Ashley Prescott Barlow-Thompson and Adam Barlow-Thompson both serve in ministries in the Wichita area. They are one of hundreds of families who have benefited from partnering with the Kansas Methodist Foundation to plan their estate, provide for their family, and support the charitable causes they value most.
College Avenue United Methodist Church in Manhattan is one of many churches that partners with the Kansas Methodist Foundation to manage investments and ensure the church has a bright financial future. As a financial steward independent of church membership, KMF adds value as the church grows resources in a way that reflects United Methodist values.
United Methodist Open Door in Wichita shares how their partnership with the Kansas Methodist Foundation adds value as they fulfill their mission to provide for basic human needs, promote positive life changes, and restore hope and protect dignity. As a steward of their investments and a partner in inspiring people to give, UM Open Door and KMF are a winning combination in alignment with the United Methodist Book of Discipline.
Dan and Jenny Bennett of Wichita Chapel Hill United Methodist Church share how their partnership with the Kansas Methodist Foundation helped them create a plan for their future. Using the resource of our expert estate planner, John Griffin, the Bennett’s were well served both in their estate planning and in their ability to make a generous gift to organization’s they care about supporting in the future.
The Kansas Methodist Foundation is pleased to announce the creation of a new seminary scholarship fund, the Rev. Gary and Betty Beach Seminary Scholarship.
A family approached the KMF about naming a scholarship to honor the longtime United Methodist pastor and past Treasurer of the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church and his wife. Now funded, this scholarship will provide resources for seminarians who will be selected by the Pass the Torch scholarship committee.
Born in Paola, Kansas, Gary went to Wichita State University after high school, where he graduated with a degree in business and financial administration. While in college, he worked for the National Shirt Shop chain in Wichita, where he was promoted to assistant manager, studying during the time he didn’t have customers.
An offer came to make Beach a manager at the store, but he turned it down – he felt a calling to enter seminary.
After graduation from St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, he served churches in Pittsburg, St. Mary’s-Emmett-Belvue, Council Grove and Ottawa, all in Kansas. He became the Emporia-Manhattan district superintendent from 1995 to 2001 and was director of connectional ministries for the former Kansas East Conference from 2001 to 2010.
A vacancy in the treasurer/director of administrative services office of the conference led to his appointment in 2010. The Kansas West conference was added to his duties in 2011. He was then appointed to the same position in the Great Plains Conference as it was formed in 2014. He has 43 years in the ministry.
Beach and his wife, Betty, a retired educator, are longtime residents of Manhattan. He enjoys gardening and reading while he and Betty both love to travel and explore genealogy. Their daughter and son-in-law live in Wichita, and their son lives with them in Manhattan.
If you are interested in adding resources to this scholarship, then you can send checks to the Kansas Methodist Foundation, 100E. 1st Ave., Hutchinson, KS 67504 or give online here (note: scroll down to OTHER and insert “Rev. Gary and Betty Beach Seminary Scholarship”). If you have questions about other ways to give to this scholarship or related to other funding opportunities, please contact Tyler Curtis, Chief Development Officer, at tyler@kansasmethodistfoundation.org.
The Kansas Methodist Foundation is grateful to have the opportunity to announce the creation of the Naomi Green Scholarship. Created by Naomi’s parents, Oliver and Johne Green, along with her daughter Alora, this scholarship will provide resources for students to encourage recipients, especially single parents, to earn a post-secondary education credential from an accredited institution of higher education. A committee at Asbury Mt. Olive United Methodist Church in Topeka, KS, will solicit scholarship applications and select recipients.
Naomi Regina Green was born on August 12, 1982. Named after her paternal grandmother, the name “Naomi” means “Pleasant Queen.” Her determination and energetic spirit brought much joy to the Green Family. Naomi was a music and animal lover. She would hum the soundtrack of Jurassic Park and the theme from the movie Willow or sing “I’m walking on Sunshine” all the time. Hamsters, ferrets, baby rabbits, and a dog named Kingston were her pets.
Naomi attended MacEachron Elementary, French Middle School, and Topeka West High School. She was a good student and showed athletic ability in soccer, basketball, bowling, and softball. She settled on softball being a natural hitter and outfielder. Her love of live theatre led her to join the Topeka West Players. She was cast in several productions. Her signature role was Tituba in The Crucible by Arthur Miller.
An excellent student, Naomi continued her education majoring in English and Literature at Washburn University. She continued her writing as a columnist for the school newspaper, specializing in political commentary and drama critic. She also performed in plays at Washburn as a member of the Drama Group. Naomi financed her own education through scholarships and working part time at Gage Bowl.
The love of her life, Alora Patrice Johnson was born on October 11, 2003. Naomi took a leave from school to care for Alora and returned to school with renewed determination.
The presidential candidacy of President Barrack Obama awakened a political activism in Naomi. She founded the Washburn Students for Barack Obama. She was zealous in this endeavor, registering voters, networking with her fellow students, organizing meet-ups, attending rallies, caucusing, and distributing flyers. The work she did earned her a position as a member of the Kansas delegation, serving as a page at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. She also earned an internship in the office of Governor Kathleen Sebelius. Naomi was awarded a graduate teaching position and a fellowship in English at the University of Kansas.
Naomi was called home on December 1, 2023, at 8:20 am. Unfortunately, Naomi’s was born with a misaligned jawbone that had to be surgically corrected. During the procedure, she suffered an anaphylactic reaction and caused her to suffer a severe anoxic brain injury. She lived with the ensuing disability until her passing, which while sudden and unexpected did not include suffering.
Naomi was a life-long member of Asbury-Mt Olive United Methodist Church. She was spiritually sheltered by the faith community of Lowman and Highland Park United Methodist Churches in Topeka, and Englewood United Methodist Church in Denver Colorado. She was not left out of the community of Christ in her remaining years. She attended Beginning Anew services at Highland Park UMC and when that was not possible, she participated in worship by listening to worship services by DVD provided by Lowman UMC and received communion in person in and out of the hospital by Rev. Kathleen Whitmore, Rev. Harry Christian, and Rev. Ever Mudambanuki.
Naomi was survived by her daughter Alora Patrice Johnson, her sister Jamie Lorene Green, close family friend Jacqueline Hill Barton, Alora’s dad Bobby Johnson, her parents Oliver and Johne Green, cousins Loring and Jennifer Gordon, numerous aunts, an uncle, and more cousins and friends to cherish her memory.
If you are interested in adding resources to this scholarship, then you can send checks to the Kansas Methodist Foundation, 100E. 1st Ave., Hutchinson, KS 67504 or give online here (note: scroll down to OTHER and insert “Naomi Green Scholarship”). If you have questions about other ways to give to this scholarship or related to other funding opportunities, please contact Tyler Curtis, Chief Development Officer, at tyler@kansasmethodistfoundation.org
Andy and Jenny Hutchinson believe in tithing to their church and giving back to their community. With the help of the Kansas Methodist Foundation’s estate planning services, Andy and Jenny created an estate plan in which they can ensure their family will be provided for and their desire to give to their church and other causes important to them will be honored.
“There is a tremendous relief that if we were to pass on unexpectedly, either together or separately, there’s generally a clear plan on what needs to happen,” Andy said. “It makes it easier for our kids once we are gone. It’s one less thing they have to worry about.”
Mention the Stanton name among Kansas United Methodists and you are sure to make a connection. For decades, the Stanton family has faithfully served across Kansas.
Both native Kansans, Marshall and Janice are familiar with all regions of the state. Marshall was born in Satanta and raised in Plains while Janice was born in Topeka and raised in Wichita.
Marshall and Janice were children during the Great Depression. Marshall grew up on a farm and learned about farming and all the equipment required to carry out its operation. Above all, he learned about working from dawn to dusk.
While Janice didn’t grow up on a farm, she was no stranger to work. Coming from a family of modest means required her to work part-time in high school and to work all through college.
Significant life lessons stemmed from those days of hard work and little resources. They learned to both solve problems and to measure work not by the clock but by the task.
After high school, both Marshall and Janice pursued advanced education, which led to them meeting at Friends University. In 1956, the two married while Marshall was a senior and Janice was a junior. Both graduated from Friends with honors and then moved to Wilmore, Kentucky, where Marshall enrolled in Asbury Theological Seminary.
Following seminary and another degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1961, the Stanton’s moved back to Kansas, where Marshall started pastoral ministry by serving the Jewell/Randall parish in North Central Kansas. While at that appointment, Eric (1962) and Kirsten (1966) were born. Marshall also started his involvement with Conference-wide tasks, the first of which was organizing a study tour for adults to Washington, D.C. and New York City.
The Stanton family moved to Salina in 1966 to serve Trinity United Methodist Church, a church then only four years old. The congregation’s membership was dominated by young and middle-aged adults. Only two couples were of retirement age in 1966. Nathan was born in 1969, and the Stanton’s moved to a thousand-member church at Colby in 1971.
After seven years Marshall was appointed as District Superintendent of the Hutchinson District, during which time he started service on the Kansas Wesleyan Board of Trustees. During those years, Janice returned to teaching English at the junior high level.
In February 1984, Marshall was elected President of Kansas Wesleyan University where he served for 18 ½ years, setting a service record for presidents at KWU. Janice was active at the university as spouse of the president. She taught English at the high school level during Marshall’s tenure and then as an adjunct faculty member at KWU.
All three Stanton children earned college degrees, and Nathan gained two master’s degrees, one in Theology and one in Theater.
The great themes guiding Marshall and Janice’s life have been Christian commitment; stewardship of all of life, including time, talent and treasure; emotional stability during all circumstances; making things work, ranging from institutions and organizations to automobiles and model airplanes; and learning to be comfortable with difficult situations while working to improve them.
Above all, the Holy Spirit has guided the Stanton’s into greater service opportunities than they could have imagined, leading them through great difficulties while also providing endless joy and satisfaction. The Stanton’s have dedicated their lives to faith, family, and education. Their legacy and generosity amplify all three of those areas. Included in their estate plans, established through the estate planning process with KMF, are provisions for the Marshall & Janice Stanton Legacy Fund, which will support college and seminary scholarships. Truly, the life Marshall and Janice have lived and the plans they have made create a legacy of learning, teaching, and leading.
“For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Such is the journey of local church ministry. To remain impactful, the practices of ministry must adapt and respond.
The Endowment of Tonganoxie United Methodist Church was born by generous gifts from a few long-time church member families in the 1980s. While it served TUMC well for many years, a new season was upon the church to broaden the scope of the endowment and to invite new gifts.
In 2022, the Tonganoxie UMC began working with the Kansas Methodist Foundation to consider options of restructuring and rethinking its endowment program.
The entire new relationship began with the Kansas Methodist Foundation's investment services, providing competitive returns, minimum fees, and investments in alignment with the values of the Church. However, Tonganoxie UMC came to discover that KMF brought more value to the relationship than was expected. Mark Gepner, chair of the newly organized Permanent Endowment Committee, said, “We just never expected that relationship to include so much more than an investment partner.
KMF worked with the committee to broaden the vision for possible purposes of the endowment, confirm the commitment to hold to the intent of pastor donors, and create a process to engage congregation members to remember the church in their estate planning.
"KMF planted the seed that our Endowment doesn’t have to be what it always has been. This may seem like a small thing, but empowering the congregation to dream bigger was potent and contagious."
-Mark Gepner
In the fall of 2022, Rev. Dr. Dustin Petz joined in the series of sermons about stewardship Pastor Matthew Wilke was preaching in October. The coordination of preaching about how to make an impact in ministry through generosity was fitting as part of the series. The sermon spoke to the impact of giving for annual support, while also pointing to leaving a lasting legacy for the future of Tonganoxie UMC.
As part of that Legacy Sunday, Petz presented a training about the impact of our living giving, and the important of creating an estate plan, so that as disciples of Jesus we can steward well the resources entrusted to us by God.
It was an impactful year, laying the foundation for a vibrant future for the church. With vision, a trustworthy process, and making a heart-felt ask, we can make a lasting impact on the Church, as we live out our discipleship in the community.
If it is a new season with your church, consider connecting with the KMF staff to learn how you can prepare for a bright future tied to the mission of your church.
"The biggest impact of this process was the unity it created in our Church around a vision for future growth and giving."
- Pastor Matthew Wilke