2025โ2027 Mission Grant #4
The Perpetual Call for Pastors and Teachers
LCMS Office of Pastoral Education, U.S. $100,000
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Watch the video about this mission grant!
About This Mission Grant
Set Apart to Serve is a Synod-wide program focused on forming and recruiting full-time pastors and church workers. Supplying the church with church workers is one of the highest priorities of the LCMS, since pastors and commissioned church workers preach and teach the Word of Christ through which the Holy Spirit creates and sustains faith. The demand for more pastors, Lutheran school teachers, and commissioned church workers is urgent.ย
Set Apart to Serve is providing resources to encourage intentional conversations with youth to pursue a church work vocation. This is leading to increased enrollment in the church worker formation programs at the LCMS Concordia universities and the seminaries. Districts and churches are being encouraged to reach out to their youth through workshops and conferences.ย
This grant will help to cover a part of the expenses of creating resources, travel and presentations at workshops and conferences, and staffing.
The heart of Set Apart To Serve (SAS) is the formation of church workers to ensure that LCMS continues to proclaim and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our congregations and communities until Christ returns. Pastors and professional church workers are indispensable to accomplishing each of the Synod's seven mission priorities.
More Mission Grant Photos
Mission priority #1: Plant, sustain, & revitalize Lutheran churches: Through greater awareness and encouragement of church worker vocations, Lutheran churches will remain vibrant & growing.
Mission priority #2: Support & expand theological education: SAS has formed strong partnership with the seminaries to coordinate & share resources that encourage enrollment of youth and adult second-career theological students. SAS collaborates with LCMS Youth Ministry, LCMS elementary & high schools and seminary recruitment efforts.
Mission priority #3: Perform human care in close proximity to Word and Sacrament ministries: By raising visibility and awareness of church workers, SAS shines a light on the fulfilling work of helping all of God's children in our communities and opening their hearts to God's Word.ย
The Rev. John Zimmerman, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Scranton, Pa., and St. John's Lutheran Church, Pittston, Pa., distributes the Sacrament at a Lenten service at Immanuel.
Mission priority #4: Collaborate with the Synod's members & partners to enhance mission effectiveness: Collaborations & partnership that support Synod-wide engagement with SAS enable connection with various organizations & constituencies, particularly those involved in the formation of young people for church work. SAS has launched an intentional structure, tools & training to support congregations, schools & LCMS entities as they encourage young people to pursue a full-time church work vocation.
Mission priority #5: Promote & nurture the spiritual, emotional, financial, and physical well-being of pastors and professional church workers: SAS works closely with LCMS Church Worker Wellness alliance to genuinely care for our ordained and commissioned workers & develop healthy advocates for church worker formation and recruitment. SAS is actively developing strategies & alliances required to develop & adapt church worker recruitment resources for International & All-Nationals cross-cultural communities.
Mission priority #6: Enhance early childhood education, elementary & secondary education, & youth ministry:ย Supporting Lutheran teachers & encouraging the formation of more is a key priority for SAS. In addition to forming alliances with educator groups, a new curriculum dedicated to supporting the church has been released, in partnership with LCEF & CPH. SAS has launched an intentional structure, tools and training to support teachers as they encourage young people to pursue full-time church work vocation.
Mission priority #7: Strengthen & support Lutheran family in living out God's design: Parents are most influential people in their children's lives from baptism thru high school. SAS provides a comprehensive resource hub with conversation & activity guides parents can use to help their children see how they can joyfully serve the Lord thru full-time church work. SAS encourages church work as a second career for adults who are already in workforce but considering change as Lutheran school teachers or pastors.
