"A Mark of Spiritual Maturity"

 I just recently received a check in the mail for $28,029.09 along with a letter from The United Methodist Foundation, which manages some of the financial assets of Noel Church as well as a great number of other churches in our Louisiana Conference.

The letter made me so proud of our church, and I wanted to share it with you.  It listed three "estates" or "trusts" that have been deposited with the Foundation.

- The Bertrand & Eleanor Greve Life Estate,

- The Robert & Billie Haacker Life Estate, and

- The Donna Davis Unitrust

Here is what was written in the letter:

Dear Flint,

   The enclosed check is an expression of spiritual maturity.  It is the result of a planned gift made by members of your church years ago.  The gift is now an endowment designed to provide income for your ministry in the future.

   Ernest Campbell described spiritual maturity in his poem "Understanding Maturity" when he wrote:

"To be young is to worship in churches we did not build.

To be mature is to build churches in which we may not worship."

   Other members of Noel may wish to learn how to increase their income, save taxes, and provide for the future of Noel.  For those who would like to learn how, we can help them explore the possibilities of that kind of spiritual maturity with no cost or obligation. 

As your pastor, I know you will want to join me in celebrating and giving thanks for the spiritual maturity, the foresight, and the generous and faithful Christian stewardship of not only Bert & Eleanor Greve, Robert & Billie Haacker, and Donna Davis, but many others.  Through their gifts to Noel, they have helped to continue the great legacy and future ministry of the church that has meant so much to them and to you.

If you are wanting to do the same, please let me know, and together we can make that happen.

Deep peace to you,

Flint