Letter from the Executive Director
 
Dear Friend of the Foundation,
 
How time flies! The Foundation has recently reached a number of important milestones in its short history. In November, we celebrated our 5th anniversary as an organization and our 3rd anniversary as an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) tax exempt entity. And February of next year will mark four years since I joined the Foundation as its first Executive Director.
 
The Foundation has two main purposes: To serve God's faithful (you!) by helping you plan your stewardship (and carry out those plans), and to help fund Kingdom work.  Our efforts are ongoing and, like most ministries, we will never really "finish" or finally accomplish those purposes.  But, with God's blessing and your help, we believe we have made great strides in a very short time.
 
Let me share just a few examples . . .  As I have described before, the Foundation helped a faithful Westminster family complete a $200,000 planned gift to benefit Westminster Park. That process began with a gift to Westminster Foundation in 2006 that helped the family with their tax planning and concluded earlier this year when the final payment was made for the new buildings at Westminster Park.  Over that three year period, God allowed us to serve that faithful Westminster family and to help fund Kingdom work. What a blessing! For the whole story, visit www.westminsterfoundation.com.
 
Earlier this year, we reached a couple of Kingdom-funding milestones.  In May, the Foundation took in its "first million" in gifts or contributions, with individual amounts ranging in size from $25 to several thousand dollars. Most of these contributions were made to "donor advised funds" and have been, or will be, distributed to other frontline ministries (see below), but some of these contributions were undesignated and used to support the Foundation's own operations.
 
And in October, the Foundation reached its "first million to ministry." In addition to funding our own operations, the Foundation has now distributed over $1,300,000 to frontline ministries. These include Westminster-related ministries - WPC, WCCS, the Towers, RUF and others - but we have also provided funding to 25 other churches and ministries including Palmetto Pregnancy Center, First ARP Church, Camp Canaan and several missions organizations. Again, what a blessing! For a complete list of the Gospel-based churches and ministries with which we have "partnered" (or are prepared to partner), please visit www.westminsterfoundation.com.  This list is always growing, so please let us know of other churches or ministries on your heart!
 
In closing, thank YOU for all you do for the Kingdom, whether through the Foundation or not. Our partnerships with other ministries would not be possible without the financial and prayer support from those individuals and families we have served along the way.  We hope you have a blessed Christmas season and look forward to staying in touch in 2010. Please do not hesitate to call me or Julie Grider if we can ever be of assistance.
 
                                                                        In His Service,
 
                                                                        Edwin Barnes, Jr.