Texas Messenger Article, January 2008
Because of today's 75th Anniversary Campaign, in the future many young ladies will thank the LWML
by Pat Biar, Guest Columnist and Chairman, Texas District LWML 75th Anniversary Campaign
Did you know that many young Lutheran women in Texas are going to praise the name of both our loving Lord and the LWML in future years, thanks to what many of our LWML members are doing now?
What they are doing is including the Texas District LWML Scholarship Endowment in their will or estate plan through the Endowing Tomorrow's Lutheran Women in Mission 75th Anniversary Campaign.
Established in 1990, the Scholarship Endowment provides support for young women in Texas who are preparing for full time church work as teachers, deaconesses and DCEs at our LCMS colleges, such as Concordia University Texas in Austin.
Since the endowment was created, more than 40 young women have received scholarships, thanks to more than $106,000 that has been contributed over the years. The goal of the 75th Anniversary Campaign is to generate another $500,000 in future gift commitments through estate and planned gifts. Just think how many scholarships will be awarded in the name of the LWML to the glory of God in future years if we can reach this goal!
Launched in February 2003 by the Board of Directors of the Texas District LWML, the Endowing Tomorrow's Lutheran Women in Mission 75th Anniversary Campaign hopes to generate future gifts not only for the Scholarship Endowment, but also for the LWML Mission Inreach Endowment. Income from this fund provides spiritual enrichment, member development and leadership training for LWML members in Texas. The combined goal in bequests and other estate gifts (not current cash gifts) for the two endowments is $1,000,000 ($500,000 each). We hope to reach the goal by the Texas District LWML 75th Anniversary in 2017.
To date, 117 ladies have pledged a future gift to one or both endowments. A total of $363,000 has been pledged toward the overall goal of $1,000,000. We hope to have 30 more commitments in hand by the end of our 2008 Biennium Convention this June in Houston.
Peggy Turnipseed, long-time secretary for LFOT, retired from this ministry this past July. She was honored at a formal retirement dinner on October 26, 2007. Here she is pictured at that event with Herb Noack, president of the LFOT Board of Directors. Peggy is also a member of the steering committee for the 75th Anniversary Campaign.
If you have already made a commitment to the 75th Anniversary Campaign, we thank you! If you would like to leave a future estate gift, a form can be downloaded from our website (www.lwmltxdist.org). You may also contact John Hawkins at the Lutheran Foundation of Texas at 800-880-3733 or via e-mail at johnh@lfot.org. (All inquiries are confidential.)
On behalf of the Steering Committee of the 75th Anniversary Campaign, thank you for your prayerful consideration.