“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

John 15:1-5

National Lutheran Schools Week is a time to celebrate our Lutheran school teachers who share the love of Jesus with students at more than 1,800 preschool, elementary schools, and high schools of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Our teachers provide joy, blessings, and academic excellence with the children and families they serve. However, many of these professional teachers experience economic hardship through the burden of educational debt. More than 25% of LCMS church workers have student debt that averages $46,000.

At the 2023 LCMS convention, Resolution 12-03A was passed to acknowledge teacher debt and its significant negative impacts on wellbeing and the ability to deliver ministry. This Resolution created an annual special designated offering to support commissioned teacher student debt reduction, with the first to be taken during 2024’s National Lutheran Schools Week. The offering will be administered by MinistryFOCUS, a Recognized Service Organization (RSO) of the LCMS that makes grants to called workers of the LCMS to alleviate the encumbrance of educational debt. Since 2015, MinistryFOCUS has helped more than 250 called workers with challenging student debt.

Donations for this special Resolution will be accepted through the MinistryFOCUS website or by mail to MinistryFOCUS, c/o Ken Krueger, 631 Winterview Circle, Fenton, MO 63026.