Issue 94 of Administration Matters
How to Create a Mission Endowment Fund: A Guide for Congregations
The ELCA Foundation has created a tool to help congregations that are considering an endowment. “How to Create a Mission Endowment Fund: A Guide for Congregations” provides a systematic approach to establishing a mission endowment fund, which enables congregations to be thoughtful stewards of bequests and planned gifts. You can find an electronic copy of the guide here. To learn more, you may also contact the ELCA Foundation at 800-638-3522 or email elcafoundation@elca.org.
Information needed when filing an insurance claim for embezzlement
Each situation is different, and no checklist or protocol fits all circumstances. Handling a suspected embezzlement by an employee may be quite different from handling one that involves a congregation or synod volunteer. Handling a current, ongoing embezzlement may be quite different from handling one that is discovered later and involves a person no longer working on the congregation’s or synod’s financial matters. This list provides some general advice, but you should consider all your options and get proper legal and accounting advice throughout the process.
New options from Portico for 2025
As the ELCA’s benefits ministry, Portico Benefit Services tries to keep pace with the financial, emotional and physical health challenges that members face. Watch Portico’s annual enrollment communications for news about its expanded 2025 health plan and its retirement contribution options affecting ELCA-sponsored members. These communications will be sent to employers this summer.
Thank you for your input about ELCA benefits. Through the Benefits reExamined initiative that began this spring, Portico is inviting plan members and organizations to join a dialogue to help discern and design changes to benefits so they can continue to meet the evolving needs of the ELCA community. If you completed the Benefits reExamined survey this summer, Portico extends its sincere gratitude. Find out more and watch for updates when you visit Benefits reExamined.
You have a story to tell
Storytelling is all about connecting with others. By sharing stories and uncovering our own truths, we convey important information that helps those around us relate. Storytelling builds empathy, enabling listeners to put themselves in someone else’s shoes and fostering the social and emotional intelligence that is the cornerstone of building strong relationships. >More
10 projects your church can tackle this summer
Summer can be a fun time for churches. Many host vacation Bible school, church picnics or other warm-weather events that provide fellowship opportunities for church members. However, summer is also a great time to regroup and prepare for the activities that fall and winter bring to a church campus. >More
File claims quickly to better protect your people and property
When you file a property claim within 24 hours, you can reduce the potential for the costly, long-term damage that can ensue when cleanup is delayed. In cases where you are displaced, filing a claim promptly will help you get back to your building faster. >More
