God's beloved people,
I’ve always liked the text from Deuteronomy 30, Moses’ final challenge and prayer given to God’s people just before they crossed over the Jordan into the Promised Land: “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days….” (30:19-20a).
The text comes at a pivotal moment both for Israel and for Moses. Moses has been told he is not going into the Promised Land with his people. He is scared for them and afraid that they will fall into temptation, especially the worship of false gods in the new land. Yet his prayer is that they “Choose Life…and live!”
It now seems clear we are at a pivotal moment of transition in our ministry as well. This next year will bring an election of a bishop, based, we hope, on the missional work of the Synod Council and the priorities for bishop as identified at the Synod Assembly. I will let you know the results of my own discernment by October 1 so that the fall nomination process can be informed.
The other reality is that changes in mission support are going to force changes in the way the Synod is in ministry with you. Today I want to urge us all to “Choose Life” and the promises of God that guarantee our eternal life and make possible challenging decisions today. So: A gift and a challenge.
The gift is more of Mark Allan Powell, our speaker at Synod Assembly. At Assembly we asked Powell to address the Synod’s Guiding Principles, particularly as they had to do with loving and following Jesus. I think Powell did an outstanding job and I think most of you in attendance will agree. What you may or may not know is the Powell has done excellent work for the Church in a number of other areas including: Stewardship (“Giving to God: The Bible’s Good News about Living a Generous Life”); Contemporary Christian Music (“encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music”); and Preaching (“What Do They Hear? Bridging the Gap Between Pulpit and Pew).
Today I want to highlight Powell’s gift in Biblical Interpretation. Select Learning has made available his seven-session DVD study entitled, “How Lutherans Interpret the Bible.” This resource has been recognized as one of the very best resources our Church has available for biblical interpretation. See: (http://www.selectlearning.org/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=72&products_id=503).
Our Synod “Book of Faith” committee has determined that the very best use of our Book of Faith restricted funds is to purchase a copy of this Powell resource for any congregation requesting it! Please let us know—at office@ewaidsynod.org -- if you would like us to order one of these for you. After we have them delivered to the office we’ll arrange for delivery. Please let us know your decision by July 1, 2010, if you want to use this resource for fall programming.
Now, here’s the challenge: We live in difficult days for our economy. Many have lost jobs; others are cutting back on what they can afford. Our schools are pressed for funding. Our retired—and soon to be retired--worry about their resources. It’s no surprise that the church is pressed as well. Five congregations have left the Synod for reasons related to the sexuality decisions. Three more may leave by fall. All of this means that mission support—the dollars your congregation sends to the synod for Synodical, National, and Worldwide ministry, is pressed in very difficult ways. Here’s the real news: On the current trajectory our synod will take in less this year than at the first year of the ELCA merger! Our projected income is 20% lower than two years ago.1 The Churchwide partner must cut 25% from the national and international budget. (In April 2010, no mission support was sent because of poor cash flow.)
The challenge before us is a drastic reorganization of the synod and Churchwide ministry or a response from the congregations that permits us to continue in ministry according to the adopted budget. The Synod Finance Committee will have recommendations for the Synod Council by mid-July.
Please look at your congregation’s financial picture and advise us what you are able to do.2 If the answer is that you are not able to participate with your share as passed at Synod Assembly, please let us know, and let us know what you believe you will be able to do. If there are intentional reasons for a low mission support contribution, please let us know your thinking.
We depend on one another as parts of the Body of Christ. We will not waver in our mission of bearing Christ to the world in word and deed, but we will adapt to the realities of a cramped world if your budget shortfall requires that of us. We need your help—information!--in order to do that.
God be with you in the local mission field! Choose Life!
Keep your eyes open for false gods, including fear!
Pr. Martin Wells,
Bishop
msmmwells@aol.com or 509-838-9871
1 Here are the numbers for synod income for the first 1/3 of the year:
Income in 2010: $245,019.17 down $65,738.48, 80% of 2008
Income in 2009: $310.758.19
Income in 2008: $306,866.95
Benevolence income for this year is projected to be: $789,221, $66,000 or 9% off
budget for a total of 18-20% in the last two years.
Benevolence income for last year was: $897,793, down 9% from 2008
Benevolence Income for 2008 (2009 budget year) was: $986,526
2 Here are the congregations we thank for exemplary support during these difficult days. Not all congregations who have contributed are included in the list below. Criteria used includes whether a parochial report was turned in for 2009; whether a mission “intent” was turned in to the synod; whether the congregation is at 1/3 of it’s intent at the four month point in the fiscal year. Other congregations are noted because they have stretched to offer mission support. The figures are from the May 2010 report of the Financial Services Offices, Region 1 and reflect the standard monthly cut-off date for contributions.
King of Glory, Boise, $40,000 intent, $14,544 given in the first third of the budget year
Shepherd of the Valley, Boise $49,500 intent, $16,495 given
Trinity, Bonners Ferry $12,000 intent, $ 4,000 given
Lake Chelan, $ 7,500 intent, $ 3,708 given
Emmanuel, Cheney $11,250 intent, $ 3,752 given
Clark Fork $ 1,740 intent, $ 725 given
Celebration, E Wenatchee $ 8,900 intent, $ 2,926 given
Christ, Egypt $ 5,500 intent, $ 1,800 given
First, Ellensburg $21,300 intent, $ 7,288 given
Holy Trinity, Ephrata $17,700 intent, $ 5,800 given
Christ the King, Goldendale $ 7,000 intent, $ 1,945 given
Faith, Leavenworth, $ 6,950 intent, $ 1,738 given
American, Newport, $ 9,660 intent, $ 2,793 given
Good Shepherd, Pocatello, $ 6,300 intent, $ 1,794 given
Emmanuel, Reardan, $ 3,100 intent, $ 994 given
First, Sandpoint, $13,100 intent, $ 5,460 given
All Saints, Spokane, $ 7,500 intent, $ 2,500 given
St Luke, Spokane, $37,300 intent, $ 8,023 given
St Mark, Spokane, $39,000 intent, $13,000 given
Bethlehem, Spokane, $ 5,000 intent, $ 2,833 given
St John, Sprague, $ 2,220 intent, $ 760 given
Our Savior, Sunnyside, $ 7,000 intent, $ 2,500 given
Christ, Walla Walla, $28,800 intent, $12,166 given
Grace, Wenatchee, $12,000 intent, $ 4,432 given
Wilbur, Wilbur, $ 8,500 intent, $ 3,293 given
Central, Yakima, $43,500 intent, $13,723 given
Grace, Cashmere, $ 4,000 given
Fullness of God, Holden, $ 1,700 given
Hope, Eagle, $ 6,200 given
Immanual, Grandview, $ 3,600 given
Cameron Emmanuel, Kendrick, $ 3,823 given
Lord of Life, Kennewick $ 3,951 given
Emmanuel, Moscow, $ 6,666 given
First, Pasco, $ 2,600 given
Trinity, Pullman, $ 7,576 given
St Paul, Quincy, $ 3,340 given
Central,Spokane, $ 3,084 given
Prince of Peace, Spokane, $ 3,768 given
Zion, Spokane, $ 5,932 given
Troy, Troy, $ 2,074 given
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Great Commission / Great Commandment Resources:
Each congregation received a mailing in December 2007 on the Guiding Princles of the Synod. The following items were included in that mailing:
-- a large poster containing the Guiding Principles of the synod (we hope you have found a place to display this)
-- a brief description of these principles to post nearby as an aid to understanding and, we hope, a "hook" to stimulate interest (click here to download the description)
-- a six-part study of these principles prepared by Bishop Wells. (click here to download the study)
-- lesson aids so that the study might be used with children and youth prepared by Pr. Helga Jansons (click here to download the aids)
It is our prayer that these materials will encourage you and assist you in the constant work of revitalization for ministry.
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To the Priesthood of Believers in the Eastern Washington and Idaho Synod,
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus, the Savior of the world!
As you review this page you’ll see the Synod’s Guiding Principles listed on the right. I hope this looks familiar to you from the poster your congregation received. Let me take this opportunity to put those principles into prose text:
Our clearest purpose as a Church is to declare Jesus as the true and trusted center of all life. Because we have found such hope, we are now free and empowered to live life in Jesus’ name. This is our response of gratitude and we intend that it set us apart from those who live from fear, anxiety, anger, or entitlement. We are simply not going to be afraid and we are open to the way God will transform us from this trust in Jesus. We expect to see miracles flow from this trust and we will not let fear of this power cause us to shrink! In fact we’re going to open up to life and live this Good News 360 degrees! Jesus has come to address, befriend, and love every person we meet, so yes, everybody come to the Kingdom of God celebration! And when we fail, when we forget to trust God, when we forget the mercy that inspires our lives, when we’re more afraid of life than excited about it, when we close down, well then, we beg forgiveness and remember that it was never our mission. It was and is God’s mission we’re drawn to and we’re confident, MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, that God will see it through. It is our joy to tag along and have a part! Thanks be to God!
Pr. Martin Wells, Bishop
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