Population movement to suburban areas has been unprecedented. Many people in fast-growing areas are often unchurched or struggling to find a church. Some of them are our family members and friends.
Our purpose on earth is to be God’s
instruments to reach the lost, comfort the sick, and assure the dying that through faith in Christ their salvation is sure. One way we do that is through our offerings to the Lord.
In thankfulness and in honor of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and the 100th anniversary of our synod we seek to Proclaim the Wonders God has Done!
To do this, our synod in convention has asked our Board for Home Outreach and our Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary to work together to identify prospective mission fields and to send missionaries or candidates to serve in these harvest fields.
To accomplish this purpose our synod and the Board for Home Outreach propose to use the proceeds of this special anniversary offering
- to fund new missions,
- to fund the Vicar in Mission program, and
- to support and encourage opportunities for cross-cultural mission projects.
Speaking to his followers, our Lord gives 
this command: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Luke 10:2; ESV).
With this offering, we seek to fulfill our Lord’s command to
- go and make disciples of all the nations (Matthew 28:18-20),
- prepare under-shepherds to care for Christ’s people (Acts 20:28b),
- reach the lost and dying for Christ (Luke 19:10), and
- comfort and strengthen the saints (1 Thessalonians 4:18).
