Foundation Newsletter, March 2023

March 31, 2023 is the date to celebrate! 

This free event will mark 25 years of kingdom partnership at the Foundation In recognition of this milestone, it is appropriate to celebrate what God has done through this wonderful ministry.

There will be food, guest speakers (including Sandy Willson and George Robertson), and a concert by Nashville singer-songwriter and hymn writer, Sandra McCracken. This night under the stars begins at 6:00pm sharp in the East Sanctuary parking lot under a marquee tent. The tent will open at 5:30pm for gathering and seating. 

Childcare for ages four and and under is provided by reservation only.

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Our Foundation Visionaries series lets us hear directly from individuals present and past who have volunteered their time and talents to promote gospel advancing efforts through the Foundation.

On the occasion of the Foundation’s 25th Anniversary, it is fitting that Monte Weaver be recognized. Involved for a total of 18 years with the Foundation and an additional two years preparing to establish the Foundation, he has served as Board Chairman, President, and Stewardship Chairman. His leadership was unmistakable in influencing a wide range of areas as he sought to structure a solid and principled organization. All who have worked with him agree that he is a man who stayed on task. That imprint and legacy continues today with an organization that recognizes its unique purpose and role as a supporting organization of the Church. 

Well done, good and faithful servant, Monte Weaver. 

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Through December of 2023, all gifts made to any designated fund will be matched at 100% up to $500,000 per fund for a total of $2,500,000. The Foundation has over 30 designated funds from which to choose. 

Don't miss this opportunity! To date, $650,000 has been given to 13 various funds with more on the way. 
 
This gift from the Foundation provides a "people’s choice" format to those with current charitable intent toward specific ministries of our church, empowering them to double their gift and double their kingdom influence. This opportunity allows a portion of resources to be shifted from the Undesignated Fund at the direction of members of the congregation to areas of ministry that they choose. 
 
Individuals who wish to know more about a specific fund are encouraged to visit the Our Funds page or contact the Foundation office.

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In appreciation for Dan Burn’s many contributions to us and the Church as a whole, gifts may be made in honor of him to the Foundation’s Chloe Malone Burch Foreign Mission Fund, which provides annual funding for Foundation use in the area of World Missions OR to the Foundation’s Charles and Rebecca Sherman World Mission Fund, which provides funding for use by the Second Presbyterian Church World Missions Committee.
 
As a bonus, gifts made during 2023 will matched at 100% by the Foundation. Join us as part of the celebration of the ministry of Dan and Catherine. 

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Do you know these Foundation facts? It pays to know!

• There are two Foundations for our church: Foundation and Realty Foundation and their combined assets are over $29,000,000.

• The amount of grants made since inception equals $33,000,000.

• $5,000,000 have been given to each area out of the Undesignated Fund: Home Outreach, Domestic Outreach, and Christian Leadership Development. 

• 78 seminarians have been supported by the Foundation.

• The Foundation has granted $1,500,000 to date to the Church’s World Missions Committee for their use as they see fit from the Charles and Rebecca World Missions Fund.

• Members of the congregation have given gifts totaling $40,000,000 to the Foundation ranging from $5 to over $2,000,000 per donor.

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Seventy-five folks recently enjoyed a lovely Sunday Afternoon Tea, complete with tea from London, scones, and finger sandwiches all served properly and with finery, of course.

The purpose of this gathering was to remember a beloved pastor, Tim Russell, in the manner he enjoyed and to hear about the legacy he left influencing young people to seek a reformed theological education.

The T. Russell Fund now stands at over $100,000. Attendees heard from Brett Wynne, who is responsible for the church’s oversight of seminarians; Brad Morrow, who is the first recipient of the scholarship; and Katherine Russell, who eloquently spoke of Tim and his many passions for ministry.

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Foundation grants over 24 years total $32,916,730. Of that amount, $5,132,730 has been made to further our Domestic Outreach.
 
One key area that receives Foundation support is Home Missions. Twenty-five ministries have been funded. One such investment in our city resides in Families Matter, which was birthed many years ago by members of Second.

The Foundation invested $523,000 over the course of ten years. Hear from Carol Jackson about the equipping impact that this investment has made in that ministry and in our city:

View a video about our partner, Families Matter.

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Your generous giving makes all of this (and more) possible!

Foundation Newsletter, February 2023

The granting process for the Foundation includes seeking the advice of the Church in key ministry support areas. One of those areas is World Missions. For the last nearly 12 years, Dan Burns has expertly provided sound recommendations for the Foundation to use as part of its overall decision making. 
 
In appreciation for his ministry among us and the Church as a whole, gifts may be made in honor of Dan to the Foundation’s Chloe Malone Burch Foreign Mission Fund, which provides annual funding for Foundation use in the area of World Missions, or to the Foundation’s Charles and Rebecca Sherman World Mission Fund, which provides funding for use by the Second Presbyterian Church World Missions Committee.
 
As a bonus, gifts made during 2023 will be matched at 100% by the Foundation. Join us as part of the celebration of the ministry of Dan and Catherine. 

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Tim Russell had a zest for life, and his highest passions were for the Lord; his devoted wife Kathe; reformed theological education; counseling folks in the congregation; good food and music; and all things British.
 
So we thought it fitting to combine all of that into a fun afternoon of learning about the T. Russell Seminarian Support Fund established in his memory. The first recipient of the scholarship is Second's pastoral resident, Brad Morrow. Come hear from Brad and Kathe, as well as others.  
 
Afternoon Tea will take place at 4:00pm (of course) on Sunday, February 26 in the Salmon Room. 

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A new fund has been established to support the equipping of women to lead with excellence in various strategic areas of vocational ministry.

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Mark your calendar for March 31, 2023, where we will celebrate 25 years with a church-wide event featuring food, fellowship, and a concert.

Designed to be an energetic evening, you will experience:

• A lovely dinner set under the stars 

• A fun activity

• An overview of the missional reach of the Foundation

• Messages from Sandy Willson and George Robertson

• A concert featuring Nashville singer-songwriter and hymn writer, Sandra McCracken

The event is free, and all are invited to join through an advance registration (coming soon), so be sure to save the date!

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Foundation grants over 24 years total $32,595,000. Of that amount, $4,894,000 has been made to further World Missions.
 
One key area that receives Foundation support is World Missions. There are well over 30 ministries in 30 areas of the world that have been funded with grants that are both strategic and have had leveraging capacity. 
 
Over the last six years, $180,000 has been given to First Evangelical Church of Athens, Greece for extensive church planting and refugee work. Hear from George Tolias about what this specific ministry has accomplished:

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Your generous giving makes all of this (and more) possible!

Foundation Newsletter, January 2023

Happy New Year from the Foundation! The Lord has greatly blessed the Second Presbyterian Church Foundation this past year:

• $1,208,254 has been granted directly to ministries from the Foundation during its most recent completed fiscal year.

• Gifts to the Foundation during the same period total $449,460, including gifts beginning at $15.

You are making a difference by enabling the good news of Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection to be made known year-round. May we all humbly rejoice as we ponder the generosity that directly leads others to come to know Him as well!

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Through December of 2023, any gifts made to any designated fund will be matched at 100% up to $500,000 per fund for a total of $2,500,000. The Foundation has over 30 designated funds from which to choose.
 
This gift from the Foundation provides a "people’s choice format" to those with current charitable intent toward specific ministries of our church, empowering them to double their gift and double their kingdom influence. This opportunity allows a portion of resources to be shifted from the Undesignated Fund at the direction of members of the congregation to areas of ministry that they choose. 
 
Individuals who wish to know more about a specific fund are encouraged to visit the Our Funds page or contact the Foundation office. Throughout the year, there will be gatherings and events that aim to share the history and purpose of certain funds, as well as related activities to date and information regarding those funds’ influence.   

An upcoming event on February 26 focuses on the T. Russell Seminarian Fund, which provides conditional scholarship grants for approved 2PC members to attend seminary and obtain a Masters degree. Members eligible for support are African American, Hispanic, or anyone seeking to serve in urban ministry.

You can learn more at the February event, where you'll also experience an authentic Sunday afternoon high tea—something that was dear to Tim and Kathe. Contact grace.simmons@2pc.org for details. 

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Foundation grants over 24 years total $32,084,000. Of that amount, $5,014,000 has been made to further develop Christian leaders.

One key area is for support of our members while they are taking theological training, that they may freed to give themselves more fully to intensive study and preparation for serving our Lord Jesus Christ in full time Christian service. 

Austin McCann is one such member. A covenant child of Second, he now serves as RUF Campus Minister at Texas A&M. Hear from Austin by watching this video.

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2023 marks the 25th Anniversary of the Foundation! In recognition of this milestone, it is appropriate to celebrate what God has done through this wonderful ministry.
 
Events already underway include parish gatherings as well as designated fund events that aim to tell the story of the Foundation.

Mark your calendar for March 31, 2023, where we will celebrate 25 years with a church-wide event featuring food, fellowship, and a concert. The event is free, and all are invited to join, so be sure to save the date!

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Your generous giving makes all of this (and more) possible!

Foundation Newsletter, February 2022

“The Foundation plays a vital role in launching new initiatives by mobilizing ministries of compassion, developing ministry to the under-evangelized, and pioneering ministry among the unreached," comments world missions pastor Dan Burns, "all of which comprise 2PC’s vision."

Grants of $4,462,000 have been made to world outreach initiatives from the Foundation over the last 23 years. Many related grants have also been made from Donor Advised Funds.

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Meet two of our Foundation Visionaries: father and son, Bruce and Carter Campbell. Bruce and Carter have each served the Foundation in different seasons of life—both in terms of their own lives and the life of the Foundation.

Bruce was a member of the initial Board of Directors and was the first Chair of the Grants Committee. Carter has served on the Grants Committee and is the current Chair of its Scholarships Sub- Committee, which oversees everything related to our seminarians, among other things.

Reflecting on his dad, Carter shares, “I remember Dad talking about the 2PC Foundation, and he was so excited to see young folks going into full-time ministry. I recall him describing how the Foundation played such a pivotal role in allowing these folks to attend seminary. His involvement with the Foundation certainly impacted me and my interest in serving when I was approached years later.”

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Did you know that giving a memorial or honorarium is a meaningful, thoughtful, and simple act that can be used strategically to advance the gospel?

When you choose to memorialize or honor a friend or family member through the Foundation, you choose an effective way to give by leveraging a small amount of money toward a large cumulative impact. This strategy is yet another way in which individual amounts are pooled and invested in the spread of the Gospel. 

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Current Fellow James Ryan is supported this year in his job placement at Second in part by the Foundation through its Music Ministry Internship Fund. James conducted in our church’s annual Festival of Carols of service on December 12.

Click the video below to watch!

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Christian Kauffman, a committed 2PC member and youth volunteer pictured below, explains the Foundation’s Seed Money program to the current Youth Inquirers Class. 

The Seed Money program, funded by the Foundation, encourages youth charitable giving by providing funded Donor Advised Funds for them when they join the church on Maundy Thursday.

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May of 2023 marks the 25th anniversary of the Foundation.

The Stewardship Committee is drawing up initial plans for celebrating this milestone. Pictured below are a few posters from years past. 

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Your generous giving makes all of this (and more) possible!

Foundation Newsletter, October 2021

Only about 1 in 3 adults have a will, and many people do not realize a will is only part of an estate plan.

National Estate Planning Awareness Week is an opportunity for us all to be reminded about the importance of an estate plan for ourselves and our loved ones. Our plans should accurately reflect our values and goals.

We continue the new series that lets us hear directly from individuals present and past who have volunteered their time and talents to promote gospel advancing efforts through the Foundation.

Marion Quinlen is highlighted this month. She is a current member of the Grants Committee, the Scholarships Committee, and is Chair of the Berl Olswanger Music Scholarship Committee. Over the years, she has served as Chairman of the Grants Committee and as a member of the Foundation Board of Directors. 

Her dedication and faithfulness to this work for over two decades can be gleaned from her own words. “When I leave a Grants Committee meeting, I marvel at what God has done with the funds we have been able to give to these ministries.  I also wonder who is going to give the Gospel to all those people that we at Second are not reaching.”

Tim Russell had a passion for the Word of God and the sharing of it. He dedicated his life to education at many levels. That life inspired many donors to continue that mission.

The fund established just over one year ago in Tim’s memory is already at work, the proceeds of which are supporting Bradley Morrow as he pursues a Master of Divinity.

A significant amount of grants were made during this last fiscal year.

Between undesignated funds, designated funds, and donor advised funds, more than $1 million was distributed to mission efforts in our city, country, and around the world.

Foundation Newsletter, October 2020

Anyone who engaged with Tim Russell or heard him speak knew of his passion for the Word of God and the sharing of it. He dedicated his life to education at many levels.

 It is fitting that a new fund has been established using the gifts received in his memory as seed money for the T. Russell Seminarian Support Fund.

We continue the series that lets us hear directly from individuals present and past who have volunteered their time and talents to promote gospel advancing efforts through the Foundation. 

Smoky Russell is highlighted this month. Serving a total of nine years with the Foundation with three of those as the Board Chairman, his leadership always shown brightly in a wide range of areas as he navigated the development of practical solutions for an emerging organization through his work related to investments, communications, administration, and many more.

He guided a young, adolescent organization through its administrative growth spurt by building out an even stronger foundation to the Foundation. Smoky provided humble and loving servant leadership that was strategic and comported with a more effective board, administration, granting process, investment policy, and stewardship approach, including the creation of the website and the issuance of charitable gift annuities.

A significant amount of grants were made during this last fiscal year.

Between undesignated funds, designated funds, and donor advised funds, more than $1.5 million was distributed to mission efforts in our city, country, and around the world.

Foundation Newsletter, February 2020

We continue the new series that lets us hear directly from individuals present and past who have volunteered their time and talents to promote gospel advancing efforts through the Foundation. 

Susan Warner is highlighted this month. She is a current member of the Foundation Board of Directors and serves on its Administrative Committee. Over her years on the Board, she has served as Secretary and as a member of the Executive and Nominating Committees.

“I remember driving to my first board meeting and saying, “Lord, you tell us that you will equip us to do the good works to which we are called, so I’m counting on you to be with me in this meeting.” Seventeen years later, the Lord is still equipping her to accomplish this good work.

Holistic ministries meet needs and transform lives in India’s poorest regions.  

Thousands have come into the Kingdom since these ministry partners began by reopening the Kachhwa Christian Hospital in 2002. Spanning 10 districts with a total population of 10 million in South-Eastern Uttar Pradesh, 85% of the area is rural.

Needs of the people – including the poor and the outcaste – that are being addressed include spiritual transformation, equipping of church leadership, health issues, community development, education and vocational training.

A life insurance policy is a tool that can be used strategically to make an impactful gift for the advancement of the gospel. 

It is an effective way to give by leveraging a small amount of money to reap a large amount of payoff. The strategy invests pennies to gain dollars, and is a way to easily support the Foundation. Gifts of life insurance have a wide range of commitment levels for the donor and are easily designed to fit financial capability. See ideas on how to structure a gift that is best for you.

Foundation Newsletter, December 2019

With this issue, a new series begins that lets us hear directly from individuals present and past who have volunteered their time and talents to promote gospel advancing efforts through the Foundation.

We start with Lon Magness, who is a Principal of Reliant Investment Management. He is a current member of the Foundation Board of Directors and is Chairman of its Investment Committee. 

“Becoming involved with the Foundation has been a great reminder that we all have gifts that are useful to the Kingdom and are often not associated with our ideas about ‘ministry’.”

”I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.” Psalm 9:1

Worshipful thankfulness reveals the heart and instructs the heart. It brings adoration to the Lord and not to the world. 

Here are a few of the many ways that we are thankful regarding our church’s Foundation.

A significant amount of grants were made during this last fiscal year, making it the highest year in the 21-year history of the Foundation in terms of funds granted!

Between undesignated funds, designated funds, and donor advised funds, more than $2.5 million was distributed to mission efforts in our city, country, and around the world.

Foundation Newsletter, June 2019

In May, at an event in San Francisco, Google recognized a ministry in the Orange Mound neighborhood with deep ties to Second as its 2019 Tennessee Small Business of the Year. My Cup of Tea will be featured in Google’s economic publication with 51 other small businesses from across the nation.

The Foundation has supported My Cup of Tea with grants for the last two years.

Second’s Domestic Outreach Director Brian Lewis says, “My Cup of Tea is a strategic foothold in Orange Mound for ongoing kingdom work. It has provided income and job skills, created a venue for racial reconciliation, and developed a vehicle for knowing Christ. It is a bridge-building ministry that breaks down barriers between class and ethnicity.”

“Ministry and serving alongside our local mission partners is as natural and reflexive as breathing to Eddie Foster. He has poured himself into expanding the Lord’s kingdom, with a special focus on Memphis. His heart for all people has encouraged us all.”  

Brandon Morrison
Foundation Grants Chair

Learn how the Foundation has shown its appreciation for the work of the former Director of Domestic Missions.

Our church’s one earthly Foundation is strong — due to the individual strong funds. The individual funds are strong — due to the one Foundation.

Ever wonder what the Second Presbyterian Church Foundation does with the resources it has and how it is even possible to do as much as it does? The monthly FUNDation STRONG series conveys this information including the current and cumulative ministry impact that affects not only our ministry partners, but our own congregation.

Foundation Newsletter, February 2019

Sixty-eight of our youngest members and their youth leaders, upon engaging with specific ministries, have made decisions to recommend grants to those ministries from accounts set aside for that purpose.

Those accounts are known as “Seed Money” Funds and are provided by the Foundation when these young students join the church. They are designed in part to facilitate family conversations about philanthropy.

At present there are 170 nationalities in Rotterdam. In the Netherlands over 50% of the people are from non-Dutch backgrounds and in the cities it can be as high as 75%.

There are 39 churches in a network in that country that was envision in 2006 by Theo Visser, called Intercultural Church Plants. ICP Netherlands’ goal is to build bridges within the network as well as grow it. Under the leadership of Hans and Carolien Euser, they would like to have one intercultural church per 10,000 of the 4,000,000 non-Dutch in the Netherlands. 

The history of Second’s commitment to funding seminarians who are members of our church goes back to at least the early 1960s. A recent bequest of $85,000 has been used to seed the establishment of a Seminarian Support Fund.

Almost 60 years later support for seminarians remains at the heart of the mission. Learn more about how that support came to be, how it continues, and the immeasurable fruit that has come and is yet to come from this investment in spreading the gospel.