Report of the Central Lutheran Church Foundation
The Central Lutheran Church Foundation mission is to support the mission and ministry of Central Lutheran Church. In 2009 the Foundation continues to provide, in gratitude for the gifts of many, financial resources to Central, as the church lives out its mission to celebrate, discover, and share the love of Christ in the city and the world beyond. The Foundation is grateful for the gifts of many people. We are thankful for gifts of all amounts, many of which are in given in memory or in honor of family and friends. We are thankful for those who have remembered Central in their charitable estate plans. All of these gifts combine to support and encourage the many ministries of Central Lutheran Church.The year of 2008 for the Central Lutheran Church Foundation, which operates fiscally on the calendar year, was one of challenge, commitment, and celebration.
Challenge – There are three main actions of the Central Lutheran Church Foundation. The first is to encourage giving and appropriately receive gifts from gracious donors. Second, the Foundation invests these gifts appropriately, holding the principle of such gifts in perpetuity. The third task is to give the income of these gifts, in accordance with the direction of the donors, to Central Lutheran Church and its many ministries. The challenge has been to sustain the giving power of the Foundation’s resources during this current period of worldwide economic downturn. While experiencing losses in endowment investments, like almost all non profit endowments and foundations in our country, the Central Lutheran Church Foundation fund returns have out performed key market indicators during these difficult financial times. Thanks to the strong leadership of the Board of Trustees and their Minneapolis fund managers, GS Investments, Inc., the market value of the Central Lutheran Church Foundation remains strong. The Foundation’s distribution policy, which is based on a three year average of its asset value, will continue to provide a stable level of gift income for the ministries of Central. The challenge will continue for the Foundation as it manages the resources it has been given.
Commitment – The Foundation is committed to provide the best management possible of the assets under its trusteeship for the benefit of Central, even though the fluctuating economy will continue to challenge endowment asset management. The Foundation is also committed to provide the best resources to donors and future donors – you the members and friends of Central Lutheran Church. Resources and guidance for your charitable gift planning and legacy planned giving are available through the Central Lutheran Church Foundation Office at Central. For assistance, contact Pastor Mark Halaas at 612-767-9240 or at mhalaas@centralmpls.org.
Celebration – We as members and friends of Central have much to celebrate through the ministry of the Central Lutheran Church Foundation!
We remember with gratitude all the saints who have gone before us and particularly we lift up those persons for whom family and friends have given gifts in their memory. Persons remembered through Memorial Gifts in 2008 are:
Ranie Anderson, Lola Baumbach, Eva and Herman Beell, Wayne Bengston, J. Karen Boe, Thora Borlaug,
Louise Boyum, Pirkko Gaultney, Hannah Grinde, Cornelia Gronlid, Henrietta Gronlid, Steven J. Halls,
Don and Jacqueline Hanbery, Blaine Harstad, Helen Lattu, Rev. Paul Monson, L. Marcella Nelson,
Mildred Norstad, Mary Ann Olsen, Sandra Olson, Mark Overby, Carol and Ray Perkins,
Rev. Luther Peterson, Warren Pomeroy, Gwendoline Reid, Mary Sue Resop, Rum Roberts, Al Rueter,
Raymond Sandin, Lawrence Sathre, Elizabeth Schmidt, Dick Starr, Alice Ward, Charlotte Westby
We thank those who have given gifts to commemorate special persons and special occasions in the lives of people. We give thanks for these gifts which give remembrance and honor to special people and events in their lives:
100th Birthday of Leslie Carlson (father of George and JoAnn Carlson)
Marriage of Rebecca and Gerald Sundquist
50th Wedding Anniversary of Mons and Shirley Teig
We celebrate the saints, our legacy partners, who through their legacy gift planning and through their loved ones gave gifts, upon their death, to the Central Lutheran Church Foundation in 2008. We give thanks for the generous witness of legacy giving from these faithful stewards:
Helen Fett, Arne Gjessing, Ralph M. Jacobson, Herbert D. Kaasa,
Mary Ann Olsen, Dorothy Peterson, Alice Ward
We give thanks for Christ teaching us all to be generous in our giving. The gifts of many provide a significant portion of the funds to support the overall mission of Central Lutheran Church. We are grateful for the many members who gave in 2008 to special designated funds also held by the Foundation to support specific ministries at Central. These ministry areas include Sunday School, World Missions, Youth Ministry, Music, Seminarian Support, Radio Broadcasts, Neighborhood Ministries, Seniors’ Ministries, and Health Ministries.
We give thanks for the opportunity for all to give witness as Central Stewards living out faith by generously giving to Christ’s church at Central from the blessings we have received from God. We celebrate the opportunity for all members to become “Central Legacy Partners” during Central’s 90th Anniversary year!
Central Lutheran Church Foundation
2008-2009 Board of Trustees
Arlan Abel, Joyce Anderson, Greg Bancroft, Keith Brings, Kay Dixon,
Larry Gregerson, James Heintz, Richard Hilden, Secretary/Treasurer,
Thomas Hoffmann, President, Neil Kittlesen, Richard Shinofield, President of Central Lutheran Church,
Shirley Teig, Bonnie Weisenburger, Vice President,, Rev. Richard Nelson, Senior Pastor of Central Lutheran Church,
David Alexander, Business Manager of Central Lutheran Church.
Mark Gaasedelen, Executive Secretary
The Rev. Mark Halaas, Director of Development
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333 South Twelfth Street
Minneapolis, MN 55404
Infoline: 612-767-9101
Main line: 612-870-4416