Answer The Call Is Moving Forward

Spring 2005
Before we can develop and nourish leaders, we have to find them. One of the most exciting parts of our campaign is a grass roots effort to identify, invite, encourage and support young people to pursue a career in ministry.

Once these future leaders are identified, Answer The Call creates an atmosphere of trust, confidence and support. There is an army of believers, cheerleaders, prayer groups, mentors and financial advisors that will be taking that step with them. The on-going recruitment portion of the Answer The Call program will use mentors, retreats, and Web-based resources along with other ways of helping people decide to answer God’s call!

This program is already well underway. Lutherans Outdoors made Answer The Call an integral part of its camping program at all L.O. Bible Camps last summer, and will again this summer. Campers of all ages will be invited to identify someone, perhaps themselves or others who are interested in ministry. These individuals will be invited to a retreat where they will spend time with ordained pastors learning more about what is involved in God’s call to ministry. The first retreat was held at Joy Ranch last September, with more than 20 people in attendance.

Answer The Call is currently taking applications for the newly created position of Missionary for Church Leadership Development. This missionary will be a point person for congregations and prospective seminarians. This person will carry out the goals of the Answer The Call program while traveling to ELCA congregations across the state. Our hope is to commission this new staff person at the Synod Assembly Banquet.

Our Donor Base is Growing

Winter 2005
Prospect review teams have, over the last several months, identified potential major donors in Sioux Falls, Brookings, Aberdeen, Watertown, Pierre, Rapid City, Spearfish and Vermillion. Awareness gatherings have already been held in many of these towns with potential donors. As a result, over a third of the total campaign goal has been raised already. With over $1 million pledged, we are now ready to take the campaign statewide.

In the coming months, we hope to spread the message of the Answer The Call campaign to all our congregations through bulletin inserts, media entities and word of mouth.

Fund for Leaders in Mission

Fall 2004
In just four years the ELCA Fund for Leaders in Mission has awarded 56 full-tuition scholarships totaling $745,000. In that same time, the Fund has received more than $15 million in gifts and deferred gift commitments.

The first South Dakotan to be awarded one of these prestigious scholarships was Laura Janssen of Volga in 2004. Laura is currently in her 1st year at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkley, California. With 30% of the campaign dollars going to the Fund, we hope to see more South Dakotans receiving this scholarship in the future. Wouldn’t it be great to have a person from your community receive a scholarship that can propel them toward a life of ministry?