We are thankful for the prayerful support of people who share the LCEF mission of expanding and empowering ministry work. Gifts given directly to LCEF make it possible for us to keep the costs of our faith-based Lutheran financial services low and help LCMS organizations maximize their resources for ministry.
Use our secure online form to donate using a credit card or LCEF investment account. Mail checks to LCEF, Attn: Builders Circle, PO Box 229009, St. Louis, MO 63122-9009.
Investors can do even more to support ministry by donating the interest earned on their LCEF accounts back to LCEF or by listing LCEF as an investment beneficiary.
Individuals and organizations that make donations to LCEF become members of LCEF’s giving club, Builders’ Circle.
Builders’ Circle is focused on caring for and nurturing the relationship between LCEF and its supporters. The gifts received enable LCEF to help LCMS organizations and Rostered Church Workers share His message with more people, all working together in Christ’s name. As a member you will get to know the ways LCEF and its ministry partners touch lives and reach out to others with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Builders’ Circle Giving Levels
DIRECT GIVING: ALLELUIA GIVING GROUP The Alleluia Giving Group recognizes donors who make a direct gift during their life to LCEF.
DEFERRED GIVING: AMEN GIVING GROUP The Amen Giving Group recognizes donors who include a gift to LCEF by beneficiary designation or through their estate.
Yes. LCEF makes gifted funds available to ministry efforts in specific LCMS districts and around the world. You can direct your gift to a specific LCEF ministry that touches your heart.
Mission Planting Revolving Fund
This fund honors Merle Freitag, past president of LCEF, with the purpose of providing funds to mission plants in the United States. Merle recognized that many Covenant Congregations and mission plants were in need of operational resources to effectively launch the ministry. Loan requests are made by the Covenant Congregation on behalf of the new church plant. The maximum loan amount is $150,000, and has a three-year balloon at zero interest.
Arthur C. Haake World Ministry Fund
The goal of this fund is to provide for the short-term needs or start-up costs for new partner churches or ministries around the world. Loan requests for the fund come to LCEF through the LCMS Board of Mission Services. Loans made through this fund do carry the risk in lending money to entities in other countries. Rapid fluctuations in the value of foreign currencies could make it difficult for borrowers to repay their loans.
Laborers For Christ
Laborers For Christ is an organized group of dedicated Christian men and women who volunteer a portion of their retirement time to work for LCMS congregations, schools, and social ministry organizations that undertake the construction of their own buildings. A gift to this ministry helps this Christ-centered effort to continue building for our future.
Specific LCEF District
Often LCEF District Vice Presidents and their staff see needs close to home that could be met through an outreach grant, a fee waiver, or other ministry-oriented service. A gift to a specific district could assist a ministry at the grass-roots level: close to your home or in a district close to your heart.
General Ministry Services
LCEF offers programs meant to lift up congregations and assist them in defining their missions, conducting stewardship awareness, and recognizing the make-up of their mission field and community. By giving a gift to one of the service areas such as Demographics or Capital Funding Service (CFS), you help keep the costs low for congregations and essential services available.
Rostered Church Worker Loans
LCEF recognizes the vital ministry conducted by LCMS pastors, teachers, and other church workers. In order to help these servants of the Lord focus on their ministries, and at the request of the Synod, LCEF offers housing loans to Rostered Church Workers. Your gift to this fund keeps loan rates as low as possible for our dedicated pastors and teachers.
Architectural Advisory Committee
A Ministry Service offered exclusively through LCEF, the Architectural Advisory Committee is a group of professional Lutheran architects that volunteer their expertise to LCMS churches, schools, child-care centers, Religious Service Organizations, etc. with advice on site and facility planning, as well as design as an expression of God’s glory. Also available are liturgical artists that help congregations adorn worship sites with appropriate, significant pieces of art.
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As a consultant for Capital Funding Services (CFS), Randy enjoys assisting the Lord’s people in experiencing the joys of generosity. He is a firm believer in the Scriptural truth that “whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6). He says, “Stewardship is simply reflecting the image of our generous God, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing.” His leadership has encouraged his congregation to provide generous support for ministries locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
Randy has been a parish pastor for 35 years. For the past 28 years, he has been serving First Immanuel Lutheran Church, Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Leading a large congregation has enabled him to experience six capital campaigns, allowing him to provide great insights to pastors in capital campaigns and stewardship.
Randy has served Concordia University Wisconsin as an adjunct professor of theology for 26 years. In 2010, the university awarded him the honor of “Distinguished Alumnus.” He has also served 12 years on the South Wisconsin District Board of Directors, including six years as Board Chair and First Vice President of the district. He conducts seminars on generosity and provides encounters for parish pastors to discuss cultural issues and the church’s impact.
Randy resides in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, with his wife, Diana, who is the South Wisconsin District’s Lutheran Church Extension Fund’s District Vice President. They have two married daughters and three granddaughters. Randy’s mission statement is to serve God by serving others.