregations in our Synod were asked to
participate in Fan into Flame. Since then, many more districts, hundreds of congregations, and thousands of members have joined this
mission-funding initiative. The results have been impressive. New
mission projects have been launched, existing programs have been
strengthened, and, most importantly, more people have heard the
Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Fan into Flame uses a model for distribution of funds that incorporates Jesus’ charge to His disciples in Acts 1:8 that “you will be
My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the
ends of the earth.” Using this model, Fan into Flame allocates net
funds as shown here:

Current campaign news, including annual reports from fiscal year
2007–08 and 2008–09, can be found at the Fan into Flame Web
site:www.fanintoflamelcms.org.

Progress

As of Feb. 26, 2010, $55,156,391 has been received in cash and
pledges from 21,589 total gifts for Fan into Flame. This includes
the following:
• $27,064,155 from congregations
• $23,950,156 from major gifts
• $4,142,080 from individual gifts
Of this total, $27,369,402 has been received in cash.
1. 16 districts have formally concluded their involvement with
Fan into Flame (Atlantic, California-Nevada-Hawaii, English,
Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota,
Northern Illinois, Oklahoma, Pacific Southwest, SELC, South
Wisconsin, Southeastern, Southern, and Texas).
2. 16 districts are currently underway or scheduled to move forward with their campaign timelines in 2010 (Central Illinois,
Eastern, Florida-Georgia, Indiana, Iowa East, Iowa West,
Michigan, Mid-South, Minnesota North, Minnesota South,
New England, Northwest, North Wisconsin, Ohio, Rocky
Mountain, and South Dakota).
3. The 1,192 congregations that have or are participating nationally continue to use their share of funds raised for a host of
local outreach—both new and expanded.
Fan into Flame continued to receive strong support from individuals and congregations in 2009. Last year alone, over $13.8 million
was pledged by congregations and individuals—a 10 percent increase
from 2008!
Key Districts

The Texas District was the first to participate in the campaign,
beginning in 2006. To date, congregations and individuals have
pledged more than $6.8 million to Fan into Flame. Ablaze! for God’s
Mission, the Southeastern District’s campaign in partnership with
Fan into Flame, surpassed their $6 million goal at the end of 2009.
In the first six months of their campaign, congregations and individuals in the Mid-South District pledged more than 85 percent of their
$1.1 million district goal. The Oklahoma District ran their campaign
in 2007–2008 with great success. Congregations and individuals surpassed the district goal and pledged over $1.6 million for Fan into
Flame. Through a partnership of their multiyear campaign The Future
Is Now and Fan into Flame, the Michigan District’s congregations
and individuals have pledged $5.1 million to date.
Results
Over the next five years, donors will continue to fulfill their pledge
commitments. These new dollars will be immediately applied to
mission projects. Additionally, a number of new districts and congregations are anticipated to make new one-time gifts and pledge
commitments to Fan into Flame. Since the campaign’s inception
through mid-January 2010, $6,940,288 in Fan into Flame cash funds
have been distributed by LCMS World Mission to participating districts and congregations for their local efforts.
Jerusalem—Congregation’s local community outreach projects
• Redeemer Lutheran Church, Florence, AL: initiated international student outreach
• Messiah, Oklahoma City, OK: training members for outreach
• Immanuel, Tilden, NE: expanded VBS (preschool/daycare
scholarships for community members)
• Zion, Chicago, IL: purchased lists of new residents and mailed
a welcome letter with worship times

2010 Convention Workbook

2010 Convention.indb 34

4/15/10 2:38 PM