The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod

Giving Opportunities

LCMS World Mission National: In 1992, The Lutheran Church�Missouri Synod declared the United States to be a "world mission field." In 2004, under the movement, called Ablaze!, the LCMS voted to share the Gospel with 50 million unreached and uncommitted people in the United States.

Atlanta Wiggins Support Rev. Stephen Wiggins serves the Lord as an urban missionary in metropolitan Atlanta. He leads the effort to start a mission movement in Atlanta through developing systems of planting churches, developing leaders, and strengthening existing congregations in greater Atlanta for an urban mission movement among various ethnic and socio-economic groups.

Boston Schkade Support Landon Schkade serves as a mission strategist in the greater Boston, Mass., area. He helps congregations and other ministries reach out with the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the diverse population, which includes many immigrant groups and a large student population.

Campus Mission Work There are more than 16 million college students in the United States of America. Of approximately 9 million traditional-age students (19-25) coming to 3,700 campuses in the U.S., many have no personal relationships with the Lord or with His church. The LCMS has more than 170 campus ministries, with an additional 610 contact ministries. These ministries, currently covering about 25 percent of colleges and universities, strive to reach out to both the 160,000 students from LCMS congregations and the millions who are not yet connected in faith.

Center for U.S. Missions The Center for U.S. Missions provides research and training for mission work among unevangelized people in the United States. In 2007, the Center made the leap from helping 35 Districts develop new churches to supporting more than 6,000 congregations in evangelism-outreach ministries. Your gift can help the Center help congregations reach unchurched people in their communities.

Chicago Gee Support Kenety Gee serves as an urban missionary strategist throughout the greater Chicago area in Illinois. It is Kenety�s prayer that the Lord will use him to increase the Lutheran presence in the city of Chicago by bringing new believers to faith in Jesus. Kenety will work to help make this happen through church planting and the revitalization of existing congregations.

Church Revitalization Process (TCN) The Transforming Churches Network (TCN) provides training and resources to help congregations fulfill their role as "mission outposts." TCN is a non-profit partner organization of The Lutheran Church�Missouri Synod dedicated to revitalizing congregations. Your financial support will help transform 2,000 congregations from inward-focuses churches to outward-focused mission outposts by 2017!

El Paso Schlak Support Richard Schlak serves the Lord as a missionary in El Paso, Texas, where he is the director of the Lutheran Hispanic Missionary Institute, through a partnership between LCMS World Mission and the Rocky Mountain District of the LCMS. The Institute provides training for Spanish-speaking church planters in the United States and other countries. Richard recruits students, mentors them as they learn, and teaches many of the Institute's classes.

Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology and Deaf Institute of Theology The Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT) and the Deaf Institute of Theology (DIT) are serving Asian, Hispanic, African immigrant, African American, Native American, and deaf students. EIIT provides an opportunity for the training of indigenous leaders by distance without the candidates having to come to the LCMS seminaries, which would require them to leave their lay ministries without any leadership.

Great Lakes Region Eggold Support Rev. Tom Eggold serves as regional director for urban ministry in the Great Lakes area, specifically working in the Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Northern Illinois, South Wisconsin, SELC and English districts of the LCMS. As a member of the National Mission Team of LCMS World Mission, Tom helps these districts implement the Ablaze! initiative in congregations, facilitates urban ministry leadership activities and church planting in the region. Help Tom and his ministry!

Naeem Denver Support Rev. Dr. George Naeem serves the Lord in Colorado, where he works in partnership with the Rocky Mountain District and LCMS World Mission. He is called to reach out to Arabic-speaking immigrants and other around the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and train new leaders. He teaches biblical theology, works to plant new churches, and uses the Internet as a learning tool to reach people around the United States and all over the globe.

New York City Rethinasamy Support Rev. Johnson Rethinasamy serves the Lord as an urban mission strategist through LCMS World Mission in the New York City metropolitan area, where he identifies new mission opportunities among recent immigrants, helps to start new mission stations, and identifies mission leaders. His work is based out of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Whitestone, N.Y., and he also teaches world religion courses at Concordia College�New York, Bronxville, N.Y. Your support of Johnson�s work is vital to bring the Gospel to the people of many nations living in New York!

New York City Saywrayne Support Philip Saywrayne serves the Lord as the Northeastern facilitator for African Immigrant Ministry based in Staten Island, N.Y. In his position, he identifies and trains leaders, develops new missions, conducts Bible classes, preaches, and counsels. He seeks support from members of the LCMS in prayer, financial support, guest preaching, and visits to the area where he works.

Newark Buckman Support Rev. Jim Buckman serves the Lord through LCMS World Mission and a partnership with the New Jersey District in Newark, N.J., and the surrounding communities. Jim is the urban mission strategist for the Newark area. He helps to start new ethnic immigrant congregations in New Jersey, which are supported through partnerships with LCMS congregations and non-profit organizations, as well as partner churches in the home countries of recent immigrants. Your support will help Jim reach recent immigrants and other unchurched people in the northeast with the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Open Arms Institute Open Arms Institute trains and equips congregations to carry out childcare ministry, which brings a congregation in touch with its community. It meets one of a growing population�s most basic needs. Many newly developed residential areas house young families with two working parents. If a church�s childcare is able to join them in taking care of their child, there is an opportunity for both nurture and outreach.

Philadelphia Engler Support Rev. Tom Engler serves as the mission coordinator in the greater Philadelphia area. His mission includes helping develop new ministries in the Greater Philadelphia area. Such ministry starts would include cross cultural ministries, young adult ministries, satellite congregations, and new mission starts in the city of Philadelphia. Rev. Engler also works to identify, develop, and deploy leaders for mission in the area, as well as helping members of area congregations grow in personal evangelism.

Radio Africa LCMS Faith Satellite Network (FSN) has entered into an agreement with the African Immigrant Lutheran Mission Society International to broadcast high-quality digital Lutheran programming throughout East Africa. The use of FSN will allow �Radio Voice of the Gospel� and other Lutheran programming in Africa to be heard with a new clarity.

Rural and Small Town Mission LCMS World Mission desires to more intentionally assist professional and lay leaders serving rural and small town congregations. The National Catalyst for Rural & Small Town Mission will take intentional steps, through the assistance of LCMS districts, to help create positive missional attitudes for Gospel proclamation, community service, and outreach.

San Jose Tesema Support Tesfai Tesema serves in partnership with the California-Nevada-Hawaii District and LCMS World Mission in San Jose, Calif., through South Bay Mosaic Ministries. He has been called as a mission developer to plant a multi-ethnic congregation among first-and second-generation immigrants in the area. Tesfai seeks to develop a congregation that crosses ethnic, racial, and cultural boundaries.

The 72�Partners on the Road: Your gift will help train more volunteers! The 72�Partners on the Road is a ministry which provides on-site training for congregations to assist them as they begin, revitalize, enhance, or expand their ministry to witness to the people around them. Each team sent by The 72 consists of two or three volunteers who work with the congregation. If you have a heart for reaching the lost with the Good News of Jesus Christ, give to support this vital ministry today!

Ysleta Mackenzie Support Erin Mackenzie serves as an LCMS long-term missionary in El Paso, Texas, at Ysleta Lutheran Mission. She organizes short-term mission trips for groups from around the United States, acting as a liaison between Ysleta and the groups as they prepare the logistical details of their trip. She also assists the teams by translating when needed. Your support allows Erin to share the Good News with people in El Paso and across the border in Juarez, Mexico.

If you have questions, please contact the Donor Care Line at 1-888-930-4438.

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