Have you already celebrated our 25th anniversary? (It continues through May 31.) Do you have something planned in the next few months? You can celebrate this special year in a significant and meaningful way by making a contribution to our 25th Anniversary Appeal.
In doing this, your actions echo the actions of Lutheran women over three centuries. Our anniversary appeal stretches back to our very beginnings in the mission societies of the 19th century when women collected offerings to support the American church’s early mission work. Our anniversary appeal reflects efforts early in and throughout the 20th century that established endowed funds, the interest from which continues to be used today for mission and ministry. Our anniversary appeal reflects our deep interconnectedness with the whole church.
One-half of the money collected in the 25th Anniversary Appeal will support the ELCA Malaria Campaign in three significant areas: medicine, advocacy and clean water. The other half of the appeal will support the ongoing work of Women of the ELCA.
There are many ways to imagine how our 25th Anniversary Appeal might grow.
- If every unit sent just $25 for this anniversary offering, about $175,000 would be given.
- If every unit gave $250 for this offering, the offering would exceed $1.75 million dollars.
- Imagine what would happen if every woman in every unit gave $25 for this anniversary offering! The offering could easily reach $5 million dollars.
But it’s not a matter of numbers. This offering is about how we respond to God’s manifold gifts to us. It’s about how we view the resources with which we have been entrusted. It’s about our very core understanding and belief in God and God’s ability to provide what we need.
Come back Thursday for some ideas on how you and your congregational unit of Women of the ELCA can generously support the 25th Anniversary Appeal.
Linda Post Bushkofsky is executive director.
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