“I’m not a fundraising kind of person.”

 

That seems an unusual self-description for someone serving as the Congregation Leader for her church’s Thrive! Campaign, yet Pam Bauser of Good Shepherd Lutheran, Kettering, maintains it is an apt depiction of her.

 

Pam saw presentations about Thrive! at the 2021 Southern Ohio Synod Assembly. Excited by what she saw, Pam encouraged her congregation to get involved. “I give from a faith perspective,” Pam explained. “So, I’ve been an advocate for many years about congregations giving to the synod in the same way they would like their members to give to their church. I feel that Thrive! is a way to get on track for giving from an attitude of abundance rather than scarcity.”

 

Pastor Jamie Vannoy and Good Shepherd’s church council agreed. They joined the “30 Congregation Challenge” put out at the Assembly, thereby helping the synod claim a $10,000 challenge gift. Pam, despite not being “a fundraising kind of person,” agreed to serve as the Congregation Leader. Their team took training in March and their campaign launched April 24th .

 

It will conclude on Pentecost Sunday when, as Pam put it, “they will help the congregation know their gifts are empowering ministry.”

 

What has it been like so far?

 

“One can take on something like this and it feels like a burden,” said Pam. “But Thrive! has been a blessing! Our team is great! We plan to work on the campaign for an hour and two hours later we’re still together because we’re having so much fun! Support from the synod has been excellent. I’ve grown spiritually and had deep personal connections with our team. I don’t feel fearful but rather just blessed to be part of this.”

 

“Learning I can help raise funds has been a deep dive for me,” Pam concluded. “But it’s a deep dive that’s bringing many blessings.”

 

To arrange your dive deep into the blessings of the Thrive! Campaign, please contact Pastor Larry Donner, Thrive! Campaign Manager. He will provide all you need to enter the campaign’s waters. Scuba diving equipment not required. 🤿