"Woyatan Lutheran is a very hopeful place and provides another opportunity for Christ to be present as cultures come together."
Pastor Bruce Thalacker -
South Canyon Lutheran, Rapid City
"Woyatan is a key Native American
mission in South Dakota. About 80% of those attending are Native
American. This ministry helps to develop local leadership in the Native
American community."
Pastor Larry Peterson -
Current Interim Pastor at Woyatan
Dear Partners in God’s Mission,
In 2003 a bold dream began to take shape right here in South Dakota. A group of clergy and lay leaders in the Bear Butte Conference envisioned a new kind of multi-cultural outreach ministry to the very diverse, mostly Native American community in southeast Rapid City - if only an adequate facility for such a ministry could be found. At the same time that this new ministry was being envisioned, another congregation, Atonement Lutheran was contemplating a move to a fast growing neighborhood north of their church – if only a buyer for the old building could be found.
An opportunity! On behalf of the new ministry, the South Dakota Synod purchased the Atonement property with a generous grant from the Mission Investment Fund and a $375,000 loan from the South Dakota Synod Endowment Fund. Thus emerged the new ministry we have all come to know and love as “Woyatan.” Today Woyatan serves a diverse and culturally rich group of about 120 people. It’s a Word and Sacrament ministry among some of the poorest people in our state.
Today you can help Woyatan take a huge step in its continued development. The $375,000 loan from the synod endowment fund is now down to $25,000. Through a generous encouragement gift from a good friend of our synod, Elaine Keenihan, we have an opportunity to eliminate that debt completely. Elaine, the former bookkeeper of our synod shared with me, “I wanted to see that debt paid in full before I retired. It didn’t happen quite that early, but it can happen now!”
To that end, Elaine has stepped forth with a generous $5000 gift that she hopes will become seed money that could encourage other generous people and congregations in South Dakota to complete what was started in 2003.
This letter is going to friends of Woyatan who have already generously supported that ministry, and to people of faith who by God’s grace know how important it is to support special ministries like this one in South Dakota. I hope that you will consider a gift toward the completion of this project. Consider a special offering, a Lenten appeal, a gift from an endowment fund from your congregation’s budget. By working together, we can get this done! Please send your gift to the South Dakota Synod and mark it “Woyatan debt.” Thank you in advance for your generosity.
Yours in Christ,
Bishop David ZellmerSouth Dakota Synod, ELCA
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