Phone: (253) 535-8300

Church in Society Board

Mission Statement:

To help the church understand and respond to human need, societal need, and environmental need by working through the Hunger program, Earthkeepers program, affiliated Social Ministry programs, Church Advocacy work with State and Private sector institutions, regional Campus Ministry, and by encouraging development and implementation of ELCA social statements.

Who we serve:

Through the various ministries of the SW WA churches of the ELCA, the Church in Society Board seeks to serve all people in need.

Responsibilities:

The Church in Society Board is responsible for receiving information/reports and funding requests from numerous programs and ministries of Region One, and in particular the work of Campus Ministry, Lutheran Public Policy Office, Lutheran Community Services, and Washington Association of Churches. Church in Society serves as liaison between these ministries and the SW WA Council.

Most of the money available through the synodical budget for the Church in Society Board is pre-set for established ministries. A small portion (less than $2000) is available annually for use in supporting other requests for funding projects. (See the SW WA Annual Budget Report)

Annual Goals:

  • Give away all available monies to worthy ministries and projects of the SW WA.

  • Encourage the creativity of SW WA churches to fund and serve human, societal and environmental need.

  • Encourage conversation about and implementation of ELCA Social statements as they apply to situations in the churches of the SW WA.

  • Work with the Northwest Washington and Eastern Washington/Idaho Synods' Church in Society Boards on matters of common interest.

How others might join in and serve:

The Church in Society Board has a minimum but no maximum number as it relates to membership, though participants must be elected by the Synod Council from synodical membership (for three year terms). Any interested member of a SW WA congregation is encouraged to get in touch with the Church in Society Chairperson or the SW WA office. As the Board functions more as a clearing-house than a hands-on committee, interested persons are also encouraged to consider participation directly through the related committees of hunger, earthkeepers, social ministry and the like.

The Church in Society Board offers support to the following: