A Prayer for Christmas Eve
December 24, 2024
Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights
with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
~James 1:17
Happy Birthday, Saint John’s!
On Sunday we talked about spiritual gifts and the gifts a church community brings. This week, we will celebrate our church. Happy Birthday, Saint John’s!
What gift do you get for a church that is turning 76?
Our birthday month is the time of year where we as a church consider making a special gift to the Saint John’s Endowment Fund. Why? Because it is the gift that keeps on giving, of course!
The fund assets are responsibly invested by the Texas Methodist Foundation with oversight by the Endowment Committee. The Endowment Committee distributes grant funding every year from the earnings in the Endowment Fund. As the principle grows, so does the income which can be distributed. We maintain the original contributions, so they continue to grow to fund future projects. So, each contribution to the fund really is eternal.
This year our grants could total over $55,000 that will go to worthy causes brought forward by our committees. Recently, Endowment grants have included outreach projects supporting border ministries, such as Courts & Ports, pictured above when Deborah Dorff and a team of Saint John's folks learned about the process. Supplies for homeless students as well as needed Saint John’s improvements to increase diversity and inclusion, to improve accessibility, and to provide energy efficiencies, are a few more Endowment grants. We are currently in the midst of this year’s application process, and I cannot wait to see the inspiring projects that are proposed by our committees!
A contribution to the Endowment Fund is truly the perfect gift. The church will love it, it will never go out of style, it will always fit, and everyone is happy when it is regifted! If you would like to celebrate our 76th birthday by making a donation to the Endowment Fund, please visit stjohnsaustin.org/endowment/.
