St. Luke Foundation
The St. Luke Foundation is a stewardship ministry for the congregation of St. Luke UMC. Members of the church started the Foundation in 1985 with most of the funding coming from the Campaign of Joy in 1999 and sustained since then by generous donations.
The Foundation has four primary goals: to encourage and receive gifts to the Foundation's Endowment Funds; to provide investment management for those Funds; to provide assistance to the congregation in the area of Planned Giving Programs; and to oversee the annual awarding of financial grants to programs supported by the Foundation.
The income produced by the Foundation's Endowments allows the Foundation to award financial grants to community service organizations, seminary students, new United Methodist congregations or new ministries being started in Methodist churches, and the upkeep and maintenance of St. Luke UMC
Endowment Funds
There are five major Endowment funds managed by the Foundation, each dedicated to offering assistance in a particular area:
- Hunger and Human Needs - allows the Foundation to insure that basic needs in the Community are being met
- New Churches and Extension Ministries - allows the Foundation to support the work of the North Carolina Conference in starting new congregations and new ministry efforts
- Seminarian Scholarships - allows the Foundation to invest in the future of the Church by assisting with the education of future ministry leaders
- Sanford Area Ministries - allos the Foundatioin to work with community serice organizations to improve the quality of life in Lee County
- Capital Improvements at St. Luke UMC - allows the Foundation to assist the Trustees in the repair and maintenance of St. Luke UMC's existing facilities.
How We Share
Since 1999, the St. Luke Foundation has provided financial support by awarding 18 grants to new Methodist Churches or new ministries; 16 seminary scholarships; grants to over 30 community service organizations totalling $126,800; and over $319,000 for capital improvements at St. Luke UMC.
How You Can Share
There are many ways that you can directly contribute to the work of the St. Luke Foundation, inclduing:
- Donations of cash, stock dividends and bonds;
- Real estate or income interest from property
- Creating your own endowment
- Corporate and matching gifts