NOVEMBER 2014 You + LCEF = Empowered Ministries An investment for NEW Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) investors, ConnectPLUS gives you the opportunity to join the powerful partnership between individuals and The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod ministries that are ensuring more people hear the life-saving Gospel message. As an LCEF investor, you help make funds available for loans and support services that empower ministries and rostered church workers to carry out their call. ConnectPLUS* features:  Opportunity to empower ministries  3% fixed rate on the first $5,000; floating rate on balance over $5,000  $500 minimum to open  Two-year term  Additional investments of at least $25 allowed ConnectPLUS is available to individuals 18 and older who have not had an LCEF investment in the past 24 months. Offer subject to change. Join with the tens of thousands of LCEF investors helping LCMS Lutherans in their vital witness and mercy work among people around the world. Invest with ConnectPLUS today! Visit lcef.org or call 800-843-5233. LCEF is a nonprofit religious organization, therefore, LCEF investments are not FDIC-insured bank deposit accounts. This is not an offer to sell investments, nor a solicitation to buy. LCEF will offer and sell its securities only in states where authorized. The offer is made solely by LCEF’s Offering Circular. Investors should carefully read the Offering Circular, which more fully describes associated risks. ConnectPLUS is not available to investors living in Ohio. *For more information about eligibility and to get an application, call 800-843-5233 or visit lcef.org. Happy Birthday Special thanks to God this month for Don Reed November 21 Redeemer Lutheran Church, Las Vegas Prayers for Larry Sanders Promotions Coordinator as he continues fighting cancer. From Larry Dunkirk Region 3 larry@larriedee.com 1-877-777-8032 It is amazing how fast this year is going! The Advent season begins only three days after Thanksgiving. This is the time for Christians to ponder what a remarkable God we serve! All he has done and will continue to do is really nothing short of miraculous. Always be mindful that as a Church Representative you are the real lifeline of the LCEF organization and our hearts are every grateful for your service. Each month as this news comes to you and you share it with your congregation, it helps to strengthen our bond. The many financial vehicles presented through LCEF will cover just about every personal, church or ministry need. As always when questions arise that you may feel need attention from us, we are here to help. You can call me, Gary and Gail in the District Office, or the Call Center in St. Louis. You will find many contact numbers in this publication and we are always ready to help. Be thinking also about holding an LCEF Sunday informational talk. Short and sweet as your Pastor desires but very informative for all. My November is going to be very short this year as I am planning a trip back East but I have one open date in December (14) and also one in January (25). So, if you would like me to present some information to your congregation just contact me. Be sure to leave message if I am not available. May God richly bless you and yours, and sincere wishes for your Thanksgiving Holiday remembering always to Whom it is we give thanks. From Gene Grefe Region 4 ggasufan@cox.net 1-800-279-8930 code 1142 We just finished our second LCEF conference in Phoenix. Thank you to Pastor Schrank for his devotion on God’s promises. There are a lot of things happening within LCEF which were presented and discussed. The only negative is that you missed out on all this new information if you did not attend. My question … what was the major factor in your not being at either (Las Vegas or Phoenix) of the meetings? I would really like to know so that we can try to find solutions so that we have better attendance next year. Let us know your reason! You will be getting an email from Gail soon, asking for your comments. PLEASE REPLY, it will help us in the future. Y.I. Club Promotions…some great opportunities are out there or coming soon for Y.I. Club members, be sure check out page 4 of this newsletter for information on the Take Heart Scholarship and the Drawing & Essay Contest. I recommend that you recruit a young parent to help you promote Y.I. Club in your congregation. Don’t forget about having an LCEF Sunday. Need help or ideas, call me. Remember, there are no more rate bills. What do you do with the spot on your display board? An idea from one of Phoenix conference attendees … make copies of the rate sheet; tri-fold; and slip them in the holder on your board. Or, use the slot you used to put the rate sheet in for another brochure. Thanks for your service. Have a blessed Thanksgiving! We’ll be in PA this year with our grandkids and their parents! $ Bills have been discontinued. LCEF Ads How to use an Ad         Position mouse over the ad. Left click to highlight the ad. Right click Choose Copy Image Go to your bulletin document. Right click Choose Paste Resize as needed. LCEF Call Center 1-800-843-5233 7:00 am to 6:00 pm PSD Office toll-free number 855-856-5350 LCEF Videos If you would like to use a video in your congregation, share these links with your worship technician, or visit www.vimeo.com/lcef. All videos run approximately 30 seconds. November Bulletin Bits http://vimeo.com/102950400 for “ConnectPLUS” http://vimeo.com/95874973 for “LCEF By the Numbers” http://vimeo.com/91958029 for “Special Interest” http://vimeo.com/85470283 for “Spring into Savings” http://vimeo.com/70554230 for “Young Investors” http://vimeo.com/65252366 for “Future Friends” http://vimeo.com/64386473 for “Kingdom Work” http://vimeo.com/59604057 for “Young Investor” http://vimeo.com/46291866 for “Now It’s Your Turn” http://vimeo.com/48909134 for “Experience LCEF ” http://vimeo.com/57069732 for “A Place to Grow” The Secret is Out One of the best-kept secrets of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is that you can invest directly in ministry efforts in the United States and across the world. Because we seek to expand the opportunities to serve established and new ministries, Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) is offering an investment just for NEW partners.* ConnectPLUS features: Opportunity to empower ministries; 3% fixed rate on the first $5,000; floating rate on balance over $5,000; $500 minimum to open; Two-year term; Additional investments of at least $25 allowed. ConnectPLUS is available to individuals 18 and older who have not had an LCEF investment in the past 24 months. Offer subject to change. Join with the tens of thousands of LCEF investors helping LCMS Lutherans in their vital witness and mercy work among people around the world. Invest with ConnectPLUS today! Connect with ministries by visiting lcef.org or calling 800-843-5233. CONTACT US Gary Spencer Gail Kanneg District Vice-President 949-854-3232 Ext. 217 Toll-free 855-856-5350 gary.spencer@psd-lcms.org Administrative Assistant 949-854-3232 Ext. 205 Toll-free 855-856-5350 gail.kanneg@psd-lcms.org LCEF Mission Statement: To support the Church in fulfilling its mission of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ by being a Christ-centered servant partner of the LCMS, ensuring that funds and services are available now and in the future.. News Where saving money is fun… and helps others learn about Jesus. TAKE HEART SCHOLARSHIP: For Y.I. Club World Changers The Take Heart Scholarship was developed for you, our Y.I. Club World Changers, who are high school seniors and will soon be advancing to your next level of higher education. During these times of excitement, anxiousness, and uncertainty, "take heart!" As Christians we cannot anticipate that life will be perfect or familiar, but when we feel that the world has become difficult, take comfort in knowing that our God has overcome it all! As you begin your new journey, the Young Investors Club wants to assist your transition by offering financial support through the Take Heart Scholarship with up to three awards of $3,000, $1,000 and $500. To Enter 1. You must be an LCEF investor. If you are not and younger than 19, apply to be part of LCEF's Young Investors Club. If you are 19 or older, invest in LCEF's StewardAccount®. 2. You must be a high school graduating senior. Intend to be enrolled in or be accepted by a vocational/technical school, community college or four-year college/university as a full-time student. 3. Download and submit a completed application. Application, terms, and conditions can be found at lcef.org/scholarship 4. Submit an essay (up to 1,000 word) on a predetermined topic. All submissions must be fully completed and electronically submitted to LCEF by March 2, 2015. Questions: If you have any questions, please contact us at YIClub@lcef.org. DRAWING & ESSAY CONTEST: “Responding to His Love” Y.I. Club members in the Pacific Southwest District have the opportunity to participate in our first-ever Drawing & Essay Contest. Prizes will range from $25—$100 and will be given in five different age categories. Category #1: Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grade: $25 Prize Draw a picture of what your do because God loves you. Category #2: 3rd, 4th & 5th Grade: $50 Prize Draw a picture and write 5 sentences about what you do because God loves you. Category #3: 6th, 7th & 8th Grade: $75 Prize Write a 250 word essay about what you do because God loves you. Category #4: 9th & 10th Grade: $100 Prize Write a 500 word essay about what you do because God loves you. Category #5: 11th & 12th Grade: $100 Prize Write a 500 word essay about what you do because God loves you. Contest Launch: January 5, 2015. Submission Deadline: January 31, 2015. Open to Y.I. Club members who reside in the Pacific Southwest District . Full contest rules can be found on our Pacific Southwest District website at psd-lcms.org on the LCEF page. Not a Y.I. Club member? Open a Young Investors (Y.I.) StewardAccount® before the end of 2014 to be eligible for the contest. Go to lcef.org to complete the Fast Form or download the application. Investment Interest Rates—November 2014 LCEF is a nonprofit religious organization; therefore, LCEF investments are not FDIC-insured bank deposit accounts. This is not an offer to sell LCEF investments, nor a solicitation to buy. LCEF will offer and sell its securities only in states where authorized. The offer is made solely by LCEF’s Offering Circular. Investors should carefully read the Offering Circular, which more fully describes associated risks. LCEF StewardAccount access features provided through UMB Bank n.a. The Dedicated/Demand Certificates and StewardAccount are not available to investors in South Carolina. The Family Emergency StewardAccount is known as the Family StewardAccount in the State of Ohio. ConnectPLUS is not available to investors in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Neither LCEF nor its representatives give legal, accounting or tax advice. Consult your tax advisor as to the applicability of this information to your own situation. UMB Bank serves as a custodian of the LCEF IRA/HSA Programs. LCEF Mission Statement: To support the Church in fulfilling its mission of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ by being a Christ-centered servant partner of the LCMS, ensuring that funds and services are available now and in the future.. Learn more about LCEF products and services at lcef.org North Valley Christian Academy Anthem, Arizona Parents looking for Christian education for their children this Phoenix area prefer one inclusive campus that serves preschool through high school students, says Nate Kretzmann, executive director of an Arizona school planning to offer exactly that opportunity. “Those committed to a Christian education will drive 15 to 25 minutes, but they want to drive to one location and drop off all the kids,” said Kretzmann, explaining one reason North Valley Christian Academy (NVCA)—currently located in Anthem, 30 miles north of Phoenix—plans to expand in 2016 to include high school students. The expansion will make NVCA the first LCMS preschool-throughhigh school campus in Arizona and the entire LCMS Pacific Southwest District, Kretzmann said—an accomplishment enabled by “miracle after miracle of God’s provision, in His perfect timing.” Established in 2011 with the help of a Lutheran Church Extension Fund loan, NVCA is an independent, self-owned and operated Lutheran school affiliated with the LCMS. Unlike the traditional LCMS school, NVCA is not a ministry of a specific congregation. “We’re unique,” Kretzmann said. Another distinction: plans in the works to incorporate a schoolwide global leadership program, giving students opportunities to tackle projects with their peers at Christian schools around the world and opportunities for overseas travel. “Our world is smaller, our relationships span the globe, and we have [school] parents who travel overseas. We want kids to feel comfortable reaching out overseas to other cultures,” Kretzmann said. “We want to help them develop a mindset for world service and a greater understanding of the great diversity that is God’s creation.” NVCA is beginning its fourth year, serving more than 120 students. Less than five percent come from Lutheran families. School leaders are in negotiations to buy acreage to accommodate the new campus and have launched a fundraising campaign with assistance from LCEF’s Capital Funding Services. “LCEF has been a great partner,” said Kretzmann, who calls the line of credit provided by LCEF to the school–an LCMS recognized service organization (RSO)–crucial financial support during NVCA’s early stages. Along with onsite visits from LCEF district vice presidents and the National Lending Team, the school’s executive director appreciates “the phenomenal understanding” of the Rev. Dennis Goff, the Capital Funding Services consultant guiding the NVCA multimillion dollar capital stewardship campaign. “He really understands our culture and our school. He’s able to share our unique vision,” Kretzmann said of Goff. That vision includes ultimately serving as many as 800 students. The campus also is considering including a senior living facility that will offer intergenerational experiences and help strengthen the school’s financial sustainability. Another partnership possibility is to provide a home for a local church on the school campus. A goal is for the campus to be used seven days a week. “We have a great opportunity and an unwavering commitment to bring Christian education to a growing area that has no Christian school,” said Kretzmann, adding that he welcomes opportunities to share the NVCA story and is grateful for all prayers and support. The growing school “is about building the kingdom of Jesus,” Kretzmann said. “A bold vision requires bold faith and confidence in God’s provision.”
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