wfn.org | Lutheran Church in Canada provides support for LWF Endowment Fund

[FRANK_IMHOFF.parti@ecunet.org (FRANK IMHOFF)]

Sharing its gifts with the wider church

GENEVA, 2 November 1998 (lwi) - The National Church Council of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) decided in September, to
forward 10 percent of all undesignated bequests received by the ELCIC to
the Endowment Fund of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). "This motion
recognizes our church's desire to share its gifts with the wider church and
allows our members to recognize that their gifts to the ELCIC will have a
lasting impact on the church worldwide," wrote the treasurer of the ELCIC,
William Risto, to the LWF director for Finance and Administration,
Friedrich Manske.

The Endowment Fund was launched in July 1997 in celebration of the LWF's
50th anniversary, and the assembly's Eucharist offering gave the fund its
initial money, USD 9,392. The fund is intended to ensure that the LWF
central work is not adversely affected by shortfalls in funding from
currency instability and from lack of financial income.

As a first contribution, the ELCIC sent a check for CAD 7,696, which is
based on 10 percent of undesignated bequests received by the ELCIC from
January 1 through September 30, 1998. "This decision is one further example
of the ELCIC's commitment to the work of the LWF," wrote Risto.

The LWF general secretary, Ishmael Noko, expressed his deep appreciation
for this decision. "I believe this approach could enable other smaller and
larger LWF member churches ... with limited income to also meaningfully
participate in the vitally important LWF Endowment Fund."

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Lutheran World Information
Editorial Assistant: Janet Bond-Nash
E-mail: jbn@lutheranworld.org
http://www.lutheranworld.org/