Thank you for your faithful stewardship and witness to God’s abundance. Between your generosity and the stewardship of the Office of the Bishop in 2021, the Southeastern Iowa Synod through the guidance of the Synod Council was able to disburse a special, year-end gift of $125,000 to several partners.
In times of crisis and uncertainty, it is certainly human instinct to turn in, to make sure your ‘own house is in order,” to see the world through a scarcity mentality. 2021 was certainly a year of crisis and uncertainty for many of us. God’s Spirit worked deep faith in our synod, and rather than turning in, the people of the congregations in Southeastern Iowa saw God’s blessing in abundance and generously shared that with the world in need.
- $50,000 – Lutheran Services in Iowa
- These gifts are undesignated so that our partner who reaches many of the most vulnerable people in our state can use the funds for the areas of most need.
- $25,000 – Southeastern Iowa Synod Fund for Leaders Endowment
- This endowment provides direct scholarships to seminarians from the Southeastern Iowa Synod
- $25,000 – Lutheran Disaster Response for the Eastern European Conflict
- Lutheran Disaster Response is accompanying our companions in Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia, as well as such ecumenical partners as Lutheran World Federation and Church World Service, in their humanitarian responses.
- $25,000 – Evangelical Lutheran Church in America World Hunger
- ELCA World Hunger continues to work toward its vision of a ‘just world where all are fed’ including investing money domestically and internationally to reduce hunger and its root causes.
- $691 – Regional Iowa Food Banks
- Hawkeye Area Community Action Program, River Bend Food Bank, and Food Bank of Iowa are all regional distributers of food who provide both direct services and help fill local smaller food pantries’ needs.
As we move deeper into 2022, another year of crisis and uncertainty, we do so with faith and hope, knowing that because of our shared ministry, God’s abundance will continue to provide so that we continue to share in this good work.
And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. ~ 2 Corinthians 9.8
