Those Who Go Before Us

THOSE WHO GO BEFORE US

Foundation Administrator Charlee Turner

By Charlee Turner Foundation Administrator Charlee: charleet@vpc.chuirch

As my eyes graze across the congregation from my seat in the back of Landes during worship, I see the span of the generations represented in our church members. As my neighbor passes the offering plate to me, I feel their small young hands, barely able to hold the weight of the dish as I pass the plate to a set of hands weathered by a lifetime of work and adventure. Those over the age of 70 account for nearly 44% of VPC's population. Our seniors tend to be the core of volunteers for many of the events and mission causes on our campus. In their service and wisdom I see love, peace, joy, compassion, security, and support. Through those, I find Jesus.

My world has always revolved around seniors in some capacity. When I was younger, my father owned a small business in our hometown of Anderson, Indiana. His claim to success was that he surrounded himself with those older than him to learn from their successes and failures. They've been an important foundation throughout his life, and it's a sentiment I share, as well. As a teen and college student, I worked at an Assisted Living facility, and my first “real job” post-college was for the Mayor of the City of Anderson, Indiana, where I learned and was mentored by some amazing seniors.

And now, as the Administrator for the Valley Presbyterian Foundation, I'm able to work with some incredibly accomplished seniors. I'm lucky to have them in my life. And here's the thing — we're all lucky to have them. The hands and hard work of those who have known the world much longer than you and I are the foundation of our church and our world.

Many at VPC are surprised to learn our church has a Foundation – and not just the kind that our campus is built upon—an actual Foundation with its own Board of Trustees and strategic goals for our financial future. Surprise!

VPF has existed for over 40 years! It was established in 1976 by the hearts and minds of those who were inspired and touched by the work of God and Valley Presbyterian Church. They wanted it to be a place where their children, their children’s children, their neighbors, and those they would never know, could be inspired, too! I know I am inspired when the last living VPF Trustee, Don Swanson, is able to attend our events. Through his foresight and the foresight of others in 1976, we have made strides over the decades and continue to execute plans to continue to serve our congregation and community. So far this year, VPF distributed more than $275,000 in funds to directly support VPC's many ministries.

VPF Trustees, Pastor Joynt, and Kris Bahr during a Strategic Planning Meeting

At the end of every year, the Foundation gives an annual five percent distribution to Valley Presbyterian Church to cover operating costs as needed. For 2019 the portion allocated to the VPC Operating Budget was $134,000.

While we worship in Landes during the Sanctuary remodel, we learned that our A/C Units were in desperate need of repair to accommodate our congregation. We raised $70,000 toward those repairs as a part of the Annual Dinner's Fund the Need project.

Proceeds raised during the Annual Foundation Dinner not only covered the cost of our A/C Units in Landes, $45,000 was directed to our General Fund for use as VPC sees fit.

Annually, VPF awards scholarships to VPC students in college. This year, the Foundation awarded $11,300 in scholarships to six students.

As a mission partner with MentorKidsUSA, the Foundation awarded a $3,500 grant towards their student gardening program.

Approximately $10,000 has been distributed to VPC's Music Ministry to underwrite the costs of two concerts this year; the Spring concert, America, and the upcoming Music of Christmas concert on December 16.

In 2018 VPF provided $1,593,000 toward A The New Heart for the Valley Capital Campaign specifically towards the refurbishment of our Sanctuary’s organ and for the renovation of the Sanctuary Choir Room as well as for the HVAC system.

This is all possible because our Foundation members believe in our mission of VPC. They believe in you and me. They believe in the work God has laid on our hearts to give as they have given to us. Would we all aspire to this for our faith family.

So here is to our seniors! The current 103 members of Valley Presbyterian Foundation's Legacy Society and to those who remembered VPC past their lifetimes. Here is to your invitation to be a part of this giving group.

To nurture the spirit of God in our VPC students, the Foundation granted $5,474 towards student trips to Forest Home Summer Camp and the 2019 Middle and High School Mission Trips to New York and Tucson.

2019 VPF Scholarship Receipients

Tyler Beauchamp

Adam Gilbreath

Emily Martin

Jackson Martin

Karley Wilke-Nadler