LWML mission grants support life, youth, church work recruitment

Karen Morrison (center), LWML vice-president for Gospel outreach, shares with LCMS International Center chapel attendees about the work that will be supported by LWML grants for youth, life and church work recruitment. She is pictured with Eden Keefe (left), LWML president, and the Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, LCMS president. (LCMS/Frank Kohn)

By Stacey Eising

On Thursday, March 7, after chapel at The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) International Center in St. Louis, representatives from the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML), including LWML President Eden Keefe, presented three checks in celebration of the funding of three LWML mission grants. The grants will support LCMS Life Ministry’s mental health outreach, LCMS Youth Ministry’s youth leadership training, and the LCMS Office of Pastoral Education’s Set Apart to Serve initiative.

LCMS Life Ministry received its full $96,500 grant, “Upheld by God’s Hand, Mental Health Outreach.” This grant will support Life Ministry’s work to “develop resources to train church workers and lay leaders for mental health outreach and spiritual care.” These resources will include training modules, podcasts, videos, Bible studies, devotions, workshops, conferences and more.

“We are deeply grateful for the generosity of the LWML. This grant will enable us to produce a valuable set of resources for our church workers in tending to the mental health of those in their care,” said Stephanie Neugebauer, manager of LCMS Health Ministry, which will help conduct this mental health outreach work.

LCMS Youth Ministry received the first half of a $50,000 grant, “Equipping Youth Leaders.” This grant will enable Youth Ministry to extend both its YouthLead (formerly Lutheran Youth Fellowship) and Servant Event programs, as it moves toward providing regional YouthLead conferences in addition to the national conference. The grant will also help Youth Ministry pilot a new program that integrates young adult leadership training and service around LCMS Servant Events. In addition, these funds will go toward an upcoming study of Generation Z youth and how to care for them better, a study that follows Youth Ministry’s multi-year research project on millennials in the LCMS.

“Many thanks to LWML for all of the support,” said the Rev. Dr. Mark Kiessling, Youth Ministry director. “When our young leaders are able to see that there’s not only the church body but also auxiliaries like LWML that care for them and see them not only as the church of tomorrow but the church of today … it’s amazing to see how God works through that encouragement. So, thank you, LWML, for making all that possible, and for the opportunity to serve young people on your behalf.”

The LCMS Office of Pastoral Education received the first half of its $100,000 grant, “Set Apart to Serve.” This grant will fund the ongoing work of the multi-year sustained church work recruitment effort of the same name, including upcoming emphases on recruiting second-career and multi-ethnic church workers.

“It just amazes me, the faithfulness of the LWML women,” said the Rev. Dr. James Baneck, Pastoral Education executive director. “The love that LWML has for their pastors and church workers is so genuine. … What a wonderful fit here today with Set Apart to Serve, as we raise up pastors and church workers. … To Eden and all of LWML, we humbly thank you for this wonderful gift.”

These mission grants were selected at the 2023 LWML convention in Milwaukee along with 28 other mission grants that are being funded gradually as LWML works toward its triennial mission (fundraising) goal of $2,350,000.

“What a pleasure and privilege it is for Lutheran Women in Mission to partner with LCMS ministries,” said President Keefe. “To deliver the checks in person after chapel and visit with ministry leaders was an added bonus. We pray that God will use the LWML mission grants for Set Apart to Serve, Youth Ministry and Life Ministry’s mental health outreach in ways that will bless the church now and until Christ comes again.”

Posted April 3, 2024