Grace United Methodist Foundation

Mission Statement

The mission of the Grace United Methodist Foundation is to encourage and enable Grace UMC members and friends to join in loving partnership with past, present, and future generations with financial gifts, protected in perpetuity. The earnings of these gifts are to be used to proclaim the living Christ throughout time.

Foundation Board of Directors include Karl Lundy (chair), Todd Witke (vice chair), John Mechem (treasurer),  (secretary).

Feel free to contact the Board at gracefoundation@gracedesmoines.org.

News and Information about the Foundation:

Foundation Overview

Bolsinger Funaro – send completed applications to MClark@eEngineering.com.

Iowa United Methodist Foundation

Three Pockets of Giving
by Mark Truesdell

In his book about Christian financial stewardship, Not Your Parents’ Offering Plate, J. Clif Christopher asserts that every Christian possesses three pockets of giving: The Earned-Income Pocket, The Estate Pocket, and The Capital Pocket.

Here’s an overview of each:

1) The Earned-Income Pocket consists of our regular income upon which we make our spending decisions on a regular basis. We meet our annual pledge to the church out of this Pocket.

2) The Estate Pocket are the resources we will have available to give when we leave this life. Grace Foundation, which has as its sole purpose the support of Grace United Methodist Church, hopes that you give prayerful consideration to Grace Church through its Foundation when you plan your estate.

3) The Capital Pocket contains our long-term and retirement savings. These savings consist of IRA’s, mutual funds, stocks, bonds, pieces of property, insurance policies, etc. We do not look into this pocket when giving to the church each week. We might, however, at some point in our lives find an unexpected and unneeded resource.

For example in this Pocket, we might receive an unexpected inheritance. Or a paid-up whole-life insurance policy, purchased originally for other purposes, might remain unused once that purpose has passed. There might be proceeds from the sale of your family house left over when you downsize to a town home. Or, like Helen Young, you might have a grand piano which won’t fit into your new apartment at Wesley Acres.

Might you have such a resource in your Capital Pocket? Have you ever consider giving that unexpected re-source to the Church? If you did, like Helen Young, and gave it to the Foundation, you would be not only be getting a tax deduction, but your gift’s annual earnings would be used in perpetuity for the strengthening of Grace Church. You could, like Helen, dedicate those annual earnings to a specific program; she dedicated hers to the Music Program of Grace Church.

Does Grace Church have a place in God’s plan for your accumulated resources? Might you have an unneeded resource in your Capital Pocket? If so, please feel free to contact any member of the Foundation Board.

 

The Gifts of Time
by Arden Borgen

One of the great gifts that any of us can give is the gift of our time to something important. As Reverend Dave pointed out in a recent message for the children (and us older kids as well) we can do so much more when we work together.

All of us are aware of the many Grace members who give their time to help the people of this church do great things together. As a member of the Grace Foundation board, I am especially aware of the generous gifts of time given by three special people who have been key players in the development of our Foundation:

First, Jay Eliason, who worked to bring major gifts to the Foundation and to many church projects. Jay kept the Foundation alive in its initial years, which helped Grace to receive and employ many gifts. His work also helped us to launch and perfect the Foundation we have today.

Second, John Mechem, our church treasurer, with his steady hand, who always knows the facts, knows the history, and who honors the need for confidentiality in our church business, has been an on-going source of wisdom for the Foundation.

Third, Mark Truesdell, who accepted my request (as the chair of Finance Committee at that time) to help with the planned giving part of the Foundation. When it became clear that reorganizing the Foundation would better serve both donors and the church, Mark stepped up to the plate. He gave freely of his professional time to research United Methodist policy, Iowa regulations, and IRS rules and to write the documents to incorporate Grace’s Foundation in a way which enables us to protect and disburse the gifts entrusted to our care.

This took numerous revisions and rewrites as we deliberated and refined the mission, goals and policies of the foundation. Then, when Jay moved to Oklahoma, Mark was willing to accept the role of President of the Foundation. Grace United Methodist Church has a strong, well managed Foundation. We owe Jay, John and Mark our appreciation for their gifts of time to make it so.

The Grace UMC Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the Grace UMC Foundation Scholarships.

Total Number of Scholarships Awarded since 1997

Total Value of Scholarships Awarded since 1997

2020-21 Scholarships

Cecil Bolsinger Scholarship Recipients:

Chris Becker, Iowa State University
Evan Burnham, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Mason DeLange, University of Iowa or Iowa State University
Fiona Donnelly, Drake University
Bridget Easler, University of Iowa
Brian Goode, Iowa State University
Rob Goode, University of Iowa
Kathlyn Groetken, University of Northern Iowa
Theo Miller, Iowa State University
Catie Mullen, Drake University
Sarah Sahin, Northwest Missouri State University
Evan Witke, Undecided
Jared Witke, University of Iowa

Heather Hartline Funaro Scholarship winner

Max Swinton, University of Iowa

2019-20 Scholarships

Cecil Bolsinger Scholarship Recipients:

Claudia Becker, Truman State University
Chris Becker, Iowa State University
Evan Burnham, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Eric Chambers, Iowa State University
Nyakota Ding, Iowa State University
Tesloach Ding, Iowa State University
Bridget Easler, University of Iowa
Peter Easler, University of Iowa
Alexandra Fraracci, DMACC
Brian Goode, Iowa State University
Edina Hodson, Tidewater Community College, Virginia
Madeline Johnston, Evergreen State University
Graham Link, University of Iowa
Nick Meye, University of Tampa
Isaac Miller, University of Iowa
Theo Miller, Iowa State University
Catie Mullen, Drake University
Zoe Swinton, University of Iowa
Asher Titus, University of Iowa

Heather Hartline Funaro Scholarship winner

Olivia Dotson, Iowa State University

2018-19 Scholarships

Cecil Bolsinger Scholarship Recipients:

Seth Andrews, Iowa State – Dept. of Architecture
Claudia Becker, Truman State University
Evan Burnham, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Eric Chambers, North Iowa Area Community College
Claire Chell, University of Iowa
Bridget Easler, University of Iowa
Peter Easler, University of Iowa
Chloe Freund, Indiana University
Madeline Johnston, Evergreen State University
Paul Keyser, Northwest Missouri State
Rob Kristan, Elmhurst College
Graham Link, University of Colorado
Emily Miller, Drake University
Isaac Miller, University of Iowa
Catie Mullen, Drake University
Jenna Pokorny, University of Iowa
Zoe Swinton, University of Iowa
Anders Titus, Illinois State
Asher Titus, University of Iowa
Mackenzie Williams, Simpson, Grandview or Central
Jared Wittke, Iowa State University
Matthew Yeates, University of Iowa – College of Pharmacy

Heather Hartline Funaro Scholarship winner

Brian Goode, Iowa State University

2017-18 Scholarships

Cecil Bolsinger Scholarship Recipients:

Seth Andrews, Iowa State – Dept. of Architecture
Claudia Becker, Truman State University
Evan Burnham, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Eric Chambers, North Iowa Area Community College
Nicholas Chell, University of Northern Iowa
Peter Easler, University of Iowa
Jean Kerber Mittel, DMACC – Nursing School
Paul Keyser, Northwest Missouri State
Robert Kristan, Elmhurst College
David Leaders, Carroll University
Carter Link, Northern Arizona University
Emily Miller, Drake University
Isaac Miller, Drake University
Jenna Pokorny, University of Iowa
Caleb Schley, Hamline University
Ezra Schley, Knox College
Zoe Swinton, University of Iowa
Anders Titus, Heartland Community College
Nicholas Wessells, South Dakota State University
Kaitlyn Williams, Simpson College
Jared Witke, Iowa State University
Matthew Yeates, University of Iowa – College of Pharmacy
Megan Yeates, DMACC

Heather Hartline Funaro Scholarship winner

Caitlin Mullen, Drake, Creighton, Marquette, St. Thomas

 

2015-16 Scholarships

Cecil Bolsinger Scholarship Recipients:

Cyrus Andrews University of Iowa
Seth Andrews ISU or Cornell
Nicholas Chell Northern Iowa
Caleb Schley Hamline University
David Leaders Carroll University
Carter Link Northern Arizona University Krista Maguire Drake University
Emily Miller Drake University
Emma Nelson Xavier University
Jenna Pokorny University of Iowa
Josie Pokorny University of Iowa Medical School Jackson Meister Evergreen College
Kyrie Severson DMACC
Anders Titus Illinois State University
Kaitlyn Williams DMACC
Matthew Yeates Drake University or University of Iowa

Heather Hartline Funaro Scholarship:
Paul Keyser Northwest Missouri State University

2016-17 Scholarships

Cecil Bolsinger Scholarship Recipients:

Seth Andrews, Iowa State
Claudia Becker, Truman State
Eric Chambers, Grandview
Nicholas Chell, UNI
William Hyde, Iowa State
Paul Keyser, Northwest Misssouri State
Rob Kristan, Elmhurst College
David Leaders, Carroll University
Carter Link, Northern Arizona University
Krista Maguire, Drake
Emily Miller, Drake
Emma Nelson, Xavier
Jenna Pokorny, Iowa
Caleb Schley, Hamlin
Zoe Swinton, Iowa
Anders Titus, Illinois State
Nicholas Wessels, South Dakota State
Kaitlyn Williams, Simpson
Matthew Yeates, Iowa

Heather Hartline Funaro Scholarship:
Ezra Schley,  Knox College