Synodical Council gathers for fall meeting

The Synodical Council (SC) will hold its fall meeting on Friday and Saturday of this week. The major item of business is the initial discussion of the Ministry Financial Plan (budget) for 2015-2017 that will be recommended to the synod convention next July.

Work on the plan began last summer as areas of ministry each developed their plans. The SC had directed the areas of ministry to plan for a “no increase” budget initially. The president’s office, along with the President’s Advisory Council, then adopted an overall plan last month. That plan will be presented to the SC for consideration at this meeting. The plan still will be able to be adjusted in the coming months (depending on funding available from Congregation Mission Offerings and other sources). A final recommendation will be adopted by the SC in February.

There is more good news about Congregation Mission Offerings (CMO). Mission offerings from congregations are continuing at a strong and encouraging pace. October offerings were very strong with an increase of 8.4% over 2013 and $321,000 more than projected for the month of October. Year-to-date CMO is up 3.1% over 2013 and $451,000 over projections. Once again, the Lord has moved his people to respond to his grace with generous thank offerings. We thank him, and we thank God’s people for their faithfulness in supporting our work as a synod.

Serving in Christ,
President Mark Schroeder