Michigan District LCMS The Future is Now Congregation Workshop

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Michigan District LCMSThe Future is
NowCongregation Workshop
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• Welcome and Opening
• Devotion
• President Bill Hoesman

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In this way they will lay up treasure for
themselves as a firm foundation for the coming
age
1 Timothy 619
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21st Century State of the District

• 10 million people in Michigan
• 60 are unchurched
• 6 million people face an eternity without Christ

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21st Century State of the District
Percentage of unchurched people in select
counties
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21st Century State of the District

• Aging Church Worker Population
• 56 of Michigan District Pastors are over the age
  of 50
• 46 of Commissioned Workers are over the age of
  50
• Student Aid has not kept pace with increased
  costs

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21st Century State of the World

• 6.5 billion people
• 4.5 billion people
• have not heard
• the Gospel

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21st Century State of the World

• 66 of 237 nations
• place significant
• restrictions on
• religious practice
• It is estimated that 1.2 billion or 60 percent
• of Christians are nominal or non-practicing
• millions more trust in their own good
• works rather than in Gods grace through
• Jesus for salvation

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21st Century State of the World

• 72 million person
• population increase
• in the U.S. between
• 1970 and 2000
• In the same time,
• LCMS membership
• declined by 350,000

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Table Discussion 21st Century State of the
World

• After receiving this information, what reactions
  do you have?
• What do you think ought to be done about the
  situation?
• 3. What can you personally, individually, and
  intentionally do that would make a difference in
  the outcome?

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An Overview of The Future is NowMr. Ray
ZavadaVP of Development
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The Future is Now Goal

• Our Overall Goal is 13 Million
• 5 Million for Mission Planting
• 5 Million for Student Aid
• 3 Million for International Ministries

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Congregational Phase Distribution of Funds
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The Case for Support Mission Planting

• 5,000,000 goal
• 2-3 New Mission Starts will be planted each year
  over the next five years, including one Urban
  Mission Start.
• Future plants will be in
  Detroit, Eaton Rapids,
  Grass Lake, and Dundee

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The Case for Support Mission Planting

• The District financially supports new missions
  for 5-7 years (250,000 - 500,000)
• 1 million will be endowed for future years

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The Case for Support Mission Planting

• Today, about 45 congregations exist that were
  planted since 1985
• Great Commission responsibility Matthew
  2819
• Go and make disciples of all nations

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The Case for Support Student Aid

• 5,000,000 goal
• Increase scholarships to students studying to
  become Professional Church Workers

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The Case for Support Student Aid

• A successful campaign will allow awards to
  average 3,500 by 2015
• 2 million will be endowed for future PCW
  scholarships
• Matthew 937-38, The harvest is plentiful, but
  the workers are few

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The Future is Now in partnership with Fan into
Flame

• At the 2003 District Convention voted and
  overwhelmingly approved The Future is Now
• At the 2006 District Convention The Future is Now
  was affirmed
• First phase of the campaign very successful
• Today we enter into a joint partnership with LCMS
  World Mission

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The Future is Now in partnership with Fan into
Flame

• The 2004 LCMS Convention initiated a
  100 million fund-raising campaign
  entitled Fan into Flame
• Our partnership
• 3,000,000 goal

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The Case for Support International
Ministries

• Add Missionaries in the field
• Provide funding for new ministry starts,
  leadership training centers, and new schools
• Build new seminary facilities
• Respond to opportunities and emergencies

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The Case for Support International
Ministries

• Planting at least 2,000 new ministries
• Spread the Gospel throughout the world
• World events are opening doors to the Gospel at a
  rapid pace in places where it has been hindered
  by political, social, and geographic limitations.

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Progress To Date Michigan District

• Over 2,150,000 raised for Mission Planting and
  Student Aid
• Nearly 1,000 contributors

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Progress To Date - Synod

• Nationally the Campaign has raised more than
  44.5 million
• District Support
• Texas District more than 6 million raised to
  date
• Southeastern District more than 5.4 million
  raised to date
• Nebraska District more than 3.1 million raised
  to date
• Michigan District more than 2.2 million raised
  to date
• Minnesota South District more than 1.8 million
  raised to date
• Oklahoma District more than 1.6 million raised
  to date

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What is being asked of YOUMr. Jack
KidwellCampaign Chairperson
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Three Main Objectives

• PRAY for the success of The Future is Now
• PARTICIPATE formally by committing to a
  multi-year congregation pledge or an intentional
  appeal
• ENCOURAGE all members of your congregation to be
  involved

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How to Engage Your Congregation

• Present The Future is Now to your congregations
  leadership
• Your congregation agrees to take part in
  The Future is Now
• Your congregation formally commits to a financial
  target (or fundraising goal)
• Your congregation chooses how it will participate
  to reach or exceed its goal
• Your congregation chooses when to participate
• Your congregation completes a pledge form and
  submits to District Office

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Whats Next at Your Congregation

• Present The Future is Now to your congregations
  leadership
• Engage district volunteers/staff to assist you in
  the presentation
• Communicate with district volunteers/staff about
  type and length of decision making process
• Engage district volunteers/staff to help
  throughout the process
• Agree to take part in The Future is Now
• Complete a pledge form and submit to District
  Office

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How to Make Your Commitment

• Your congregation sets its own financial goal.
• Consider looking at 3 of last years annual
  income and commit to that amount for each of
  the next five years.
• If your annual income is 340,000 then 3
  10,200. Commit 10,200 each of the next five
  years for a total gift of 51,000.
• To make this formal, we ask that you complete a
  pledge form and submit to District Office
• These gifts should be above and beyond regular
  offerings

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How Your Congregation Participates

• Your congregation can participate through
  intentional fundraising methods such as
• Running an intentional personal appeal through
  individual visits or cottage meetings.
• Making a congregation pledge with a planned
  means to fulfill the pledge over five years
• Incorporating The Future is Now into a local
  capital campaign through a Campaign Tithe
• Adding new monies to your congregation budget

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When your congregation has made the decision to
participate

• Communicate with district volunteers/staff
• Complete and submit a pledge form to the
  District Office
• Our goal is to have participation forms from
  congregations by Advent 2009
• 5-year pledges are being encouraged for greater
  flexibility and to enable capital gifts to reach
  our goal
• Your congregation pledge can be fulfilled
  beginning now and running through 2014

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Operational Tools

• www.michigandistrict.org

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Table Discussion Next Steps

• Who can/will take the lead in our congregation?
• How do we inform the entire congregation about
  this process?
• What can we do to encourage others?
• When would the best time be for our congregation
  to make a commitment to The Future is Now?

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Why tell you?

• The urgency
• Everyday more than
• 155,000 people die worldwide without knowing
  Christ.
• We are called to be
• ambassadors for Christ.

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In this way they will lay up treasure for
themselves as a firm foundation for the coming
age
so that they may take hold of the life that is
truly life.
Grace be with you.
1 Timothy 619, 21b
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