The Gift Fund provides direct gifts to mission congregations to be used in any manner the pastor/developer and congregational council deems appropriate.  Our goal is to raise $35,000 a year.  The Gift Fund is depleted each year and starts over.  In recent years more than $35,000 has been distributed to mission congregations at the Annual Convention Banquet.

Loan  Fund

The Loan Fund was started in 1925 and provides interest free loans to mission congregations and they can borrow up to $200,000 for up to 20 years for capital improvements or debt reduction.  Non-mission congregations, in special circumstances, can borrow up to $100,000 for up to 10 years.  Mission congregations have first priority on available funds.  The Loan Fund has assets of over $1.9 million with over $1 million on loan to congregations and is maintained by contributions from local units, special contributions and monies from the Committee of 100.

Committee of 100

The Committee of 100 was established in 1976 to encourage 100 men to give $100 each year to be used for the Loan Fund.  We now have over 700 individuals who give $100 or more each year to the fund.  Our new goal is to have 1,000 people to give $100 or more a year.  Lutheran men and other interested persons are invited to join this special group of committed people who have, over the past several years, increased the Loan Fund and New Mission Start Program in excess of  $65,000.

New Mission Start Program

The New Mission Start Program was established in 1995 to fund pastors/developers for new mission congregations.  Without this program the following three mission churches would still be on the drawing board: Lutheran Church by the Lake in    McCormick, Joy Lutheran Church in Moore, and Springs of Grace Lutheran in Boiling Springs.  We have given Gift Fund checks to Lord of Life Lutheran in Bluffton.  They were funded by the ELCA.  All qualifying mission churches are eligible to receive a $200,000 loan from the South Carolina Lutheran Men in Mission.

Honorary Life Memberships and Memorials

Honorary Life Memberships and Memorials provide a means for individuals and units to pay tribute to persons, living or    deceased, who have served Lutheran Men and the Church with distinction.  Memberships may be given with a minimum contribution of  $25.00 each.  Honorary Life members receive a lapel pin and certificate.  Persons memorialized are recognized with a certificate.  Proceeds from both go into the Gift Fund.

Special Gifts Fund

The Special Gifts Fund encourages Lutheran Men to remember the Loan Fund through insurance, bequests, wills and also cash gifts.  Another opportunity for giving is the establishment of a charitable trust, either as an individual or in a pooled trust.  Since promoting the Special Gifts Program, South Carolina Lutheran Men have more than $600,000 in insurance with the Loan Fund as beneficiary.

Major Events Held Each Year

During the year there are several major events held by South Carolina Lutheran Men in Mission.  The Annual Convention and        Banquet are held in February each year.  It is here that the business of the South Carolina Lutheran Men in Mission is conducted.  Delegates and other members of units hear reports and other business is brought to the floor for consideration and vote.  After the Communion Service, the banquet follows with the presentation of The Gift Fund checks to the mission churches.
The Annual Mission Breakfast is held at the Synod Assembly at 7:00 A.M. which includes a dynamic speaker. 
The Cliff Bourguignon Memorial Golf Tournament is held every year.  A banquet and awards program is held after the tournament.  Recipients of these monies are decided each year by the golf committee.  In 2000 the golf committee set up a scholarship fund at the Lutheran      Theological Southern Seminary for a deserving South Carolina student desiring to attend the seminary and become involved in full time church work of some sort.
South Carolina Lutheran Men in Mission has three awards programs.  The Outstanding Unit Award is  presented to those units that meet the goals outlined by the executive Committee.  The Lutheran Man and Young Lutheran Man of the Year Awards are presented annually by the conferences to deserving men.  The Lutheran Man Distinguished Service Award is presented annually at the convention banquet by the Executive Committee.  This prestigious award is presented to no more than two men each year who have served Lutheran Men, their church and the Synod as exemplary stewards at the local and synod level.
The communication of South Carolina Lutheran Men in Mission programs, activities and other information is done through the “EPISTLE”, which has six publications a year.
The backbone of  South Carolina Lutheran Men in Mission is the conferences’ congregational units.  They are the force behind the successful programs in the Synod.  Congregational units are the grass roots of  South Carolina Lutheran Men in Mission.  They provide the organizations, funds and participation on the conference and synod levels.  Their programs are wide and varied and include Bible study, guest speakers, Lutheran Men Sunday, service projects, etc.
Every dollar which is contributed to the Gift Fund, Loan Fund and New Mission Start Program is used solely for those purposes.  You can be assured that all monies donated to the South Carolina Lutheran Men in Mission will remain in the categories designated by you.  The only money that does not stay in South Carolina is the Fund for Lutheran Men in Mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.