Update: August 27, 2008

1. Provide guidance and assistance to congregations and pastors in programs of evangelism and witness:
2. Seek new fields for Canadian Mission development and recommend them to the Synod Council;
3. Assist in planning, establishing and supporting new congregations and special ministries, and in organizing new congregations;
   a. Pastor Larry has completed a first draft for ‘New Ministry Profile, Sage Creek Area, South-East Winnipeg’.  He is getting feedback from others involved in the annual Mission Consultation before sending it out to the CM and then to CECF.
4. Review and recommend grants and loans to, and special appeals for congregations with special needs;
   a. Northeast Interlake Parish – The brochure, which I emailed you separately, is ready for distribution.  It will be/has been mailed to the homes in the area.  The funding through CECF Project Support Initiative, $450.00, has been sent them.
   b. Pastor Larry has sent inquiries to Pass Lake and St. Mark – Winnipeg, concerning the status of their approved projects, and reminding them of the calendar year deadline.-In Pass Lake’s latest newsletter there is mention of this, and calls for contributions to its sign project, so that it can proceed in time.
   -We are still awaiting feedback from St. Mark concerning their Christmas mailout.  It was CM’s understanding that this was to have taken place in 2007, but we have left open the possibility of funding this in 2008, if it did not occur last year, or if they used another funding source.
   c. Pastor Larry has sent a letter to Thompson, advising them that CM at its May meeting agreed to help fund their contract with Pastor Bill Flath:  $2,400 from the Small and Struggling Appropriated Fund and $400 from the Pastor Bill Riekert bequest.  $1,200 is to be given to Advent on Oct.1, with the remainder on Nov. 15 – if an ongoing plan for sustainable ministry is received by Synod Office by Nov. 1. The congregation needs to agree to these terms of reference before Oct. 1
5. Suggest strategy for mission work in developing special interest, isolated, urban, rural, and town and country ministries;
   a. Brokenhead Internship – The payment schedule for the $2,000 allocated from the Appropriated Fund for Small and Struggling Congregations has been set – 10 equal payments ($200) starting the end of August 2008, and ending the end of May 2009.
   b. This disbursement was ratified by email in December but, due to my forgetfulness, not officially passed at the May meeting.  We can do this at the Nov. meeting.  We had agreed to 2 equal payments for Budget purposes, and this schedule satisfies that.
   c. Those planning for this internship were able to raise $14,200 through local congregations.  With $3,000 from the MNO Internship fund, $2,000 from LTS, and $2,000 from CM, they surpassed their budget by $122.  They also told us that if they don’t need all the funds, they’ll let us know.  A wonderful example of planning to be in Mission for Others!
6. Promote the work of Canadian Mission in the congregations and conferences of the Synod;
7. Promote the work of World Mission, and encourage support for World Mission in the congregations and conferences of the synod, through missionary conferences, visits by missionaries, and provision of resource materials;
   a. Mission in the World – ELCIC has just sent out a series of classic, updated, and new resource materials to all congregations, including new leaflets on the missionaries and VIMs.  If you haven’t seen it in your congregation, ask that it be used!  You can also see the information on the ELCIC website.
   b. One item in that mailing is that as a follow-up to the Mission Trip Leaders’ Training Seminar, the Canadian Churches’ Forum for Global Ministries has just released the new edition of “Sojourning: A Leader’s Guide for Short Term Mission Travel’. It is available from www.ccforum.ca. 
8. Assist this church in identifying, recruiting and selecting prospective missionaries for service;
9. Cooperate with other churches to provide Christian ministry at universities and colleges not related to this Church;
10. Provide direction, supervision, moral support, spiritual care and opportunity for service to the university and college chaplains of this synod;
11. Appoint local campus ministry representatives to promote Christian ministry to educational institutions where there is no other formal Lutheran ministry;
12. Promote the colleges and universities of this church and assist them in student recruitment;
13. Appoint advisory members, as well as representatives to task forces and subcommittees as necessary;
14. Make regular reports to Synod Council and to the Synod Convention;
15. Prepare budgets for presentation to Synod Council;
16. Ensure positions are filled on committee and work with Nomination Committee in cases of vacancy.