Mission Support
2024 Congregation commitment
The faithful people who make up the congregations of our SWPA Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America endeavor to live lives of generosity and healthy stewardship.
We believe that all we have is a gift from God - ourselves, our time, and our possessions, signs of God’s gracious love for us. We aspire to give back a portion of every gift to God through the hands and feet of our local churches. We recognize that our Synod further extends the reach of the church into the lives of people both locally and globally.
Our congregations are encouraged to give at least a tithe of gifts and offerings to Mission Support. We challenge each other to give a faithful measure of our congregation’s gifts to the work of our Synod. Congregational leaders may request consultation with our Synod Council to assist in determining their proportionate share.
We are called to live faithful lives to the bold witness of life-everlasting through our savior Jesus Christ, who sacrificed everything for us and calls us to follow in his footsteps and boldly sacrifice everything for our neighbor. May God work in our hearts and in our congregations to give faithfully so that God’s hands and feet never stop serving our neighbors.
Our congregations are encouraged to give at least a tithe (10%) of gifts and offerings to Mission Support. —Synod Assembly 2023
Narrative Budget
A budget is more than just a balanced checkbook;
it’s a statement of values.
The Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod strives to allocate its fiscal & human resources in ways that serve our mission prioritizing faith, discipleship & centering in Christ. The Synod’s $1,544,972 annual budget begins with sharing a percentage of Mission Support received with our Churchwide expression. The remainder serves leaders & congregations in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
Narrative Budget Downloads:
52 Weeks of Giving
One way to help people understand the impact of their offering is to share small stories during worship. Consider developing a schedule of stories to share in worship about the impact of the offering given and dedicated that day. Download this sample schedule that you can use, edit, adapt, and engage for your congregation, keeping in mind that lifting up stories that match your context and particular events in the life of your congregation will be very meaningful.
Mission support devotional
ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton offers a devotional message for Mission Support conversations. (Video)
Stories of Faith in Action
The publication Stories of Faith in Action and the resources that go along with it are designed to share how important your weekly offering in your congregation is in sustaining and growing God’s mission. The publication and resources found here help explain and answer questions about Mission Support and tell the story of those gifts in action.