Service Project

This year the ELCA is celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of Women being ordained to serve in Ministries of Word and Sacrament.  We also realize there are many women in Central Florida who struggle with day to day safety, shelter, and self-reliance. 

Our synod service project this year is two-fold: 

• MONEY for the Seminary Scholarship Fund, which will be designated for the women seminarians.  We accept coinage (y’all have gotten the hang of the “noisy offerings!”), dollar bills, and checks made out to the Florida-Bahamas Synod/Seminarian Fund.
• ITEMS for Harbor House of Central Florida, a non-profit state-certified domestic violence shelter near Orlando.  Harbor House provides a 110-bed safe shelter for women, children, and men, a 24-hour confidential crisis hotline, counseling and legal advocacy for survivors of domestic abuse and their children, and more.  We encourage each congregation to gather items listed below (by conference). 

Partnership with Thrivent.  Congregations are encouraged to partner with Thrivent in putting together an Action Team for collecting items listed below.  By doing so, you receive $250.00 that can be used at your event – for food, publicity, or even purchasing addition items to supplement congregational donations.  Check with your local Thrivent people or contact Thrivent Community Engagement Leader Kathy Emanualson @ 727-733-3991 for assistance.

Be creative!  Be generous!  Be the blessing for this ministry that will change lives for women and children in need here in Central Florida!  Be a blessing to the women who are preparing to serve in ministries of Word and Sacrament.  Know you are going to make a huge difference in the lives of people who really need to see what the love of Jesus is all about.   Thank you in advance for your gifts!

To find out which items your conference is being asked to donate, click on your Conference below.  To find out what congregation your Conference is in, talk to your pastor or find the list here.

Download the list of items to collect and share it in your congregation: Service Project 2020

Find out more about Harbor House of Central Florida here.