The Campaign For Clergy Wellbeing: C2FM SUCCESS!
GOAL MET!
“Thank you,” says Mark Struckhoff, “I just want to hug everybody who helped us meet the challenge and make such a difference for Missouri clergy!” Struckhoff is the Director of the Foundation’s Clergy & Church Financial Ministry (C2FM), and he is referring to the recent successful completion of the Campaign for Clergy Wellbeing.
“I am so inspired that words fail me,” says Struckhoff. “The Lilly Endowment is amazingly generous, but they set us a steep hill to climb – raise $250,000 in matching gifts in about 16 months.” The deadline for gifts and pledges was September 30, 2023, and the preliminary tally stands at $251,700.
Struckhoff knew that C2FM had received extraordinary support when it first began back in 2016. “David and Thelma Steward and Bishop Bob Farr were instrumental in securing early funding for the original Lilly challenge,” Struckhoff notes. But since that time C2FM’s focus has been primarily on the mission – providing services and distributing funds in support of clergy and their families.
Raised for C2FM through the generosity of donors and matched gifts of the Lilly Endowment.
“This campaign benefitted from a much broader base of support, starting with the outstanding Foundation board of trustees and including clergy and laity across the state,” says Struckhoff. “Rev. Laura Murphy, the Foundation’s Director of Development, applied her extraordinary talents in organizing ‘friend-raisers’ around the state that allowed us to share the C2FM story with a much wider circle – and the response was tremendous – people get the importance of this work,” explains Struckhoff.
Struckhoff says that at the gatherings he often heard laity respond with understanding, compassion and sometimes a note of surprise to learn that pastors might struggle with their finances, often in isolation, for a wide variety of reasons, and many times due to financial hardships beyond their control. A common refrain was “I had no idea” after hearing statistics about the amount of average student loan debt from seminary or hearing personal stories of the harsh realities of relocation or the special challenges for clergy during the pandemic.
Many gifts are accompanied by notes citing not only a love for pastors, but also their purposeful intent to invest in pastors as agents of cultural and social change in their communities for the sake of the Gospel. As one donor noted, “Our pastors remind me of our medical professionals who have committed their lives to the wellbeing of others, often at the price of their own wellbeing.”
The campaign received over 135 gifts and pledges ranging from $25 to $22,000, including several gifts from retired and active Missouri clergy, and many memorial and tribute gifts in honor or memory of beloved pastors.
Struckhoff expresses special thanks to his informal team of colleagues and advisors. “This group was a great sounding board and generator of ideas and connections,” says Struckhoff. The team included Rev. Kim Jenne, Rev. Brad Reed, Rev. Mike Wondel, Rev. Laura Murphy, and David Atkins.
The Mission Has No Finish Line
C2FM’s mission is to continuously improve clergy and congregational excellence around financial literacy, leadership, discipleship, and ministry. In addition to financial coaching, clergy workshops, and scholarships, the C2FM Clergy Wellbeing Grant program is a living expression of this mission.
In much the same way, our Missouri pastors are a living expression of the mission of the United Methodist Church, to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. The effusive generosity and encouragement of C2FM donors and volunteers is a blessing that is sustaining the ministry of C2FM into the future.
If you would like to make a gift or access C2FM services, contact Mark Struckhoff at mstruckhoff@mumf.org or call 800-332-8238.
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Thank you!
Your gifts to C2FM were matched by the Lilly Endowment.
Contributions, tributes, honors & memorials were received July 22, 2022, through August 15, 2023.
Mary Beth Anderson
“In honor of Reverend Sharon Kichline”
Anonymous (4)
David and Emilie Atkins
“In honor of Reverend Mark Struckhoff”
“In honor of Reverend Mike Wondel”
Sydney Ann Atkins
“In memory of Reverend C.E. “Gene” Atkins”
Thomas Bannon
“In honor of Pastor Eric Anderson, Palmyra UMC”
Tracy and Roger Bautista, Jr.
Martha and James Blue
“In memory of my father, Reverend Paul Rundel”
“In honor of our former pastor Reverend Daniel Hilty”
Bob and Jan Brown
Charles and Pam Buck
Bob and Becky Courtney
Andy and Sue Dalton
Sharon Harvey Davis
Ruth Dickinson and Russell Fries
Suzanne Epperly
“In honor of Laura Murphy”
Sally Firestone
Charles Fishman
Charles and Colleen Foudree
Barry Freese
“In memory of Sara Freese”
Jon Gray
David and Barb Guess
Thomas and Deborah Hilton
Amy Hodges
Janet Jacobs
Kim Jenne
“In memory of Reverend Charlotte Ann Cowan”
John Korschot
Ermalyn and Greg Kubart
Margery Kuhler
“In memory of Roger Davis”
Fieldin and Laura LaPlant
Monett Lite
“In honor of Reverend Leo Shumaker”
Richard and Diane Luze
Barbara Maxwell
Ginny McTighe
“In honor of Pastor Peter Norton”
Methodist Benevolent Association
William and Pam Moench
Ann and Don Mowery
Mark and Lori Nelson
Trista and Sean Soendker Nicholson
David and Mary Norbury
Keith Oberbeck
Tiffany and Jeffrey Osborn
Adelaide and Robert Parsons
Al and Patti Penny
Gary and Lisa Powell
Brad and Raven Reed
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Reth
“In honor of Pastor Jim Day”
John William Ricketts
Robert and Beverly Rowlinson
Jeff and Julie Salmon
Stan and Linda Shipman
Gilbert and Katherine Smith
Karen Stokes
Mark Struckhoff
Terri and Joe Swan
“In memory of Jayne Kessler”
Tommy Taylor
“In memory of Dave Finestead”
Laurence and Sylvia Tucker
United Methodist Men of King’s Way UMC
Ronald and Sheryl Wachter
Robert and Lynette Williamson
Steve York