Tom and Phyllis Schneider both grew up in Kansas; Tom in Wichita and Phyllis in Hoisington. Tom and Phyllis met on a blind date arranged by Tom’s seminary roommate who attended church with Phyllis’s parents. With parents who grew up during the Great Depression, responsibly investing their resources became a priority. Tom being a United Methodist Elder, investing with the Kansas Area United Methodist Foundation was not only close to home but also close to heart. Tom and Phyllis believed that establishing a Charitable Gift Annuity through the Foundation would be a reliable source of personal income in retirement, as well as a way to help the Foundation sustain the United Methodist witness. They chose Southwestern College as the beneficiary for their first Charitable Gift Annuity; the Alma Mater of both of their sons. Camp Lakeside became the beneficiary of a second Charitable Gift Annuity set up by the couple. Serving many years as camp counselors and eventually a member of the camp’s Board of Trustees, Tom and Phyllis continue to have a vested interest in the ministry that continues to bring camp attendees closer to God. During Tom’s tenure in ministry, together the Schneider’s served churches in Leon, Wichita, Johnson, Sublette, Goodland and Hesston. Tom also served as the District Superintendent for the Concordia District. Upon retirement in 2007, the couple moved to Asbury Park in Newton. Being a part of this dynamic retirement community has led Tom and Phyllis to set up a third Charitable Gift Annuity, this time benefiting the ministries of Asbury Park. The Schneider’s have devoted a lifetime to the ministries of the United Methodist Church. With the help of the Kansas Area United Methodist Foundation in establishing these three Charitable Gift Annuities, Tom and Phyllis’s legacy will live on!
