EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA (ELCA)
GLC provides prayer support and financial support to the worldwide ministries of the ELCA and the Southeastern Iowa Synod. Gilbert Lutheran Church is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Pastor Elizabeth A. Eaton serves as the presiding bishop of the ELCA whose headquarters is in Chicago. For more information about the ELCA and links to other Churchwide ministries, please go to www.elca.org. The ELCA is divided into nine regions and 65 synods. GLC is a congregation of the Southeastern Iowa Synod (region five) of the ELCA. Bishop Michael Burk serves as the bishop for our synod whose headquarters is located in Iowa City. For more information about the Southeastern Iowa Synod, please go to www.seiasynod.org.
BACKPACK BUDDIES
The Friends of Gilbert have made a base at the church for their Backpack Buddies program, which provides food to children from families suffering from food insecurity. Over weekends and holidays, when they might otherwise have to be concerned where their next meal is coming from, these families are provided with good, nourishing food from our community.
LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF
Our congregation continues to very generously support Lutheran World Relief (LWR) in it’s mission to end poverty, injustice, and human suffering. We ship items in April and October through coordination with the SE Iowa Synod Women’s Organization.
Our gifts in 2020 consisted of 152 quilts, 195 personal care kids, 498 school kits, and 7 fabric kits. We could not do this without our generous GLC family! We can be assured that our gifts 
are making a difference in the lives of those who so desperately need these items. Members are most definitely answering our dismissal words to “Serve the Lord.” Thanks be to God for each and every one of you and this ministry as we partner with and support the work of LWR.
MISSIONARY SPONSORSHIP
GLC also provides prayer support and financial support to missionaries. Financial support is sent to the Synod quarterly to be dispersed to the missionaries in need.
TREE OF HOPE
Darsi Christian coordinates GLC’s Tree of Hope Ministry. The Tree of Hope serves those children at Lutheran Services of Iowa located in Ames. In 2020 the congregation purchased gifts for 27 children.
BETHANY LIFE COMMUNITIES
We are one of twenty-four congregations that own Bethany Life Communities, which consist of a nursing home (Bethany Manor), skilled transitional care in the Lifebridge Unit, and independent and assisted living units (Timberland Village). Al and Connie Bergman are our ambassadors to Bethany Life Communities. Over the years, several of our members have benefited from the services of the Bethany Life Community. We provide prayer support, financial support, and pushing wheel chairs so those in Bethany Manor can get to Sunday morning worship.
GOOD NEIGHBOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
In cooperation with several churches in Ames, we provide financial support to those in need. Good Neighbor provides the coordination of resources for all who are in need.
LOAVES AND FISHES FOOD PANTRY
GLC is in partnership with several congregations in the Story City area providing food to those in need. We collect food items continually. Pam Abarr and Teri Gallahan are our representatives on the coordinating committee. Loaves and Fishes is located in Story City.
COMMUNITY AND WORLD OUTREACH
Each month GLC identifies one ministry which its supports with its prayers and financial support. Each Sunday up to $50 of loose change will go towards that ministry. In addition to those listed above we have provided funding to: Lutheran Disaster Response, ELCA World Hunger, Global Health Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, Friendship Ark, Beloit Lutheran Children’s Home, Lutheran Campus Ministries, NAMI of Central Iowa, Mosaic, Krysillis, Inc., ACCESS, and Emergency Residence Project.
LUTHERAN SERVICES IN IOWA
GLC provides prayer support, financial support, and in-kind support for this statewide agency of the three Iowa synods of the ELCA. We also collect caps and mittens and other items for the children each year.
RIVERSIDE LUTHERAN BIBLE CAMP
We are part of the RLBC association. Riverside provides summer counselors who help us in our annual Vacation Bible School. We also support them with our prayers and financial support. GLC also provides financial camperships to everyone from GLC attending summer camping. Riverside Lutheran Bible Camp is located just a couple of miles north of Story City.