EAster Greetings
As we rejoice in our risen Savior, we can appreciate the earthly analogy that Martin Luther used about the resurrection: “Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.” What a wonderful reminder that the message of Easter is seen in all God’s creation as it awakens from the darkness of winter. From the beautiful Easter lily on the church’s altar to the budding of every shrub and tree in our yards, the renewal of the promise of our salvation and Christ’s victory over sin is shown to us.
This quote from Luther is also a simple way for us to share the message of what our Lord has done for all people. The awakening of the earthly world from the gloom of winter to the rebirth of spring is often a conversation between family, friends, and acquaintances. What an opportunity to compare the darkness of sin and the joy of the resurrection and salvation with these same people!
The calling to proclaim the Easter message to all nations has always been the foundation of Michigan Lutheran Seminary. Since 1910 the president, faculty, and staff have encouraged students to consider the work of the full-time ministry. We should never take this work lightly; but strengthen those at MLS with our prayers, conversations, and support.
The MLS Foundation joyfully continues our mission of supporting Michigan Lutheran Seminary and its students for the work of the church. It is our privilege to help with MLS’s current needs while also considering the needs of the future. Through the support of donors like you, we are able to make a difference in the lives of students attending our WELS preparatory school. We are grateful to you for partnering with us in the support of this training!
Below are some of the ways you can help with this life changing work.
Student Need Fund—We just made our second annual distribution of $100,000 to MLS for tuition assistance! Our goal is to do this every year! We currently have a balance of $32,578 in this fund. Your gift to this fund will directly impact MLS students, as gifts from this fund have been used for tuition assistance. Your gift to this fund will make sure the students at MLS are being supported so that they can grow in their faith and training as they prepare to be leaders in our church.
Capital Improvement Fund—Big Backyard Update—Thanks to many generous donors we are making progress and getting ready to start construction of the home side bleachers and a new press box. As many of you know, we installed new visitor bleachers last summer. Safety was a major concern for replacing both sets of bleachers. The old press box has been demolished and a new three-level press box that will include a concession area, storage, and bathrooms is planned for this summer. We need your help; your gift will help us pay down our Lutheran Association for Church Extension (LACE) project loan. The approximate cost to complete this phase will be $345,000.
Greatest Need—Gifts of financial support help the MLS Foundation carry out its mission. This critical funding gives the Board of Directors flexibility to help where help is needed most when making grant requests or giving out a distribution. These needs may be critical or emergency individual or campus needs.
Long-term Endowment—We want to continue to build a solid foundation and a lasting revenue stream for the future. Gifts to the endowment fund help make future budgeting more predictable based upon projected distributions. We currently take a distribution of 4% of the fund, based on the valuation date of December 31 of each year. Over the past three years, over $149,500 has been distributed from the fund to support the mission of the foundation.
In Christian Service,
Joshua Wakefield
Donor Relations Director
Please take a moment to visit our giving page to see more opportunities to make an impact immediately! You can also follow our Facebook page to see the many ways that the MLS Foundation assists MLS and its students through events and activities.