The Stewardship Connection

Synod Consultation Policy
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Faithful Stewards Together In Ministry
Shared by Roger Smith



CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE:

Chapter 15.11, financial matters, reads as follows:

"Since the congregations, synods and churchwide organization are interdependent units that share responsibility in God's mission, all share in the responsibility to develop, implement and strengthen the financial support program of the whole church. The gifts and offerings of the members of the ELCA are given to support all parts of this church and thus partnership in this church should be evidenced in determining each part's share of the gifts and offerings.

Therefore, the mission of this church beyond the congregation is to be supported by such a proportionate share of each congregation's annual budget as each congregation determines. This synod shall develop guidelines for determining proportionate share, (mission support) and shall consult with congregational leaders to assist each congregation in making its determination."

OUR GOAL:

Our mutual task is to encourage the sharing of resources through congregations for the work of this church.

OUR PROCESS:

A. Guidelines for Determining Mission Support
The bishop and vice president of the Synod Council will initiate a letter to the treasurer of each congregation (with copies to the pastor and lay president) asking the congregation to consider prayerfully a financial challenge commitment to support and strengthen the ministries of the synod and the ELCA.

Commitment challenge should:
  • Be individualized.
  • Consider the use of a percentage rather than a dollar amount.
  • Share how the dollar amount or percentage was computed.

    Letters are to be mailed prior to September 1 of each year.

    B. Consultation with Congregations
    Our purpose for an annual consultation with congregational leaders is to broaden their knowledge of the ministries of this church and to encourage their sharing of congregational resources to financially support these ministries. The annual consultation will include rostered persons, key laypersons such as Congregation Council members, officers and financial officers [treasurers and finance committee chairs].

    The form of the annual consultation may change from year to year; for example, in some years it may be face-to-face meetings, in other years it may be in the form of mailed written materials. Each face-to-face meeting will be grouped by conference and will be lead by the bishop with participation by the conference dean and/or synod officers and staff. Participants will have an opportunity to give input into how financial resources should be used in fulfillment of their congregation's ministry. Congregations may attend a consultation in another conference if circumstances do not permit attendance at their home conference meeting.

    C. A letter from the synod treasurer will request that the Statement of Intent form be returned to him after the congregation officially adopts its annual budget. The letter will be mailed by September 1 to the congregational treasurer (with copies to the pastor and lay president).1

    D. The bishop will send a letter to each congregation that will acknowledge with gratitude the receipt of the Statement of Intent. This letter will be sent to the congregational treasurer with copies to the pastor and lay president.

    E. Follow up:

    The synod treasurer will make telephone calls to congregations who have not submitted a Statement of Intent for the purpose of receiving a response. This follow up will be concluded prior to the end of April.

    Synod Council liaison members are expected to be in contact with the congregations of the conferences assigned to them by the vice president. One of the facets of care by the Synod Council member will be to inquire of congregations who are not fulfilling their commitment according to their Statement of Intent. Such an inquiry should seek to engender the care of this synod for the congregation and seek to ascertain how the synod can be supportive to the congregation.

    F. Reporting by the Office of the Treasurer:

  • A memo giving an update on the status of congregations who have not submitted a Statement of Intent will be sent monthly to Synod Council liaison, to conferences and synod bishop's executive staff.
  • Monthly conference benevolence reports (which report achievement toward Statement of Intent goals) will be distributed to the bishop, Synod Council liaison to conferences, deans, and bishop's executive staff.2
  • Final benevolence report will be given to the synod in assembly and printed in the minute book.

    1. This requirement is accomplished by combining with the Commitment Challenge letter (Process "A" above) in an effort to save postage and cut human resource costs.

    2. The requirements of this paragraph and of the preceding paragraph will be met in one combined report.