The beneficiary of the August mission offering is the Mission Endowment Fund of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod. The Mission Endowment Fund, established in 1999, is a mission outreach fund for use in the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod. The interest earned from the Fund is distributed regularly to those who apply and qualify for grants. The Mis- sion Endowment Fund supports vital ministries that cannot be funded through either the synod or individual congregational budgets, such as the following:

· Scholarships for rostered leaders who are active members of established or developing ELCA congregations in the Gulf Coast Synod and who are enrolled in an approved seminary program;

· Grants for campus ministry programs at any college or university of the Gulf Coast Synod;

· “Seed money” to provide startup funds for con gregation-based and synod-based ministry in established and developing congregations of the Gulf Coast Synod;

· “Seed money” to accelerate the growth of mis- sion and ministry in young congregations of the Gulf Coast Synod.

The Synod hopes to increase the Mission Endowment Fund to $1 million by the end of August, in honor of the retirement of Bishop Paul Blom. For more information on the Mission Endowment Fund, see the synod website at http://www.gulfcoastsynod.org/mission_fund.htm.

Last updated: 2007-08-07