Endowment
Expressions Fall 2018
Shaping A Family’s Future Mick and Sarah McClelland
“Our Father, who art in heaven…” begins the familiar Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught us to pray. Perhaps living a life of a faith-filled disciple as a dedicated dad may be the highest form of this prayer, which is part of Mick’s legacy. “I had three great male role models in my life two grandfathers and my own father. It was a privilege watching and learning from them as I grew up.” This influence would help shape the McClelland family future. After 16 years of working for GM, he and Sarah made the bold decision to sacrifice one income to allow Mick to be a stay-at-home father to their two sons.
Sarah remembers, “We were juggling two careers while raising the boys. When they started getting busy with other activities that we couldn’t keep up with, we made the family decision for Mick to retire and stay home. It was scary for me because frankly I liked the two incomes and being the sole breadwinner was a big responsibility. But we felt the hand of God leading us and we now know God honored this decision.” When Birmingham First was located in downtown Birmingham, Mick’s dad and grandparents walked to church. In 1944, Dr. Runkel became the senior pastor, and had children of the same generation as Mick’s father. In those days, according to his dad, the city of Detroit always got the best ministers, so to get the quality of a leader like Dr. Runkel way out in Birmingham was unusual. Mick’s dad said Dr. Runkel was the first regular guy he knew as a pastor because he knew how to throw a softball. Mick was repeatedly told the story by his dad and grandparents that moving the church to Maple Road was not an easy decision, but his grandparents strongly supported the great vision articulated by the church leaders. At that time, Stanley Kresge, a long-time Methodist, desired the existing downtown church site for a new Kresge store. To help facilitate the church’s move from downtown to Maple and Pleasant, Kresge offered to help the church build on the new property by providing a matching gift for the first $50k or $100k raised by the congregation. In spite of his generational legacy of involvement at Birmingham First, Mick’s first activity began as an obligation, when his mother insisted he join the choir. “I really didn’t want to, but this was not debatable.” Later, as an adult, he was active in the Wednesday basketball activities at Royal Oak Methodist Church when Dale Glick invited him to join a Bible study. Trying to use “church league” Continued on Page 2
Donations
If you have already included Birmingham First in your estate plans or would like further information, please contact Dr. Bill Kimball (216-570-0100) or the Senior Pastor.
2018 Legacy Society Members Anyone can be in the Legacy Society. The following people have a current planned gift with the Endowment or have indicated they have planned a gift in their estate.
Anonymous (2) Dr. Ralph* and Nancy Bauer Dwight* and Joan Benner Craig and Debbie Berg Lon Bone Linda Buchanan Roy and Teena Dickerson Tim and Laura Dickerson Frank and Carol Driscoll Fran and Janette Engelhardt Aileen Erdmann Brady and Tiffany Ericson Lynn and Jan Evans Don and Sue Foehr Eric and Diana Freeburg Michael and Jeanne Fritz Lois Gaigalas* Bob Gillow Fred and Judy Green Rev. Gary and Bishop Laurie Haller Rev. Dr. John E. and Judy Harnish Jerry Hause Esther Heussner* Clare and Kay Higby Jeff and Mixie Hockman Russ and Sue Ives Sam and Tove Jackson Fran Jones Paul and Jackie Keller
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Shaping A Family’s Future Mick and Sarah McClelland
Continued from Page 1 basketball as his excuse to not attend the Bible study finally failed - God’s gentle persistence through Dale won the day. “It was during a particularly stressful time when I really needed God’s love and grace, which brought me into a new level of faith in my relationship to God.” Giving and generosity have grown in their family in a similar way. At first an obligation, now “giving is a privilege and a reflection of the immeasurable blessings God has granted us. It is also liberating as it is a clear reminder to us that, truth be known, God owns it all anyway.” Together Mick and Sarah continue the legacy of giving modeled by his parents and grandparents. “My grandparents were very modest and humble givers. At the end of every year they would set aside a special gift, above their regular giving, and ask the pastor, ‘what do you need?’” One year pew cushions showed up. In the 1990s, Mick’s parents, given his mom Carol’s passion and involvement in the music ministry, established the AM Music Fund in honor of their parents, and it continues to exist today. Joe, the older McClelland son, continues the family legacy of faith as he lives out his vocation in service of Jesus Christ through his work at CRU, formally known as Campus Crusade for Christ. His younger brother Dan carries on the legacy of this overachieving couple after having completed his law degree and MBA from Tulane. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught us to not worry, but to trust our Father to take care of us. “Leaving a gift in our estate plans felt natural for us. The church has been and is still is integral in our lives. Here we’ve experienced baptisms, funerals, and most importantly, the people we have known and those we know today, to be in this fellowship with God, our Father.”
Members participating in the FOWARD Leaders Conference facilitated by Susan Beaumont & Associates, funded by an Endowment grant.
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The launch of the Berkley campus would not have been possible without the support of Endowment. Endowed funds went to support staffing and program needs, and helped bridge the gap between what was needed to do effective ministry and what was ‘coming in the plate’ at this fledgling campus. In January, Berkley First will be two years old. Beginning with a launch team of 35, Berkley has grown to have well over 100 people on a Sunday morning. We continue to work to engage the community and spread what is so great about Birmingham First to the Berkley area. God is up to wonderful things, and I firmly believe we are just getting started. Thank you so much for your support of this important work! Endowed funds have made it possible to connect with people in the Berkley area that we never would have connected with otherwise, people who might never have connected with the church or Jesus Christ at all. Pastor Zack Dunlap
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SAVE THE DATE! ANNUAL ENDOWMENT DINNER FRIDAY, APRIL 26 AT 6:00 PM
SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER GREG JONES, DEAN DUKE DIVINITY SCHOOL
2018 Legacy Society Members Continued Jerry and Greg LaBrake Eric and Candace Law Ann Littleton Charlotte Mahrt Mick and Sarah McClelland Pauline McClew* Gayle McGarvah Robert and Sukie McNutt Gwen Moore Howard R. “Skip” Neilson John and Sharon Newman George* and Mary Ann Newton Susan and Claude Oleson Bill and Jane Pettibone Jan Query* Duane and Deanna Ralston Doug Reinhard Roy Reiterman Rev. Dr. William and Kris Ritter Richard and Lin Schoelch Richard and Sara Shirley Shane and Anna Spradlin Joyce Stanton* Margaret Stanton John and Liz Stevens Bob and Ellie Sutherland Gary and Margaret Valade Jim and Merry Beth Valiquett Peggy A. Walker Sue Walters Dorothy Willison* Zeno and Ann Windley George and Julie Work *Deceased Bold denotes new 2018 members
It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35
New Opportunities for Legacy Giving Rev. Shawn Lewis-Lakin
The church conference resolution establishing the Endowment Fund was approved December 11, 1995. This summer, on Monday, July 23, a special church conference approved updates to the documents. Recognizing that our needs as a congregation as well as best practices in planned giving have changed over twenty-plus years, the updates were developed collaboratively by both our Endowment Committee and Trustees, who together recommended them to the church conference, where they were unanimously approved. The general Endowment Fund continues to be a permanent fund, the proceeds from which are used to meet general capital needs and non-budgeted program needs of the church. Income generated by the general endowment is allocated based on a grant process through the Endowment Board. Now, in addition to the general endowment, six additional endowed funds have been created. Like the general endowment, these will be permanent funds. The difference is that the income from these new funds will be restricted for the purposes as designated by their titles: 1) Continuing Education, 2) Missions, 3) Worship and Music, 4) Scholarships, 5) Children and Youth, and 6) Buildings and Grounds. The creation of these funds provides an opportunity for persons to direct their legacy gifts to areas and ministries for which they have a passion. The updated Endowment documents moved responsibility for named endowments under the Endowment Committee (previously, Trustees were responsible for such funds). This consolidates responsibility for all endowed funds with one committee, providing for more focused oversight. Further, the updated Endowment documents establish minimum levels for new named funds ($75,000). Finally, the update provides a process for donors who have an interest in making a major gift, but do not desire it to be a permanent fund, to establish criteria for their gift to be used. The goal of these updates is simple: to provide those interested in leaving a legacy of faith more options that might allow such gifts to be an expression of their passion. Bill Kimball, our planned giving advisor, is available to talk with persons about legacy giving and the new options available. You can reach Bill at bkimball@fumcbirmingham.org or 216-570-0100. In addition, both Pastor Shawn Lewis-Lakin (248-646-1200 ext. 3155 or slewis-lakin@fumbiringham.org) and our Senior Pastor Elbert Dulworth (248-646-1200 ext. 3122 or edulworth@fumcbirmingham.org) are very familiar with our planned giving process and would be pleased to meet with those interested in leaving a legacy gift.
248-646-1200 1589 W. Maple Rd. Birmingham, MI 48009 fumcbirmingham.org