wfn.org | Giving Grew for ELCA Congregations in `95

[ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

June 27, 1996

GIVING GREW FOR ELCA CONGREGATIONS IN `95
96-15-045-LA

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Income for the 11,023 congregations of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 1995 was $1,802,819,069
-- up $82,076,491 or 4.76 percent from 1994.  This follows an
increase of $60,672,311 or 3.65 percent from 1993 to 1994,
according to a report of annual statistics from the ELCA Office
of the Secretary.
     Of that total, $1,295,728,239 was received in regular,
unrestricted offerings -- up 4.81 percent from 1994 and greater
than the 2.91 percent increase in regular giving from 1993 to
1994.
     "The experience of two consecutive years of increase in
giving by ELCA members is a blessing for our congregations and
this whole church," said the Rev. Lowell G. Almen, secretary of
the ELCA.  "It is a sign of healthy generosity and commitment."
     The average regular giving per confirmed member increased
from $367.55 in 1994 to $387.71 -- up 5.48 percent or an increase
per confirmed member of $20.16.
     "An average of one additional twenty dollar bill put into
offering plates by every confirmed member last year has been a
tremendous gift to this church's ministries at home and abroad,"
said Almen.  Confirmed membership in 1995 for ELCA congregations
was more than 3.8 million.  "That $77 million in additional
dollars stretches a long way toward spreading the gospel of Jesus
Christ, relieving people's hunger and suffering and serving with
compassion in congregational, synodical, and churchwide
ministries."
     Regular mission support -- monies passed from congregations
to the 65 synods and to the churchwide organization to support
the national and international ministries of the church --
increased 1.87 percent for a total of $120,303,360.
     "This generosity not only reversed last year's decrease of
half a million dollars but provided for increased financial
resources for the 65 synods and the churchwide organization,"
said Almen.
     The category of giving formerly called "Designated Gifts"
but, for the first time on the 1995 report forms, renamed
"Specific Mission Support" decreased by one-third.  "This
decrease is probably the result of some confusion as to what
category was to be used to report gifts for specified mission
projects," explained Almen.
     He noted that "Specific Mission Support" received
$4,348,448.  Another category, "Synod-Related Special
Benevolences," might have been mistaken for "Specific Mission
Support."  In 1995 both these categories totaled $18,397,278
compared to a total of $17,486,844 in 1994 -- a total increase of
5.20 percent.
     Money for community benevolent causes decreased slightly
from $22,106,035 in 1994 to $22,073,751 in 1995.
     Congregations reported nearly a 5.11 percent increase in
other expenses -- up $3,033,466 to $62,383,645.
     Total disbursements by ELCA congregations for local
operating expenses grew by $38,378,359.  That amount increased
3.35 percent to a total of $1,182,052,558.
     The number of congregations reporting indebtedness decreased
by 1 percent.  Sixty-two percent of ELCA congregations reported
that they had no debt in 1995 compared to 61 percent which
reported they were free of debt in 1994.
     Congregations reported $991,476,707 in savings and
investments, endowments and memorial funds for 1995 -- up
$102,697,496 from the previous year.
     Ninety percent of ELCA congregations returned completed
reports for 1995, according to the annual report of the Office of
the Secretary.

For information contact: Ann Hafften, Dir., ELCA News Service,
(312) 380-2958; Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Dir., (312) 380-2955; Lia
Christiansen, Asst. Dir., (312) 380-2956