End-of-year gifts ‘mightily bless’ Synod ministries

By Paula Schlueter Ross

Abby Sommer, an 8-year-old entrepreneur whose father is a fourth-year student at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, wanted to raise money for the LCMS Joint Seminary Fund.

Abby Sommer, whose father is a student at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, sells cupcakes outside her home in May. She raised $36 for the LCMS Joint Seminary Fund, and mailed it to the fund along with a note that said, in part, “We hope you and others are mightily blessed by this.” (Courtesy of Sommer family)

So she set up a table outside and sold cupcakes, raising $36 and sending it to the fund with this note:

“Dear Joint Seminary — Here’s 36 dollars just for you. We raised it by doing a bake sale!!! We hope you and others are mightily blessed by this and hope you have a great rest of the year. God bless, Abby.”

Abby’s story is “one of the sweetest things I saw this year,” acknowledged Leah S. Sieveking, director of Member Engagement with LCMS Mission Advancement, and is just one example of Lutherans who “have a heart for sharing the Gospel through certain LCMS ministries and want to make an impact” with their contributions.

“The members of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod are so generous, and every donation is a blessing,” Sieveking told Reporter. “It’s someone believing in the work that we do together, because our donors are partners in this work that we do.

“They want to make a difference in the world — and they certainly have.”

As the year — and opportunities to make 2015 tax-deductible donations — come to an end, those who want to make end-of-year charitable gifts to the LCMS or any of its ministries should be aware of the many options available to them for making those contributions:

by mail — Make checks payable to “The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod” or simply “LCMS,” and address envelopes to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, Mission Advancement, P.O. Box 66861, St. Louis, MO 63166-6861. If you’d like to donate to a specific ministry, missionary or project, please include that on the check’s memo line or in an enclosed note. Make sure the envelope is postmarked no later than Dec. 31.

in person — Checks may be dropped off Dec. 21-23 at the LCMS International Center (please put them in a sealed envelope, marked with “Attention Mission Advancement”) between 8 a.m. and 4:10 p.m. The building will be closed Dec. 24-30, and no one will be at the front desk on Dec. 31, a short work day. The International Center is located at 1333 S. Kirkwood Road, St. Louis, MO 63122-7295.

over the phone — To make a credit-card gift — or set up a regular giving schedule — call the LCMS toll-free Donor Care Line at 888-930-4438 between 8 a.m. and 4:10 p.m. Central Time. Representatives from Mission Advancement will be available to take the calls Dec. 21-23, Dec. 28-30 and until 2 p.m. Dec. 31.

online — Visit lcms.org/givenow to make a contribution 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To ensure a tax-deductible gift for 2015, make your donation by 1:50 a.m. Central Time on Jan. 1 (or by 11:50 p.m. Pacific Time Dec. 31, or 12:50 a.m. Mountain Time Jan. 1).

To donate stocks, bonds and mutual funds, contact the LCMS Foundation at 800-325-7912.

No gift is too small, and every gift is appreciated, adds Sieveking. “I think the most important thing I would want to say to any donor is just thank you. We cannot say it enough. What a blessing they are, and truly a partner in the work of sharing Jesus with the world.”

Posted Dec. 7, 2015