Church Together Toolkit

In coordination with your pastor and congregational leadership, please share these  stories and insights with your congregation , ideally in worship, but also through other communication channels, through faith formation opportunities, etc.
 
Please seek ways to  share the stories of your congregation’s ministry and witness with the rest of us as you network with other Church Together Ambassadors  in exploring additional avenues for passing along the energy and enthusiasm generated when we gather in Assembly.
 
Bishop Gonia: Public Church
"Educate, Equip, Enact (3E)  is a unique collaborative ministry with the potential to transform our relationship with money as people of faith! Thanks to the grace and vision of Lilly Endowment, our synod is able to offer our congregations stewardship training while assisting our pastors and deacons with economic challenges and opportunities that enhance generosity. The overall goal is nothing less than building a new culture around finances that unleashes our full potential as Christ’s Church for the life of the world."
Mission Moment
Congregational Transition and Missional Gatherings
Educate, Equip, Enact (3E), the Rocky Mountain Synod’s three-year, $500,000 Lilly Endowment grant continues to gain momentum! So far in 2018, 61 rostered minsters have entered the process to receive grants through 3E’s Ministerial Excellence Fund (MEF), helping alleviate education, credit card, or medical debt and insufficient retirement savings or supplement continuing education – thus increasing their capacity for healthy ministry. In 2017 we awarded $25,000 in grants and through July of 2018, we have awarded $151,510 – over a 500% increase in grant awards! Pastors and deacons tell us that through MEF grants they are experiencing grace and have renewed capacity to face financial challenges. 

The Ministerial Excellence Fund is designed to create partnership and cannot operate without your generosity. The Lilly grant is structured so that in order to release $1 of Lilly grant money, $1 of a matching gift is needed. That means that of the $150,000 shared this year, $75,000 came from contributions from members of the Rocky Mountain Synod! So, we thank you for this tremendous generosity

We thank you for helping keep the 3E momentum going! Our goal is nothing less than the complete transformation of the Rocky Mountain Synod’s culture around money. We are recipients of God’s abundance for the sake of the world. And, we are on this road together, on the way in God’s freeing grace toward greater generosity and financial health in Christ.  

3E Leadership :  Deb Elstad (Mt. Tabor, Salt Lake City, UT)- Stewardship for All Seasons; Rev. Michael Tassler (Grace, Colorado Springs, CO)- Program Director; Julie Nelson (Shepherd of the Valley, La Salle, CO)- Assistant Director.
Prayers and Hymns

Faithful God, Jesus came that we might have life, and have it abundantly. Thank you for the gifts of your abundance and for asking us to share this life generously with others. When we experience financial challenges and anxiety, give us deeper trust in you and help us care for one another and walk with each other. Help us toward a future sustained by your grace.


Hymn: ELW #674: Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ

Offering Connections
(to include in the offering portion of worship)
August 5:    Your generosity facilitated the Part-time Ministry Gathering in June, which provided the Educate, Equip, Enact (3E) team with additional learnings and new opportunities to support our leaders.

August 12: Your mission support provides for the leadership support of our Fall Theological Conference. Last year, Educate, Equip, Enact (3E) joined in to provided 13 scholarships for RMS pastors and deacons to attend.
             
August 19:  Educate, Equip, Enact (3E) is coordinating cohorts for Stewardship for All Seasons, a tool to equip congregational leaders in strengthening their generosity and financial picture.
             
August 26:  In partnership with Educate, Equip, Enact (3E), your gifts are supporting our fall conference gatherings. Mark your calendars for your conference’s Better Together Summit!