“Together in Jesus Christ we are freed by grace to live faithfully, witness boldly, and serve joyfully.” Mission of the Northwest Intermountain Synod

Dec. 17, 2024       

Dear Friends in Christ,

Thank you again for gifting the synod with Mission Support throughout 2024! Your generosity has been immense and, when you factor for some special circumstances last year, Mission Support this year is up. Hooray! Mission Support, special gifts, and SHARE Fund grants have helped us carry out our synod’s mission in these wonderful ways:

• Three Regional Gatherings with Grace Pomroy, who helped us think about Funding Forward
• Flood Relief campaign for our siblings in the Ulanga Kilombero Diocese of Tanzania
• Sharing the life-giving gospel of Jesus Christ at our three Lutheran Campus Ministries
• Walking with nine ministry candidates in different stages of the ELCA Candidacy process
• Supporting Cultivating Justice, a synod authorized outreach ministry in Wenatchee
• Connecting with congregations across the synod through synod staff visits 
• Enrolling eight lay people in the Montana Synod’s Lay Ministry Associate program and hosting eleven participants at our Preach, Pray, Preside Retreat
• First Call Theological Education retreat with much of Region 1 and coaching for all of our pastors and deacons in their first call
• Gathering online for book and Bible studies to grow as followers of Jesus Christ
• Pastors and deacons praying, engaging with scripture, and nurturing relationships at Bishop’s Fall Convocation, with lectures by Dr. Rachel Wrenn and Pr. Tim Brown
• Our synod representatives traveling to the Ulanga Kilombero Diocese, continuing our accompaniment relationship
• Launching a second cohort of HAVEN: a means of refuge and avenue for wellness for rostered leaders (engaging Bowen Family Systems Theory)
• Connecting online through monthly Council Connections, Land Stewardship Cohort, pastors leading congregations in transition group, committee work, and more
• Our Eco-faith Action Network defining their mission and making plans for future ministry
• Congregation call committees and synod staff walking together through transitions and calling new pastors and deacons, including several new ecumenical partnerships

Again, thank you for your Mission Support and additional gifts in 2024. We have done so much together as a synod for the sake of the Gospel because of your generosity! Only because of rising costs will our synod need an extra $84,000 to meet budget. Synod staff and council have done well keeping expenses low, despite costs going up. An extra gift of $500 per congregation would equal $43,000 and be an additional help in closing the gap. Thank you in advance for your end-of-year Mission Support. The synod hopes to build on the ministries named in this letter in 2025!

Bishop Meggan Manlove