In the months since the coronavirus pandemic began imposing restrictions on churches, affecting everything from how they conduct worship services to how they meet their financial obligations, the Virginia Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has offered special pandemic-related assistance.
The Synod, which has offices in Norfolk and Salem, and which represents some 145 ELCA congregations, has been producing congregational resources ranging from tutorials on conducting virtual worship services to grants enabling ministry programs to continue.
In late May, the Synod announced its Daily Bread Matching Grant challenge, through which it would offer a $250 grant to 20 ELCA congregations for support of local feeding ministries. Congregations that wished to participate would have to submit an online application, stating how they would use the money. Then, if selected by the Synod, congregations would have about a month to raise their own $250.
Living Water Lutheran Church in Kilmarnock, a congregation with about 35 active members, decided to apply for the challenge grant in order to…
