Grace Lutheran Church Endowment Fund
The Grace Lutheran Church Endowment Fund was established in January 2017 to endow the Elseroad Scholarship and support new ministries. The Fund provides the opportunity to give beyond a tithe to a lasting fund that provides continuous support to advanced Christian education and service, and new ministries. The vision of the fund is to reach the ultimate goal of expanding the Kingdom of God by supporting new ministries that CONNECT people to Christ, granting scholarships to GROW Pastors and Christian leaders, and providing opportunities for Christians to SERVE.
The Endowment Fund is administered by an Endowment Team elected by the congregation of Grace Lutheran Church. Team members prudently invest the funds to produce dividend income to be awarded to scholarship and new ministry recipients while maintaining capital. The amount that can be awarded annually increases as the fund grows through contributions and earnings. The Endowment Fund Team provides annual reports to the Grace Lutheran Church Board of Directors and the congregation.
Each one should use whatever
gifts he has received to serve
one another, as good stewards
of God’s grace to us.
1 Peter 4:10
The tradition of charitable giving goes back to the very beginning of the Christian Church and has a strong history within Lutheranism. This tradition of giving and caring continues today. It does not require great wealth to make a gift to the Grace Lutheran Church Endowment Fund. Gifts for scholarships and new ministry grants can be an important part of our stewardship, even if our financial circumstances are limited. These gifts should be considered as being outside normal tithes and offerings. A well-funded endowment program will ensure the development of new ministries and Lutheran church leaders for generations to come!
New Ministries Grants
New Ministries grants serve as “seed money” to help start new ministries at Grace Lutheran Church or within other recognized arms of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Eligible ministries are organized, sustained efforts or initiatives to advance, promote, or serve the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This would include preaching, teaching, and proclaiming the Word of God through any available medium or serving the needs of others in the name of Christ. To qualify as “new,” a ministry should be significantly different in concept or approach from any ministry the sponsoring organization is currently carrying out or that it has carried out within the last three years. New ministries grants are awarded based upon likely effectiveness in advancing the cause of Christ, degree and breadth of participation by members of Grace Lutheran Church, creativity, and likelihood of achieving self-sufficiency within three years.
Click to open or download the following application and mail completed application to Grace.
Richard M. Elseroad Scholarship
The Richard M. Elseroad Scholarship was established in November 2014, in recognition of Pastor Elseroad’s inspired ministry, for the purpose of glorifying God by equipping individuals who wish to train in God’s Word and serve Him. This scholarship provides financial assistance to full-time students at a Concordia University or a LCMS seminary while pursuing an academic degree/certification in a church-related career. Eligible church academic educational programs are: Pastor, Teacher, Deacon/Deaconess, Director of Christian Education, Director of Christian Outreach, Director of Family Life Ministry, Director or Parish Music, and Lay Minister. All scholarship recipients will be considered for continued support subject to satisfactory academic performance and an annual resubmission of an application (Fall or Spring).
Click to open or download the following applications and mail completed applications to Grace.
The support given by Grace to seminarians is greatly appreciated and makes an impact in the lives of those who receive it. Click below to see the videos below to hear about the impact in the words of the recipients.
Trey Sansom
Anthony DiLiberto
Contributions
Gifts to the Grace Lutheran Church Endowment Fund qualify as charitable donations. Gifts may be made as cash or property, such as stocks/bonds, real estate, life insurance policies, and bequests from 401ks and IRAs. They can be designated as part of your estate or given to remember or honor a special person(s) in your life. Because all gifts are pooled, they have a cumulative effect in making any size gift welcomed and significant. It is the income derived from all gifts received that provides for the funding of the awarded scholarships and grants. The scholarships and grants awarded are independent and not part of the annual Grace Lutheran Church operating budget. Online contributions can be made via the church website; for more information on other ways to contribute, please contact the church office.
Endowment Fund Bylaws and Guiding Principles
Endowment Administrative Team Guiding Principles