In WELS - The Buzzards Are Coming Home To Roost

In the coming weeks, circuit pastors throughout the synod will be making personal visits to the leadership groups in every WELS congregation. The purpose of their visits is to ask congregations to consider a small additional increase to their Congregation Mission Offering (CMO) subscription. Here are some questions and answers about this effort.

The 2013 synod convention adopted a ministry plan that maintained existing ministry and provided for limited, careful expansion of our efforts, especially in Home and World Missions. The plan counted on a 4% increase in CMO. Since CMO commitments actually decreased by 1%, two options are before us: scale back the work that we had planned to do or offer congregations an opportunity to reconsider their 2014 subscriptions.

The Synodical Council (SC) carried out its responsibility to achieve a balanced budget by assembling a prioritized list of reductions that would need to be made if the actual level of financial support matches the levels committed by congregations. At the same time the Conference of Presidents (COP) adopted a plan to seek increased financial support from congregations so that the original plan approved by the convention can be carried out.

The projected shortfall, based on CMO subscriptions, is about $1.2 million. That works out to an average of $1,000 per congregation (or less than $4 per communicant).

The outlined reductions in ministry will be made by the Synodical Council for 2014-2015. The first year’s reductions would be primarily in those areas in which modest expansion had been planned (such as additional home mission starts and expanded efforts in the World Missions’ Multi-Language Publications program.) More significant, however, is what would happen in the following year. A shortfall of $1.2 million this year will result in compounded reductions in the ministry in the next biennium. Those reductions would likely be more extensive and more difficult, representing not only being unable to carry out the careful expansion, but likely resulting in real cuts to existing ministry.

It is not a crisis in the immediate future. Many of the prioritized reductions in the first year can be made without terminating ministries or calls. But because of the cumulative effect of reduced CMO levels, difficult cuts would be likely in the next two to three years.

We are very thankful to all the congregations that increased their CMO. But we believe that the same faithfulness and support for the work of the synod should not deprive you of the opportunity to participate in this effort.

We know that local needs are real and pressing. We also know that the economy still presents challenges. But supporting gospel ministry beyond the local congregation is a blessing and privilege that every congregation can reconsider even as they face local challenges.

The amounts we are discussing are not large in terms of dollars. We believe that in six months most, if not all, congregations could generate the additional gifts.

It’s true that CMO has been virtually flat for four years. Nevertheless the planners (on both the COP and the SC) were convinced that the congregations of the synod would be able to respond with this level of increase. The 2013 convention agreed with this approach. The 4% increase was carefully explained as a part of the ministry plan presented to the synod convention. The convention agreed that the 4% was a laudable and achievable goal and unanimously adopted the proposed ministry plan based on that increase.

We will thank God for any congregation that increases its commitment. Every increased commitment will help carry out the ministry plan and prevent reductions in mission and ministry programs.

Again, we will thank our gracious God. Any increase greater than the $1.2 million will not be spent immediately, but will be taken into consideration in the planning for the coming biennium.

Sincere thanks to the district presidents and circuit pastors for their work in this effort. And thanks to our congregations and members for giving this matter prayerful consideration. When inviting the Corinthian Christians to participate in an offering of love for the needy Christians in Jerusalem, the apostle Paul reminded them, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 8:9). We’ve been reminded of that saving grace in our recent Holy Week worship. And we’ve been given every reason to express our thanks and joy as the message of Easter still echoes in our ears and fills our hearts.

Serving in Christ,
President Mark Schroeder