We preach Christ crucified

(LCMS/Erik M. Lunsford)

In 2024, God again showed his love and mercy through many of His disciples in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS).

Gifts joyfully supplied by Christ’s faithful sent and sustained missionary families serving around the world, brought relief to the suffering in the wake of wars and disasters, provided scholarships to international students at both LCMS seminaries, and provided operating support to both seminaries. From hurricane disaster response in the southeastern U.S. to new Lutheran church plants in Shinjuku, Japan, your support made a difference. Yet these examples only hint at the hundreds of Gospel-proclamation efforts made possible because God’s people chose to give.

One specific giving opportunity helps strengthen all the efforts mentioned above, and more.

Every undesignated gift to the LCMS — a “Together as Synod” gift — bolsters domestic and international efforts to give a bold witness, show mercy and live life together as children of God. Undesignated “Together as Synod” gifts are both flexible and cost-effective, supporting whatever is the greatest mission and ministry opportunity or going to address the greatest financial pressure on ministry at the time the gift is received. As 2024 draws to a close, the LCMS invites anyone whom God has put into a position to do so to consider supplying a year-end “Together as Synod” gift.

We preach Christ crucified. Will you consider an end-of-year gift today?

Giving can be done a number of ways:

Online

To qualify as a 2024 tax-deductible gift, online donations can be made with a credit card up until Dec. 31 at 11:59:59 p.m. CST. Visit lcms.org/makeagift/together-as-synod to search for and select your gift option.

By phone

Although the LCMS International Center with be closed from Dec. 24 through Dec. 31, the Contributor Care Line will be staffed to accept credit card donations until 2 p.m. CST on Dec. 31, 2024.

By text message

Make your “Together as Synod” undesignated gift using your credit card or PayPal account by texting STRONGTOGETHER to 41444 (or 41-444). Donations by text can also be made to several restricted options. Eligible gifts can be made through Dec. 31 at 11:59:59 p.m. CST.

By mail

Cash gifts mailed through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) must arrive with a USPS postmark of Dec. 31, 2024, or earlier on the carrier envelope. The postmark must be from the USPS.

Under strict IRS regulations, any donation not bearing a postmark or one that is postmarked on or after Jan. 1, 2025, must be treated as a 2025 (next year) tax-year gift. The date written on a personal or organizational check has no weight with the IRS in determining when a donation was made.

LCMS Mission Advancement strongly encourages anyone who plans to mail a last-minute gift to walk the envelope into the nearest post office and witness a valid 2024 postmark being applied.

Checks should be made payable to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod or “LCMS.” In the memo line, write “Together as Synod” or “Unrestricted.” If you prefer to give a designated gift for something more specific, the memo line should be used to restrict the use of your donation (e.g., Global Mission Fund, Joint Seminary Fund, name of a missionary, etc.).

Envelopes should be addressed to:

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, P.O. Box 66861, St. Louis, MO 63166-6861. Please do not send hard currency such as bills, coins or money orders through the postal system.

About 2024 summary contribution statements

As a courtesy, LCMS Mission Advancement will mail contributors a statement summarizing the total of their charitable contributions during 2024. Mission Advancement plans to mail those statements in mid-March 2025. If you have questions about your 2024 summary year-end statement, please call the Contributor Care team at 888-930-4438 or send an email to mission.advancement@lcms.org. Detailed gift history can be accessed online through myLCMS.org.

Still have questions? Call LCMS Mission Advancement at 888-930-4438 or send an email to mission.advancement@lcms.org.

Posted Nov. 26, 2024