Synod treasurers, administrators and bookkeepers:

This information is for you to use in fulfilling each synod’s responsibilities for financial reporting to the ELCA Churchwide Organization and remittance of funds for the ministries we share together across our church.

Each synod has responsibility for four primary financial communications with the ELCA Churchwide Organization:

• Mission Support Intents. At least once each year, synods must submit a Mission Support Intent Form to the churchwide Mission Support Team. This submission is now completed via the Synod Financial Portal using the Annual Mission Support Intent Form.
• Annual operating budgets and year-end results. Synods are required to submit their annual operating budgets, year-end results to the ELCA Office of the Treasurer via the Synod Financial Portal - Audited Financial Statements, using the provided submission instructions. The Synodical Budget/Actual Form ensures consistent reporting so revenue and expense trends can be accurately compared and analyzed across synods.
• Audited financial statements. Synods are required to provide the Office of the Treasurer with their audited financial statements on an annual basis. Please submit your annual operating budget and year-end results to the Office of the Treasurer via the Synod Financial Portal, following the instructions for submitting the Annual Operating Budget, Year-End Results, and Audited Financial Statements.
• Synod Monthly Remittances. The following resources have been developed to help synods make monthly remittances to the churchwide organization:
  • Synod Remittance Advice System (SRAS)
  • Synod Remittance Advice Manual
  • ACH Withdrawal Form

For those Synods that are utilizing checks instead of ACH, please mail Synod Remittance payments to the below lockbox:

ELCA Synod Remittance
P.O. BOX 71256
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60694-1256

Applications and Tools:

Synod Gift Export Tools for the Synod Remittance Advice System

The following Microsoft Windows-based programs may be used to extract gift data from your synod's accounting software needed for import into the Synod Remittance Advice System:

• ACS Technologies Software - Synods Gift Export Tool for ACS Version 11.x. These custom utilities easily extract data from ACS to an electronic Excel file that meets ELCA's electronic Synod Remittance Advice System (SRAS) specifications.

Resources are provided in response to frequently asked questions about best practices. If you have suggestions for additional resources related to financial best practices for synods, please email your questions here.

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