Thankofferings are gratitude in action. A daily response to God’s grace and love. An offering above and beyond regular offerings. You’re invited to join your gratitude with that of others from across the organization for an online Thankoffering service on Sunday, January 28, 2024 at 4 p.m. CST.
To receive a link to the service, available through Zoom, register in advance.
The churchwide women’s organization provides a Thankoffering liturgy each year for use in congregational settings. The author of the 2023 Thankoffering liturgy, the Rev. Melissa Bills, will preach and preside at the January 28th Thankoffering service. Joining Pastor Bills as worship leaders will be students at Luther College where Pastor Bills serves as college pastor and Director of College Ministries.
Defining a Thankoffering. Thankofferings aren’t unique to Women of the ELCA or to Lutheran woman in general. Many people of faith use the term, and how the offering is used varies from group to group. For Women of the ELCA, Thankofferings are “gifts from individuals in gratitude for blessings. These offerings shall be received by the unit and transmitted in full to the churchwide organization for the support of the ministries of this organization and the church.” (Churchwide Constitution, Article X, Section 4, Item 1b)
What are the mechanics of a Thankoffering? Many women set aside small amounts of money, at home, throughout the year in response to God’s grace. In some cases, women bring together their gifts with those of other women in their circle or unit, often in the harvest season (even if they aren’t farmers themselves).
In other settings, a Thankoffering service is organized with the whole congregation, celebrating the ministries of women. In those cases, the women bring together their Thankofferings and people in the congregation also contribute Thankofferings (it’s often a nice way for a husband or son to remember a special woman in his life).
To learn more about Thankofferings, check out a downloadable resource entitled All About Thankofferings. You can download the 2023 Thankoffering service that includes some handy tips on how to organize a Thankoffering service.