The Here We Stand campaign began in 2015 with a lofty goal of $10 million to fund Michigan District ministry. On April 4, 2022 the campaign reached its goal—and it is still growing.
Ray Zavada, Assistant to the President – Development, is the driving force behind the campaign, but he humbly chooses to highlight all the additional people who made it happen—the 2015 Convention delegates who voted in favor of starting a new campaign, the Steering Committee members who put their heads together and helped shape the campaign and its goals, the thousands of donors who contributed (and are still contributing), and the Church Extension Fund, our dependable ministry partner.
The four initiatives of Here We Stand are: Professional Church Worker Scholarships, Innovative Missional Ministries, Endowment Fund, and International Ministries. One of the great things about this campaign is the fact that you can choose where you want your money to go. Zavada says that “having that ability to determine where you want your dollars to go is important to donors. They could support one, two, three, or all four of the initiatives as they chose. And I promise you, as they indicated how they wanted their dollars to be given and then eventually spent, it was done that way.”
Zavada says that support for Professional Church Workers “has always been a priority for those in our district but, as it turned out, the second category—Innovative Missional Ministry—ended up being the area that our membership and our congregations gravitated towards.” The Endowment fund makes sure fundings are always available for future ministry, and the donors’ response to that initiative was about what the committee had expected. But what really surprised everyone was the International Ministries Initiative, which got a tremendous level of support. Reflecting on the success of all four initiatives, Zavada concludes: “All of those things came together because people put their heads together and prayed and asked, ‘What is going to make an impact for future ministry here and beyond the Michigan District?’”
Four and a half million dollars has already been raised for Innovative Missional Ministries. Those dollars serve to fund initiatives under Acts 2 Enterprise or A2E—an urban ministry initiative umbrella serving Detroit, Flint, Pontiac, Benton Harbor, and Grand Rapids. The A2E ministries have already received some funds from the campaign, and there is money allocated for the next 5-8 years to provide for ministry in those urban areas. Regarding the work carried out by pastors Christopher Bodley (Detroit), Christian Jones (Flint), Chris Jung (Pontiac) and others, Zavada says, “We call the category Innovative Missional Ministry, but they take it to the next level and implement those within their communities. So whatever they need financial support for, we're here to try to provide so they can carry out their vision for their ministries.”
The generosity of Michigan district donors has been outstanding. Zavada said that at one point during the pandemic he was really worried, wondering if and how congregations and individuals would be able to respond and continue to fund the campaign at a level that would take it to the goal and hopefully exceed it. He concludes: “But they did. The donors of the Michigan District are generous, generous people. They respond when there's a need to respond and they respond at high levels.”
Michigan District President, Rev. Dr. David P. E. Maier adds, “When you start and you realize that this campaign is coming on the heels of a previous campaign, you wonder how successful it’s going to be… and then Covid hits! That did lengthen the campaign a bit, but Ray Zavada is a gem. He loves the Lord, and I know he and Cindy have prayed for this campaign, but to see some of the larger gifts come in that enabled us to get past the $10 million dollar mark is amazing. And the fact that the Church Extension Fund is a part of that—every million dollar we collect, they give us $100,000—what a generous, God-blessed ministry they are.”
The support from Church Extension Fund (CEF) was trifold. Not only did it provide the 10% match in donations, but it also gave the District a grant of $350,000 to cover campaign expenses so that every dollar donated would go towards its intended goal. Additionally, CEF covered all expenses of the 2017 celebratory worship service held at the Breslin Center in Lansing to mark the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation—a memorable event that had over 13,000 people in attendance.
During the upcoming Michigan District Convention, Zavada will give a final report on the campaign, in what he calls a “soft closing”—the real closing will happen when people no longer donate. So the campaign continues, and you may still contribute. To donate online, go to michigandistrict.org/herewestand. And if this is not your way of gifting, feel free to do it the old-fashioned way: write a check, put it in an envelope and send to Michigan District, LCMS; 3773 Geddes Rd.; Ann Arbor MI 48105.
President Maier concludes, “With the congregations that were involved* and the individual donors who were excited about the various goals, to cross the finish line of $10 million and to still reach for more is a tremendous blessing of the Lord, and I think it’s a benediction upon the ministries that the Michigan District is conducting. We did not seek God’s blessing upon what we were doing—we wanted to seek God first and do what He wanted to bless. And I really believe that is what has been taking place here. May God be praised for His goodness and generosity through His people.”
Photo by Elisa Schulz/Michigan District, LCMS
*LIST OF PARTICIPATING CONGREGATIONS AS OF MAY 10, 2022:
Addison, Lutheran Church of the Lakes
Adrian, St. John
Alpena, Immanuel
Ann Arbor, Peace
Ann Arbor, St. Luke
Ann Arbor, St. Paul
Au Gres, St. John
Bad Axe, Our Savior
Baldwin, Grace
Battle Creek, St. Mark
Battle Creek, Redemption
Bay City, Faith
Bay City, Immanuel
Bay City, Zion
Belding, Holy Cross
Belleville, Open Arms
Birch Run, St. Martin
Birmingham, Lutheran Church of the Redeemer
Birmingham, Our Shepherd
Bloomfield Hills, Cross of Christ
Boyne City, Christ
Brighton, Shepherd of the Lakes
Britton, Emmanuel
Brooklyn, St. Mark
Bruce Twp. (Romeo), Grace Lutheran Fellowship
Buchanan, St. Paul
Buchanan, Trinity
Burton, Pilgrim
Cadillac, Emmanuel
Caledonia, St. Paul
Canton, Grace
Carson City, Calvary
Cass City, Good Shepherd
Centreville, St. Paul
Charlotte, First
Cheboygan, St. John
Chelsea, Our Savior
Clare, Prince of Peace
Clinton Twp., Trinity
Clio, Messiah
Colon, St. Paul
Conklin, Trinity
Coopersville, Grace
Davison, Trinity
Dearborn, Atonement
Dearborn, Guardian
Detroit, Historic Trinity
East Lansing, Ascension
Eastpointe, St. Peter
Eastpointe, St. Thomas
Engadine, Bethlehem
Fenton, Trinity
Flat Rock, Community
Flint, Calvary
Flint, Lamb of God
Flint, Our Savior
Flint, St. Mark
Frankenmuth, St. Lorenz
Fremont, Redeemer
Gaylord, Trinity
Germfask, Grace
Glen Arbor, Bethlehem
Glennie, Our Savior
Grand Blanc, Faith
Grand Haven, St. John
Grand Rapids, Immanuel
Grand Rapids, Our Savior
Grand Rapids, St. James
Grand Rapids, St. Matthew
Grayling, Mount Hope
Greenville, Mount Calvary
Hamburg, St. Paul
Harrison, St. Luke
Haslett, St. Luke
Hawks, Faith
Hemlock, St. Peter
Hemlock, Zion
Highland, Faith
Hillman, St. John
Hillsdale, St. Paul
Holland, Christ Our Savior
Holland, Zion
Houghton Lake, St. John
Howell, Heart of the Shepherd
Hudsonville, New Hope
Huntington Woods, Huntington Woods
Interlochen, Redeemer
Jackson, Trinity
Jenison, Holy Cross
Jenison, St. John
Kalamazoo, Immanuel
Kalamazoo, Zion
Kentwood, St. Mark
Lansing, Good Shepherd
Lansing, Our Savior
Lansing, Trinity
Lapeer, St. Paul
Leland, Immanuel
Lewiston, Bethlehem
Lincoln Park, Calvary
Linden, Hope
Livonia, Christ Our Savior
Ludington, St. John
Macomb, Immanuel
Macomb, St. Peter
Mancelona, St. Matthew
Marysville, Light of Christ
Mesick, Faith
Midland, Our Savior
Midland, St. John’s
Milan, St. Paul
Milford, Christ
Millington, St. Paul
Minden City, Trinity
Monroe, Grace
Monroe, Trinity
Mt. Pleasant, Zion
Munger, Trinity-St. James
Muskegon, Trinity
New Baltimore, Christ
New Boston, St. Paul
Newberry, Trinity
Newport, Christ Our Shepherd
Northville, St. Paul
Nunica, St. Luke
Onaway, Holy Cross
Oscoda, Trinity
Otisville, St. Timothy
Oxford, Journey
Petoskey, Zion
Pinckney, Trinity
Pinconning, St. John
Pontiac, St. Paul Community
Port Hope, St. John
Port Huron, Trinity
Portage, St. Michael
Portland, St. Andrew
Redford, Hosanna-Tabor
Reed City, Trinity
Richmond, St. Peter
Richville, St. Michael
Rochester, Living Word
Rochester, St. John
Rochester Hills, Crown of Life
Rochester Hills, Gethsemane
Rockford, St. Peter
Rogers City, Peace
Roseville, Bethlehem
Saginaw, Bethlehem
Saginaw, Good Shepherd
Saginaw, Holy Cross
Saginaw, Immanuel of Frankentrost
Saginaw, St. Mark
Saint Johns, St. John
Saline, Christ Our King
Scottville, Our Savior
Sebewaing, Immanuel
Shelby Township, Peace
South Lyon, Cross of Christ
Southgate, Christ the King
St. Helen, Hope
St. Ignace, Hope
St. Joseph, Trinity
Stevensville, Christ
Sturgis, Trinity
Taylor, St. John
Three Rivers, St. Peter’s
Traverse City, Trinity
Trenton, St. Paul
Troy, Faith
Utica, Trinity
Walled Lake, St. Matthew
Warren, Hope
Waterford, Peace
Wayne, St. Michael
Wellston, Beautiful Savior
West Bloomfield, St. Mark
West Branch, St. John
Westland, St. Matthew
Whitehall, Faith
Wyandotte, Trinity