The FAQ prepared by President Terry Cripe on Fan Into Flame:

Q: How much money are we trying to raise?

A: Our District goal is $4 million, spread over a 5-year period. Half of that is projected to come from our congregations and the other half from private donors. The congregational portion could be reached if our congregations pledged an amount equal to 2% of their offerings each year for the five-year period.

Q: What gets done with the monies raised in Fan into Flame?

A: All undesignated gifts to Fan Into Flame are divided this way: 15% of each gift returns to the congregation from which it came. Those monies are to be used for congregational mission work. Some have created new brochures, bought new tracts, or help fund a satellite mission congregation. Others have pooled their monies with other circuit congregations for a larger project.

Another 15% of undesignated gifts will go to the Ohio District's new mission fund for use to start 60 new missions in the District.

Still another 20% will go to national missions for grant distribution to new mission starts throughout the Synod.

The remaining 50% will go toward international work – funding new missionaries, building projects, set aside for unplanned opportunities that call for a quick response.

Q: What if our congregation doesn't want to participate?

A: Nothing happens. No one is compelled to participate in Fan Into Flame. But I would hope you would see this as an opportunity and not a burden. I would hope you would understand that much of our District's mission future will depend upon the response of our congregations and individual donors.

Q: I understand an outside group has developed and is managing this fund-raising campaign. How much do they get?

A: Community Counseling Service has been engaged to help with the project. For their work they receive 10% of all monies raised. The Synod used CCS for previous campaigns in years past - Forward in Remembrance and Alive in Christ. So in reality, the percentages described above - 15%, 15%, 20%, and 50% are figured from the remaining 90% of undesignated monies given.

Q: How about you – have you contributed to Fan Into Flame?

A: Yes! All of the Council of Presidents were invited to participate early on. Marlene and I are finishing our three-year pledge.

Q: What if I want to participate but my congregation doesn't want to or can't?

A: Personal Fan Into Flame pledge cards will be downloadable from this site. Just follow the instructions on the card!

Q: Isn't the timing pretty bad for this in Ohio?

A: One might think so. On the other hand, I note that despite the economic downturn, I see a lot of people still eating in restaurants, and I would guess that cable companies have not seen a boatload of customers canceling their services. What has happened is that people have taken some items from their “discretionary” income category and placed them in the “essentials” category. Christians should ask themselves into which category they have placed their financial support of their church. How does the One who became poor that we might become rich want us to view our offerings to Him – essential or optional?

Q: How about the rest of our Synod?

A: I found it both surprising and encouraging to learn that even though economic conditions began to head south in October, 2008, Fan Into Flame continued to receive sizable gifts – nearly $2 million since Fall '08.

The FAQ prepared by President Terry Cripe on Fan Into Flame:

Q: How much money are we trying to raise?

A: Our District goal is $4 million, spread over a 5-year period. Half of that is projected to come from our congregations and the other half from private donors. The congregational portion could be reached if our congregations pledged an amount equal to 2% of their offerings each year for the five-year period.

Q: What gets done with the monies raised in Fan into Flame?

A: All undesignated gifts to Fan Into Flame are divided this way: 15% of each gift returns to the congregation from which it came. Those monies are to be used for congregational mission work. Some have created new brochures, bought new tracts, or help fund a satellite mission congregation. Others have pooled their monies with other circuit congregations for a larger project.

Another 15% of undesignated gifts will go to the Ohio District's new mission fund for use to start 60 new missions in the District.

Still another 20% will go to national missions for grant distribution to new mission starts throughout the Synod.

The remaining 50% will go toward international work – funding new missionaries, building projects, set aside for unplanned opportunities that call for a quick response.

Q: What if our congregation doesn't want to participate?

A: Nothing happens. No one is compelled to participate in Fan Into Flame. But I would hope you would see this as an opportunity and not a burden. I would hope you would understand that much of our District's mission future will depend upon the response of our congregations and individual donors.

Q: I understand an outside group has developed and is managing this fund-raising campaign. How much do they get?

A: Community Counseling Service has been engaged to help with the project. For their work they receive 10% of all monies raised. The Synod used CCS for previous campaigns in years past - Forward in Remembrance and Alive in Christ. So in reality, the percentages described above - 15%, 15%, 20%, and 50% are figured from the remaining 90% of undesignated monies given.

Q: How about you – have you contributed to Fan Into Flame?

A: Yes! All of the Council of Presidents were invited to participate early on. Marlene and I are finishing our three-year pledge.

Q: What if I want to participate but my congregation doesn't want to or can't?

A: Personal Fan Into Flame pledge cards will be downloadable from this site. Just follow the instructions on the card!

Q: Isn't the timing pretty bad for this in Ohio?

A: One might think so. On the other hand, I note that despite the economic downturn, I see a lot of people still eating in restaurants, and I would guess that cable companies have not seen a boatload of customers canceling their services. What has happened is that people have taken some items from their “discretionary” income category and placed them in the “essentials” category. Christians should ask themselves into which category they have placed their financial support of their church. How does the One who became poor that we might become rich want us to view our offerings to Him – essential or optional?

Q: How about the rest of our Synod?

A: I found it both surprising and encouraging to learn that even though economic conditions began to head south in October, 2008, Fan Into Flame continued to receive sizable gifts – nearly $2 million since Fall '08.