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The Missouri District is an Ablaze! and Fan into Flame District. Read the Reporter, Lutheran Witness and go to the LCMS Web site to learn more about this mission initiative and mission funding campaign.
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You know Jesus.
Now it’s time to spread that news to others.
Make a commitment now. Individual phase bulletin insert:pdf word
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Fan into Flame is the Synod’s new major funding appeal to help support new outreach on local, national and international mission fields.
Every gift to Fan into Flame is distributed across local,  national and even international lines. After campaign expenses are deducted (10 percent), the remainder of the gift is distributed with 15 percent going to the congregation running the campaign, 15 percent to the district where it originated, 20 percent to LCMS North American mission field and 50 percent for worldwide mission endeavors.
Fan into Flame gifts are already funding projects in seven LCMS districts where it’s been underway since approval by the 2004 LCMS Convention.
For more information or to visit individually with campaign staff, please contact Jennifer Krupp at (314) 317-4553.
Keep an eye on the Web site and your church’s e-mail for updates and information.
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Circuit Coordinators:
Here are the Circuit Coordinators for Fan into Flame. This person has been to our Fan into Flame workshop and their congregation is most likely participating in the first (pilot) phase of the campaign.
Your Coordinator's Role:
Motivate the congregations of your circuit to participate in this exciting appeal.
Facilitate act as a resource for Fan into Flame.
Connect congregations to the other appropriate resources including:
- District Campaign Staff
- The Speaker’s Bureau
- Professional district information and materials
Act as a liaison on behalf of Fan into Flame between your circuit congregations and the district office.
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Grant Application Process and Form
Grant Application
The process for requesting Missouri District Fan into Flame mission funds has been set.
District Fan into Flame funds are different from Synod. You must be a covenant congregation to apply for Synod Fan into Flame funds; not so with District
Grants will be reviewed quarterly by the Coordinating Council of the district, which consists of the chairs of each convention elected board including Congregational Services, Education, Family Life and Youth, Mission, and of course, the Board of Directors.
Once the coordinating council has approved an application, the Board of Directors must ratify the decision before the grant will be allocated.
This will normally be two weeks prior to a coordinating council meeting.
Application deadlines:
| March 19, 2009 |
for the |
April 2 meeting |
| June 23, 2009 |
for the |
July 9 meeting |
Applications should be mailed or e-mailed to the president’s office.
Grants are available in the following categories:
Congregational Mission Expansion |
- Plant New Churches: Recent research has shown that one of the best ways to reach the unchurched is by planting new ministries such as new mission starts daughtered by an existing congregation and mission plants initiated by a group of congregations partnering with the district and other congregations.
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- Revitalization: Declining Missouri District congregations have a need for refocus, revitalization, and transformation for greater outreach.
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- Rural and Small Town Ministries: Rural settings have an urgent need to work together in partnerships. Through partnerships, neighboring congregations address ministry needs together, pooling resources, creating a whole new model for rural churches.
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- Urban and Ethnic Ministries: Urban settings increasingly have an urgent need for leadership to start new ministries.
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- Strengthen Congregational Outreach: Realizing that 50 percent of Missouri is living without Jesus, it is important to train congregation members to share their faith.
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- Satellite Ministries: A new outreach initiative by an existing congregation. Utilizing the gifts and talents of strong, healthy congregations, satellite ministries will be started to reach out to people in urban, suburban, and rural areas.
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Congregational Mission Training and Mobilization |
- Christian Day School: Our rich heritage in Christian education, including schools, is a primary opportunity to share the Gospel with children and families.
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- Training Youth as Peer Ministers for Mission Outreach: We believe that one outcome of faithfulness to Jesus’ disciple-making command will be training and equipping 300 high school youth and peer ministers by 2017.
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See the district case statement for more detailed category information.
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At the heart of Fan into Flame is Jesus' final instruction to His disciples: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
 We must take the Gospel to the unreached and uncommitted people in our own communities, as well as around the world, support ethnic and multicultural ministry work throughout the United States, and train workers to be witnesses of the Good News. The Acts 1:8 framework has been applied to the distribution of campaign funds.
Fan into Flame will devote approximately half of all funds received toward reaching 50 million unreached or uncommitted people with the Gospel in North America and allocate half of the funds toward sharing the Good News of Jesus with an additional 50 million people throughout the world. These funds will be distributed to LCMS congregations and Districts to support local and regional outreach activities, and LCMS World Mission will use Fan Into Flame monies to advance national and international Ablaze! projects.
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Suggested Steps for Conducting your Congregational Appeal
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Tools and Resources
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NEW!
Model Resolution for
Congregational involvement
in
Fan into Flame
Fan into Flame Case Statement
Missouri District
Fan into Flame Case Statement
Advance Gift Solicitation Manual
Campaign Secretary Manual
Public Relations Manual
Fan into Flame Video
Ablaze! Articles
This is a collection of Ablaze! articles from the Fall 2005 issue of "Issues in Christian Education," a publication of Concordia University,
Seward
Nebraska.
Foundations of Ablaze!
The central thesis of this paper, "The Ablaze! Initiative in the LCMS Theologically Considered," is that the Ablaze! initiative is a 21st century outreach effort consistent with Lutheran theology and practice and an example of the mission emphasis that has characterized The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod from the beginning.
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Commitment Sunday Announcement
and Instructions
Bulletin Inserts
Congregation Campaign Tithe - Plan 4
Congregation Pledge - Plan 5
Church Mailing Letters:
Letter 1
Letter 2
Letter 3
Church Profiles of completed
Fan into Flame campaigns:
Elm Grove Lutheran, Elm Grove, WI
First Immanuel Lutheran, Cedarburg, WI
First Lutheran, Ada, OK
Our Savior Lutheran, Austin, TX
St. John Lutheran, Sullivan, WI
Trinity Lutheran, Broken Arrow, OK
Reception Materials:
Reception Announcement and Insert
Reception Checklist
Reception Detailed Agenda
Reception Gift Request Letter
Reception Invitation
Reception Schedule of Events
Reception Suggested Talking Points
Map of Synodical Districts Participating |
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The Torch Newsletter
The Torch is a bi-monthly
e-letter providing updates and information on Fan into Flame
in the Missouri District.
Febraury 19, 2008: Workshop attendance, Tools on the Web, Pilot Highlights (Immanuel, Lockwood)
March 7, 2008: Workshops, Tools, and Pilots (Campus, Columbia)
March 27, 2008: Workshops, The Time is Now
April 11, 2008: Workshops ended, Pilots (Trinity, Columbia)
April 25, 2008: Congregation Highlights, Ablaze! reports, Grant applications
May 9 , 2008: Highlights, District Wide Mission Funding Progress
June13, 2008: Fall focus, District Grant distributions
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For each situation, congregations can make a formal pledge today, and begin paying at a later date. It is a very quick, easy, and efficient process:
Step 1: Contact campaign leadership to inform them of your intent to participate. Step 2: Determine a goal for your congregation in dollars to be raised…a common benchmark is 10% of last years operating budget, to be paid over 3-5 years. Step 3: Obtain approval from the various church governing boards (Elders, BOD, Council, Voters, etc.) and boldly commit to your goal amount by making a written pledge. Tithe pledge / general pledge Step 4: Fax/E-mail a copy of the pledge agreement to the Missouri District Office. Step 5: Contact campaign leadership to determine the best method and timeframe in which to satisfy that goal. This will vary from congregation to congregation and assistance from campaign leadership will depend on the approach each congregation takes toward achieving its goal. |
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