In 2018, as in the past, God’s faithfulness has been shown through the generosity of LCMS donors.
These donors sent more than 100 missionary families into the world, brought relief to the suffering in the wake of disasters, and provided scholarships to international students at both seminaries — and these examples are a mere glimpse of the LCMS’s witness and mercy efforts in 2018 as spurred on by the gifts of the Synod’s supporters.
The LCMS offers a giving opportunity that allows contributions to accomplish all the efforts mentioned above, and more.
An undesignated gift to the LCMS, a “Together as Synod” gift, enhances domestic and international efforts to witness and show mercy to others, and to live life together as children of God. Undesignated gifts are not only flexible, but also cost-effective.
As 2018 comes to an end, supporters of the LCMS who are prayerfully considering making a year-end gift are encouraged to give a “Together as Synod” gift.
Methods for making a year-end “Together as Synod” gift are:
By mail
Make checks payable to the LCMS. In the memo line, write “Together as Synod” or “Unrestricted.”
If you choose to give a designated gift, the memo line should be used to direct your gift (e.g. Global Mission Fund, Joint Seminary Fund, missionary name).
Envelopes should be addressed to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, ATTN: LCMS Mission Advancement, P.O. Box 66861, St. Louis, MO 63166-6861 and postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service no later than Dec. 31. Please do not mail hard currency such as bills, coins or money orders.
By phone
The LCMS Mission Advancement Donor Care line will be staffed to accept credit card donations by phone at 888-930-4438. The Donor Care team will accept gifts by phone until 2 p.m. CST on Dec. 31.
Online
To be 2018-eligible, online gifts can be made with a credit card through Dec. 31 at 11:59 p.m. CST. Visit lcms.org/givenow to make a “Together as Synod” gift.
Text-to-Give
Make your “Together as Synod” gift using your credit card or Paypal account by texting STRONGTOGETHER at 41444. Eligible gifts can be made through Dec. 31 at 11:59 p.m. CST.
To donate appreciated or depreciated securities or make IRA direct charitable transfers, contact the LCMS Foundation at 800-325-7912. The Foundation’s skilled gift-planning counselors will work with you to support the ministries you love — including those of your congregation and your preferred LCMS ministries.
The Synod’s 2018 Annual Report (a partial fulfillment of 2016 Resolution 9-04A) —funded by a grant from Thrivent Financial — is available as a no-cost PDF download at lcms.org/giving/transparency.
Constituents unable to access the online PDF can request a printed copy by calling Mission Advancement at 888-930-4438 or emailing mission.advancement@lcms.org.
Posted Nov. 30, 2018
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The LCMS has received information that a self-directed, IRA qualified charitable distribution using a checkbook supplied by an eligible individual’s IRA trustee – in the form of a check written by the donor against an IRA account – must be cashed by the receiving nonprofit on or before December 31 to be counted towards the donor’s 2018 required minimum distribution (RMD). A check cashed by a nonprofit in January will NOT count toward the donor’s 2018 RMD, placing the donor at risk of a significant penalty.
This information was received too late to include in the above article and other year-end giving information supplied by the LCMS and the LCMS Foundation.
LCMS Mission Advancement and the LCMS Foundation advise those contemplating writing a check against an IRA account for charitable purposes to complete that IRA gift in time for the recipient charity (congregation, auxiliary, district, Synod, university, seminary, etc.) to cash the check before December 31. We also advise eligible donors to speak with their tax-preparer, attorney or financial advisor whenever a gift from an IRA is being considered, and to receive up-to-date information on the relevant tax and penalty implications. Additional information is available, at no cost to the donor, by contacting the LCMS Foundation.