| April 2007 Link Article |
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Endowment “Before you go to your heavenly home, help your church home also live forever.” Honoring the past and the future 100 years 1903 ~ 2003 This is the Ministry Moment presented by Dave Asher at the January 14th worship services. For the past year you have heard explanations on exactly what the endowment fund is, how to contribute to it, and what the income can be used for.The endowment is one of the principal financial cornerstones of this or any organization. It means long-term. It means looking down the road and saying “what if?”. It means having a vision, laying out a plan of action, and then implementing that plan. It means stability and growth.I grew up Presbyterian. We had a beautiful church in Germantown. It was, and still is, a massive stone structure. It has a beautiful sanctuary with high ceilings and many stained glass windows. In addition to all the necessary offices and classrooms, we had a large kitchen and auditorium for coffee hours and church dinners. We even had a huge gymnasium in the basement for the youth to play volleyball and basketball. There were two parking lots with ample space, and the organ was second only to the Wanamaker’s organ in Philadelphia.Although this church has a rich and storied history, the main reason all these things were possible was because of their endowment. They have...now pay close attention here…a $7,000,000 endowment! Yes, that’s a 7 with six zeros! You sure can do a lot with the income from $7,000,000. Ours, in case you were wondering, is about $110,000.This is the dream I have for Christ’s Lutheran Church. Not necessarily $7,000,000, although that would be nice, but an endowment that would provide for the needs of this church for many years to come.Truth be known, I am a “Bricks and Sticks” kind of guy. That means that I am very concerned with the physical nature of the church…from the outside gardens to the sanctuary, elevator, organ, and beyond. Now, don’t get me wrong, we need all the programs and committees doing what they do, but my interests lie elsewhere.My dream is to someday have another parking lot on the other side of the church….to someday have a peaceful memorial garden in the courtyard complete with water falls and benches….and, especially as I get older, seat cushions for the pews! These are just three of my dreams, and I’m sure you all have many of your own.The point is, we need a strong endowment to make all our dreams a reality. Janine and I have twice donated to the endowment fund. We believe in this church. We want our dreams to become reality. Do you? Since February 2007, members of our congregation have been receiving a new envelope included with your bi-monthly packet of church envelopes. The new envelope is labeled “Endowment Fund”. You are welcome to use this envelope at any time that you or your family desire to contribute to our church’s Endowment Fund. All gifts, however large or small, will add value to our Endowment Fund and provide income for the church’s use year after year. Consider joining others in our congregation who are contributing to this fund, whenever it is appropriate for you. Thank You!!
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