SERVICES

LCEF was blessed to serve the new ministry of Crosspointe Lutheran Church in Fargo, North Dakota. LCEF provided loan funds for the development of Crosspointe, along with providing demographic studies of the area, and creating direct mail listings for invitations and additional communication to the community. The congregation is led by Rev. Michael Giddings.

Members of St. Paul Lutheran Church are preparing to break ground this summer for an 8,000-square-foot building in Mechanicsville, Va. For nearly three years, the congregation has worshiped at a local funeral home after selling its former church building. “We’re sort of restarting,” said Pastor Rodney Bitely. “We were down to about 50 in worship and, after thinking and praying, we came to the decision to move.”

To help make its vision a reality, St. Paul partnered with Capital Funding Services as well as LCEF’s loan department for a bridge loan to purchase the property. After a year of fundraising, the congregation already has received more than half of its goal.

"God has helped us understand that stewardship is not about the needs of the church. Rather, it is about the need of the giver to give to the Lord in reflection of our love for Him."

This is how Mike Mickelson felt after his congregation, Timothy Lutheran of Blue Springs, Missouri, engaged in a four-week program called Consecrated Stewards (CS). As leader of the CS task force for Timothy, Mickelson learned firsthand that Consecrated Stewards can raise people to a new level of spiritual commitment by urging members to take a step forward in faith in light of God's grace.

Members of Grace Lutheran Church expect to begin the new year breaking ground at their new, higher-visibility location in Lamar, Ark.

“More people know where our new sign (that marks) our new location is than where we are currently located,” said Rev. Herb Swanson. “People are excited that we are moving to a better location where we will have greater opportunity for evangelistic outreach.”

“Celebrate the Blessings” is the theme of the biblically based capital stewardship campaign at Redeemer Lutheran Church that highlights the steady growth of this Peoria, Ill., congregation and also the challenges created by that growth.

“We’re worshipping increasing numbers of people of all ages, from the very young to older adults, which is a great blessing,” said Rev. Ronald Miller, senior pastor. “But we’ve outgrown our space.”