Fresh support for LCC missions

In addition to prayer and Bible study, the CLMS board uses a formula to help decide project ranking for funding.

Thanks to a volunteer mission organization, sixteen Lutheran Church–Canada mission projects may become a reality in 2011.

At its annual general meeting in Calgary, February 6, Concordia Lutheran Mission Society (CLMS) chose to support 16 projects from home and overseas challenging its members and donors to raise $117,963 in the next year.

The largest beneficiary of the society’s efforts will be Ukraine, followed by two domestic projects which will support cultural-specific pastoral training and outreach. LCC missions in Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Thailand will also benefit from CLMS donations.

“We praise and thank the Lord for the faithfulness and commitment of the CLMS board as well as for their dedication in the partnership in God’s mission,” said Rev. Leonardo Neitzel, LCC’s mission executive who attended the meeting. Dr. Neitzel noted that when the time came to decide on the annual goal and which projects to fund members of the society spent time in prayer and meditating on God’s Word.

Hosted by Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Calgary, the CLMS meeting included a Sunday afternoon mission festival at which Dr. Neitzel was guest preacher. “I encouraged the CLMS and everyone there to take seriously their role as the ‘light of the world’ sharing the love of Jesus wherever they are.” CLMS raised more than $1600 at the festival for a children’s Christian education project in Costa Rica.

Funding gifts from CLMS, Lutheran Women’s Missionary League-Canada and other organizations supplement the core budget of LCC’s missions which comes from congregational offerings. “Our people have such a heart for missions,” said Dr. Neitzel. “And I know those who receive the gifts overseas give thanks to God for the generosity of their Canadian brothers and sisters.”

Concordia Lutheran Mission Society, an auxiliary of Lutheran Church–Canada, is dedicated to enlisting “the prayers, gifts and energies of God’s people in Lutheran Church-Canada to share the gospel of Jesus Christ wherever God provides opportunity.”

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