Stories of Faith in Action

From the most recent Stories of Faith in Action (SOFIA), we share a snapshot of giving in the ELCA. In 2020, ELCA members gave $1.7 billion in unrestricted offerings to support God’s mission and ministry through the three expressions of the ELCA: congregations, synods, and the churchwide organization.

Thank you for your generosity that enable us to be communities together in Christ serving the world!

Annual report covers are now available online for congregations that are preparing for their annual meetings. The document includes a letter from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, a hymn and litany and a story about how change and creativity have helped shape congregations this past year. The digital covers are available as pages or as spreads and can be found at ELCA.org/SOFIA#relevantresources.

This week’s Story of Faith in Action features Abide, a small-group ministry for ELCA members between 18 and 35. The program started in early 2020, shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began, with leadership funding from Mission Support.

Read the story in this post, view as a PDF resource, or visit our SOFIA 2021-2022 page for all resources.

Each year, ELCA congregations pledge to send a portion of their offerings to fund ELCA ministries in their synods and beyond. We call these funds Mission Support.

Mission Support enables the ELCA’s more than 8,900 congregations and 65 synods to pool resources to love and serve our neighbors in ways that no individual or congregation can do alone.

In her letter introducing Stories of Faith in Action, Bishop Eaton notes that “the disciples in John’s Gospel approach ministry challenges with a scarcity mindset. Jesus shows us a different way: trusting in God’s awesome abundance.”

This week’s Story of Faith in Action features San Gabriel Lutheran Church in Alvarado, Texas, built up by the generosity of others — church members, nearby ELCA congregations and, through Mission Support funds, the ELCA Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod.

Read the story in this post, view as a PDF resource, or visit our SOFIA 2021-2022 page for all resources.

Stories of Faith in Action is a free, annual publication highlighting how God is changing lives through the ministries funded by your congregation’s Mission Support offering, shared with your synod and ELCA churchwide. Visit our SOFIA 2021-2022 page for all resources.

How can you inspire ELCA members with this publication? View this how-to PDF resource or this post which has: links for the digital and print PDF; one-page stories for printing; three videos for social media or mission moment with your congregation (1, 2, 3); and prompts for devotional time.

This week’s Story of Faith in Action features our very own Living Christ Lutheran Church in Flagstaff, where grants from the Grand Canyon Synod, funded by ELCA Mission Support, helped sustain Living Christ’s ministry.

Read this story and view the video in this post, view as a PDF resource, or visit our SOFIA 2021-2022 page for all resources.

We share a letter from the directors of ELCA Mission Support about the inspiration to be found in Stories of Faith in Action.

Through your generosity, God is at work across the ELCA.

This week’s Story of Faith in Action features the Dwelling, an ELCA faith community designed for, but not exclusive to, people in Winston-Salem who are or have been homeless. Funding comes from partnerships with Augsburg, the North Carolina Synod, the Moravian Church in America and the ELCA churchwide organization.

Read this story in this post, view as a PDF resource, or visit our SOFIA 2021-2022 page for all resources.

The 2021-2022 Stories of Faith in Action resources are available at ELCA.org/SOFIA. Dive into the latest issue, which is now available in its digital edition or print edition, and includes:

• A special message from ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton.

• Nine inspiring stories from around the country and the world.

• Your 2020 financial report on Mission Support — the portion of your offering your congregation shares with your synod, and your synod shares with the churchwide organization.

• A story-based devotional for use at Bible studies or committee meetings.