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Celebrating Twenty-Five Years Together In Christ
Rostered Leaders Debt Reduction Fund Report
In 2001 the Rostered Leader’s Debt Reduction Fund was instituted with a gift from First English Lutheran Church. Annually we have invited congregations to receive one offering a year to assist and to walk with our Rostered Leaders so that they will not need to worry about this debt. In 2012, you assisted ten (10) of our pastors with gifts of $2,292.80 paid against each of their debts. Their debt ranges from $70,000 to a low of $9,000. From 2001 – 2012 you have contributed $184,112.36 to this fund. Annually we divide your gifts equally with our pastors who carry debt from Seminary. We have been blessed by congregations’ ordinations and installations where the offering has gone to this important cause. This year gifts also came from the request of the families of The Reverend William Kurz and Mr. Ralph N. Dunkin in lieu of flowers for their funerals. We are blessed to have congregations that annually take up this cause with offerings. In a thank you note sent to the Synod Office one of our pastors writes: “Please accept my most humble thanks for the generous gift from the Rostered Leaders Debt Reduction Fund. The burden of Seminary Debt was of great concern amongst my classmates at seminary as we approached graduation. We knew that our first calls were not going to provide salary levels high enough to bring this debt down quickly. I am blessed in so many ways to be part of a Synod that recognizes those burdens and makes every effort to assist its rostered leaders in eliminating debt. Please continue this initiative in the years to come for future first call leaders.” Once again it is my privilege to thank you for your gifts to our pastors in need. In 2012 you contributed $22,928.19 so that you could walk with our pastors who are in debt. Respectfully submitted, + Bishop Ralph W. Dunkin