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Keystone Challenge Seeks Increased Funding for World Mission
CHICAGO, IL (September 5, 2002) - The Keystone Challenge - an aggressive effort
to increase support to world mission ministries by $500,000 a year - has
gained additional momentum with the mailing of letters to pastors and lay
leaders of local congregations throughout the Evangelical Covenant Church.
The letters and supporting materials outline a proposal that grew out of
the action of delegates to June's 117th Annual Meeting in Keystone,
Colorado, who responded to the call for increased funding to sustain world
mission ministry initiatives in the face of dwindling reserve funds that
helped support those initiatives in the past.
"Many of you already know that the earliest identity of us Covenanters was
caught in two words - Mission Friends," says John Notehelfer in personal
message to chairs of local church mission committees that is part of the
mailing. Notehelfer, son of missionary parents and a former superintendent
of the Pacific Southwest Conference, assumed new duties September 1 as
interim executive minister of the Department of World Mission.
"We are a people who have been and continue to be passionate about
fulfilling the Great Commission and the Great Commandment," he continues.
"What happened at Keystone, Colorado, was that delegates voted unanimously
to raise an additional $500,000 from our churches to make sure the future
of our mission momentum is sustained."
The Keystone Challenge asks each local congregation to permanently increase
budgeted giving to Covenant World Mission. "Specifically, we are asking for
this increase to be over and above your current giving to the Covenant
Coordinated Budget and over and above your normal increase for 2003," the
proposal states. "These new funds will be designated for 'Keystone
Challenge,' which will be entirely for Covenant World Mission."
Annual Meeting delegates directed that the additional funds be raised in a
plea to local churches "above and beyond their current commitments," said
World Mission Task Force Chair Ted Smith in a letter to local church
pastors. "We are asking that you present this need to your church board or
budget committees as your budget is prepared for next year. This is a
significant need and it will take a significant increase in local church
giving to the Covenant Coordinated Budget. For us to be able to meet our
World Mission needs in the coming years, we will need every Covenant church
to join with us in raising these funds."
The commissioning of eight additional couples for career missionary service
two years ago is but one of the ambitious outreach efforts cited in the
proposal to local churches. "This step and others . . . are part of a new
plan that was initially supported by the department's (World Mission)
reserve funds," the proposal states. That solution, however, was only
temporary. "Beginning with the 2003-2004 budget, the Department of World
Mission needs a permanent increase in annual revenue to maintain its people
and programs.
"The impact of meeting this challenge will be great," the proposal
continues. "It will mean salvation for some who are lost, but it can be
life-changing for other people and churches as well." The benefits of
increasing the World Mission budget and the fundraising necessary to do so
include:
- Affirming the Covenant's desire to remain faithful to the Great
Commission.
- Encouraging the men and women of the Department of World Mission.
- Renewing the interest and involvement of congregations in the work of
Covenant World Mission.
- Reminding individuals and congregations of one of the commitments that
unite members of the Covenant Church.
- Attracting others who share this commitment to mission.
Efforts are also under way to present opportunities for funding support to
individuals and other entities. Individuals interested in providing
financial support to this effort should earmark gifts for Keystone
Challenge and direct them to the Evangelical Covenant Church, 5101 N.
Francisco Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60625.
(Editor's note: the accompanying photos are from Covenant mission
ministry areas in Thailand and Laos.)
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