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*This story has been previously shared in the News in the Pews.
Before Carol and Gary Forrester were married, they met a widowed elderly woman in their church named Isabel Swank.
Mrs. Swank was a delightful person to know. Everyone in church loved and admired her. Upon her death, the congregation discovered that she had left a sum of money to the church with stipulations as to how it was to be spent. It was to be called the “Swank Seminary Fund” and was to be used to help seminary students who were members of their church to pay their tuition.
Up until that point, there had never been a member of that church who had chosen to attend seminary. However, in the years following Mrs. Swank's gift, four members arose to the challenge, and, with additional funds donated to the fund, all graduated from seminary. All became ordained pastors in the Lutheran church.
What an amazing legacy Mrs. Swank had left for her church.
Now, many years later, Carol and Gary began discussing what their own legacy would be. Both remembered Mrs. Swank and decided that a seminarian fund would be most appropriate. So, after discussions with Pastor Marc, Peg Piper (chair of the Hope Endowment Fund), Pastor Ana Lugo from the ELCA Foundation, the Endowment Committee, and the Church Council, they established the “Hope Theological Education Fund."
The purpose of the fund is to provide tuition assistance to seminary students who expressed a desire to become an ordained Christian minister in the Lutheran faith. It is intended to lift up future pastors from within Hope Lutheran Church to serve the Lutheran Church and our communities.
Gary says, "I can say that with discussions among just the few people already conversant with the fund, enthusiasm has resulted in 40% of the initial requirement being provided upon the fund being fully authorized which was approved by Hope’s council on September 20, 2022."
The Forrester's also challenge anyone among Hope's congregation who may be feeling called by the Lord to give to this fund. "Perhaps you, too, might be interested in such a legacy being part of your future plans," they say. "Perhaps, you, too, might be wanting to set up a way that you can be a part of the future of the growth of the Lutheran Church. Perhaps you, too, might want to help ensure that Christ is the center of life."
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