May 2, 2003

Top Missouri Synod mission leaders and officers are writing to all LCMS pastors and congregational presidents this month to encourage them to involve their congregations in a new LCMS World Mission Pentecost Offering.

In a sin-darkened world, we do not have any difficulty finding opportunities to speak to people who do not yet belong to the [Lords] sheep pen, writes LCMS World Mission Executive Director Rev. Robert Roegner in a letter to be mailed May 12. Our problem is in finding resources to send under-shepherds of our Lord to gather this flock.

Signing the letter, along with Roegner, are Synod President Gerald Kieschnick, LCMS Board of Directors Chairman Robert Kuhn and LCMS Board for Mission Services Chairman Butch Almstedt.

In the letter, Roegner mentions the current fiscal years drop in income to LCMS World Mission, and explains that the trend is continuing, with an anticipated $2 million shortfall in income during the 2003-04 fiscal year.

That, of course, has profound implications for LCMS World Mission and its ability to carry on mission outreach around the world, he writes.

Roegner asks pastors and congregational presidents to encourage their congregation members to make a special contribution - a gift equal to 10 percent of their annual giving - to support the work of LCMS World Mission.

The congregation would then forward, on Pentecost Sunday [June 8], its special offering on behalf of work among those who do not yet know Jesus, Roegner suggests in the letter.

LCMS World Mission is offering special prayers - asking that God would bless and multiply [the gifts] and use them in His service - that congregations may use when forwarding their gifts. The prayers will be available this month on the Web at lcmsworldmission.org.

In the letter, Roegner says he chose Pentecost because of these words from the Gospel lesson on that day: On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink (John 7:37). I especially appreciate these words because they point out that this offering is not really about money - of course, we need money to do the Lords work - but about calling people to the only source of living water, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

LCMS News