“So, we have this endowment, but we aren’t getting any new gifts.”

Sound familiar?

Churches have created foundations and endowment funds for a variety of reasons, perhaps most commonly because some – or one – large donor leaves the church considerable resources either to start an endowment or church members decided that the best way to utilize the large gift was to endow it and use only a portion of the fund annually.

In either case, creators were intentional about stewardship. No doubt, more gifts were anticipated – perhaps even expected.

But what do you do if those gifts don’t materialize?

You do what every other nonprofit organization does to secure resources: you ask.

But more often than not, church members need help promoting the opportunity and making the ask.

Susanna Wesley UMC in Topeka, KS, has been partnering with the Kansas Methodist Foundation to manage their endowment. “Our Endowment Committee members are not alone in charting their funding strategies,” says Norm Klocke, chair of SWUMC’s endowment committee.

KMF not only manages the church’s endowed resources but is also assisting them with creating ways for members to give to the endowment.

How?

The church has actively promoted KMF’s Putting Your House in Order program. Several church members have participated in online Zoom cohorts and in the on-demand option.

As those members plan their estates and consider their legacies, they are invited to make Susanna Wesley UMC a recipient of their generosity.

“KMF’s staff provide a foundation of expertise to help us move ahead with inviting members to consider financial support and legacy giving,” Klick explains.

KMF has also shared messages at worship services and offered an annual calendar of stewardship communications and sermons. The church takes advantage of webinars, too.

 “Congregation members can access various education modules on the KFM website. In addition, KMF provides staff persons for presentations in member group settings and during worship.”

Together, KMF and SWUMC are building opportunities for donors to make gifts to the church and its endowment. KMF can help your church do the same.

“Build it, and they will come” … we trust God’s provision — but growth still calls for faithful action.

At Susanna Wesley United Methodist Church in Topeka, leaders realized that simply having an endowment wasn’t enough to inspire new gifts. Like many churches, they had faithfully stewarded what was given — but growth required something more intentional.

That’s where Kansas Methodist Foundation stepped in. KMF not only manages the church’s endowed resources but is assisting them with creating ways for members to contribute to the endowment.

“God, if you’ll answer this one prayer – to be blessed with a child – then I will raise that child in the church to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.” Such was the prayer of Marilyn Martin, Phil Martin’s mother. Her prayer was obviously answered – three times, actually. God did God’s part, and she did her part. Marilyn and Gene, Phil’s dad, raised Phil – and later his brother Doug and sister Marita - in the church: Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, Wednesday evenings. Services. Sunday School. Vacation Bible School. Choirs. Phil was definitely “churched” while growing up.

It's no surprise that Phil ended up raising his own family in the church and is still an active leader at Clay Center United Methodist Church. Committees, choirs, assisting with worship – when it comes to serving the church, Phil does his part and then some.

Phil’s parents not only taught him to share his time and talent with the church but also to support the church financially and generously. They understood what Jesus said about money: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21).

The Martins understood your heart follows your money. If you want your heart to follow God, then your money has to go where God wants it to go.

Phil’s family has farmed in the Clay County area for several generations. Farming is a boom or bust industry, but Phil has managed to come out ahead most years and survive the ups and downs of the family business.

Having a heart for God and the church, Phil wants to do his part to support the church both during and after life.

Enter Mark Queen, a financial advisor, Certified Lay Servant, and Kansas Methodist Foundation trustee. Mark shared how Phil could leverage assets like depreciated farm equipment to both create a revenue stream and leave a legacy.

The tool – a Charitable Remainder Unitrust (commonly referred to as a “CRT”) – was created and initially funded with a combine. Phil can add other assets to the trust going forward.

At death, Phil’s CRT will support Clay Center UMC and the Jeanne Martin Memorial Scholarship, a scholarship fund Phil and the family established in memory of Phil’s wife, Jeanne, who did more than her part during life and served in many roles: daughter, wife, mother, teacher, and coach.

Phil is humble about his gift and his impact. “I’m not making a transformational gift. I’m just doing my part. We all need to do our part.” Indeed. Each of us need to do our part. What’s yours?