|
PAGE ONE
-
Fund for Leaders in Mission
-
Financial Support for Seminary Students
-
-
 The Fund for Leaders in Mission is an endowed scholarship fund created by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to insure that faithful and promising men and women can accept the call to ministry and provide leadership for the ELCA in the 21st Century. The NT-NL Fund for Leaders is a separate account held within the ELCA's Fund and is professionally managed by them. The synod's fund is growing, and soon we will be able to give scholarships to promising students of the NT-NL Synod studying at an ELCA seminary. -
The Challenge
There is a great need in the church and the world for leaders who are thoroughly equipped for mission and ministry. And it is the responsibility of the whole church to identify, train, and support those whom God has called. By 2012, many current ELCA clergy will have retired; we will need an increased number of students attending seminary to replace them.
-
 The Costs of Preparation
To prepare for rostered ministry, students spend three years in seminary and one year on internship after having spent four years in college. The average annual tuition at an ELCA seminary is $12,000, and the typical student has living expenses of $15,000 to $26,000 depending on his or her family situation. That brings the cumulative cost of attending seminary (just the three academic years) to a range of $70,000 to $102,000. -
Graduates with Debt
As the cost of running our seminaries climbs, so do the debt-loads of new pastors. Seventy percent of ELCA seminary students take out loans to fund their education. They can expect to face a monthly loan payment of $300 to $600 - in addition to other loans from their college days. Understandably, many pastors cannot, then, accept calls to smaller or struggling congregations because the salaries are not adequate for these loan commitments.
-
The Opportunity
The ELCA created the Fund for Leaders to provide financial assistance to seminarians and encourage excellence in ministry. In partnership with seminaries, synods, and congregations, the Fund's mission is to insure support for the projected 1,400 ELCA students annually enrolled in the ELCA seminaries. Already the generous gifts that have been received have made it possible for the ELCA Fund to provide scholarships to over 135 seminary students nationwide. The NT-NL Synod's Fund will begin awarding scholarships soon.
-
Whether at home or abroad, in cities or rural communities, among the wealthy or the poor - the ELCA needs faithful leaders who can share the Gospel and lead communities of faith. Please help in this vital work of the ELCA and Synod.
-
-
-
_________________
To go to the ELCA Fund for Leaders web site, click here
Page One produced by
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Bishop Assistant
To download this and other Page One articles in MSWord format, click here
-
- |
|
