Ode to Loren Meade

Some will remember Loren Mead as the person who founded the Alban Institute, others may remember him as an author. A couple years after he wrote “The Financial Meltdown in the Mainline” in 1998, he was the keynote speaker at the Northeast Ecumenical Stewardship Council event in 2000. Twenty years ago, Loren Mead predicted with a prophet’s voice, both the decline of church membership and the accompanying financial problems associated with that decline.

I remember well his comment that if you love a ministry or program you better get an endowment underneath it to support it while the church goes through a major transition. Our camping ministries come to mind, especially during this pandemic. One could argue that our camping sites are one of the few places where we engage youth in a transformational way. We need to be asking ourselves, “What are the transformational ministries at our church?” These are the areas that highlight the reason to leave a legacy gift through my will or as a beneficiary of my IRA or life insurance.

The obstacle members face in planning a gift through their will is the haunting question, “What happens to my gift if my church closes?” The obstacle is overcome by naming the Foundation as your trustee. When you name the Foundation as the beneficiary of your will, IRA, or life insurance, a permanent Fund is established in your name. You decide where the income from this Fund will be directed. So, you could instruct that the income go to your church. And should your church close without a successor, you could name another church, camp, or ministry as the income beneficiary of your Fund.

To receive the Guide to Planned Giving or learn more about the giving options available to you, please email Gary Melville.