eastern north dakota synod endowment funds

The Vital Leaders Endowment Fund was established in 2000 to help sustain rural ministry and enhance the quality of leadership for our pastors and deacons in the EaND Synod.  After receiving a lead gift of $600,000 several other significant gifts of $5,000 to $100,000 helped launch the effort.  Currently, the EaND Synod Vital Leaders Endowment Fund carries a balance of approximately $4,200,000.  These funds have served the rostered leaders of the synod well.  Over the course of the past twenty-three years, roughly $2,385,000 has been given in support of rostered ministry in our synod.   


The forward-thinking vision of leaders across the synod helped bring this Fund to reality twenty-three years ago.  The Vital Leaders Endowment Fund continues to serve its purpose: sustaining rural ministry and enhancing the quality of leadership for our pastors and deacons across the EaND Synod.  


As the Eastern North Dakota Synod, we celebrate the success of this initial endowment and the ministry it has strengthened. We strive to continue this legacy of forward-thinking vision for the sake of the flourishing of the Gospel today and well into the future. Toward this end, five additional endowment funds have been created for the sake of mission and ministry across the synod. We hope you will join us in supporting these funds as we support ministry today and for generations to come.  

Endowment funds

Learn more about each of the synod's endowment funds below!

  • The purpose of the Vital Leaders Endowment Fund is to sustain rural ministry and to enhance the quality of leadership for our pastors and deacons. The fund supports rostered ministry in five areas: 

    • Scholarship Aid for Seminarians
    • Student Loan Repayment Aid
    • Pension Equity Grants
    • Support for Rural Internships
    • Leadership Development

  • Ministry among our Native siblings is a vital part of our mission and witness of the Gospel in the synod. The Native American Ministry Endowment will ensure sustained, robust synod funding for existing Native American Ministries in the synod and will provide support for emerging ministries in the future. 


    The Eastern North Dakota Synod currently partners with two Native ministries: Dacotah Oyate Lutheran Church on the Spirit Lake Nation and The Way in Fargo. 

  • In the book of Acts Jesus charges his disciples: "And you shall be my witnesses." It continues to be our charge to attend to where new opportunities and needs arise for our ELCA witness to the gospel in the Eastern North Dakota Synod. Initial gifts to this fund were received from congregations who celebrated holy closure. Their legacy will provide new life and ministry in another place. Disbursements from the Resurrection Fund will support new and renewing ministry initiatives across the Eastern North Dakota Synod. 

  • In our ever-changing world, it is critical the congregations of the Eastern North Dakota Synod are challenged to think creatively about how to share God's grace in the 21st century. The synod exists to strengthen partnerships, recruit and develop leaders, and equip congregations to do God's work in the midst of a changing church and society. The Holy Innovations Fund will encourage ministry vitality and inspire congregations and ministries to think boldly and innovatively to think about being the church in the world today. 

  • In the structure of the ELCA, there is a particular ministry that the synod is called to steward, including candidacy, mobility and transition, new ministry, and ecumenical relationships. It is the responsibility of the synod council, bishop, and synod staff to ensure this ministry is carried out faithfully. The Synod Life and Ministry Endowment will provide sustained funding for the ministry of the synod. The growth of this fund will support the ministry of the Office of the Bishop, freeing resources to support mission and ministry across the synod.