Full Circle: The Coopers Pay It Forward
Grace, gratitude, and legacy
“Gratitude generates generosity,” is a matter-of-fact statement that you will hear from Dustin Cooper. And he should know.
As a pastor and church generosity consultant for the last five decades, Dustin has come to some conclusions about human nature, faith, and the path of discipleship.
“You see people in churches with a heart for faith, for discipleship, for the mission of the church – and gratitude is what serves as the basis for that passion – gratitude for what faith and involvement in the church’s mission has done in their lives.”
Dustin and his wife, Ruth, know both sides of this virtuous circle. When he was a student in seminary at Candler, Ruth had a serious health issue requiring surgery and a lengthy hospital stay at Emory University Hospital. “When we checked out, I had no idea how we were going to pay the bill. That concern vanished when the hospital told us that a fund had been created by an anonymous donor to pay the bills for seminary students.”
“Someone we never met, someone who had a heart for pastors, gave us a gift that we can never repay,” says Dustin. That is just one of many instances when the Coopers felt overwhelmed by divine grace and gratitude.
Paying it forward
“Tithing is something that Ruth and I have always done, and we always intended to tithe our estate,” explains Dustin. The challenging part was deciding where to direct the gift.
After taking the “Putting Your House in Order” seminar through the Missouri Methodist Foundation, they decided to update their estate plan. “We realized that our church family was really our clergy colleagues across the Conference. I was licensed in 1973 and ordained as a deacon in 1979. So many of our friends are also clergy, and we wanted to give back to our brothers and sisters in ministry. Working with clergy across our connection has only deepened that appreciation.”
That’s where the Missouri United Methodist Foundation came in. “I have known the Foundation president, David Atkins, for a long time, and he was so informative and helpful,” states Dustin.
The Coopers decided to earmark a portion of the proceeds from an IRA (Individual Retirement Account) along with a bequest to create a charitable fund at the Foundation. “David helped us create a document for the fund that our estate gifts will create, including a name for the fund – “The Clergy Helping Clergy Fund.”
“This gift is our way of taking this covenant seriously,” says Dustin. “So many clergy are being helped through the C2FM program, and we hope that the name will invite others to add gifts to the fund over time.”
The Clergy Helping Clergy Fund is envisioned as a sustaining fund for the work of the C2FM program at the Foundation. C2FM (the Clergy & Church Financial Ministry) was started several years ago with a grant from the Lilly Endowment. C2FM offers financial coaching and ‘well-being grants’ to clergy and their families to address financial challenges.
David helped us create a document for the fund that our estate gifts will create, including a name for the fund – ‘The Clergy Helping Clergy Fund.‘
Dustin is clear in his discernment when he says, “Tithing our estate is a part of our faith journey and call to discipleship. It is an expression of our gratitude to God for this life we have lived. No matter the size of one’s estate, you can make a difference.”
If you would like to discuss ways to set up a legacy gift, call the Foundation at 800-332-8238. You can join with the Coopers in supporting the Clergy Helping Clergy Fund or create a fund of your own to benefit your church or another favorite ministry.