St. Paul’s United Methodist Church Foundation, an Iowa nonprofit corporation, was established by the church in 1975 to administer the church’s endowment and to identify and develop opportunities for further growth through current and legacy gifts.
Over the past 45 years the Foundation’s assets have grown dramatically as generous church members and friends have left legacy gifts. Many gifts have been without restriction, while about two dozen special funds have been established to support specific ministries of St. Paul’s UMC. Each year distributions are made to the Church from the investment of these funds. In the last 20 years alone, the Foundation has provided $3,382,000 to support ministries and projects of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.
Leaving a Legacy
Since its beginnings in the 1840s, St. Paul’s UMC and its ministries have been sustained by the vision and commitment of generous people. St. Paul’s members give willingly of their time and resources to insure the ministries of Jesus Christ are made visible in our community and beyond. The Foundation provides these generous people an opportunity to insure their values will live on past their own lifetimes by providing perpetual support for St. Paul’s UMC.
Foster a vibrant spirit of Christian stewardship and generosity to create a perpetual source of income which strengthens the financial capabilities of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church and thereby assists the church in fulfilling its stated mission: St. Paul’s United Methodist Church: a people GATHERED, FORMED, and SENT by God’s grace.
Where does your heart lead you to give? Do you have a passion for or a special interest in a particular mission or ministry of the church? Or perhaps in some aspect of faith formation or worship?
The Foundation offers a variety of existing funds covering a broad range of ministries, missions, and future needs, including:
The Foundation gratefully accepts gifts of cash or securities, gifts made through bequests, charitable gift annuities, trusts, retirement assets, and life insurance. Learn more about ways to give to the Foundation.
The John Wesley Heritage Societyhonors the dedicated St. Paul’s members and friends who have chosen to include St. Paul’s in their estate plan or who have made a current gift to an endowed fund. You can join the John Wesley Heritage Society when you declare a gift to the St. Paul’s Foundation.
Please visit with Executive Director, Jerry Oakland, to develop a “Gift Agreement” with the Foundation. He can be reached at 319-200-1066 or Foundation.Director@stpaulsumc.org.
Rev. Jerry Oakland is a retired United Methodist Pastor who has participated in the ministries of St. Paul's since 2011. Jerry and his wife Barb relocated to Marion after his retirement from serving United Methodist Churches in Iowa for 32 years. From 2011-2016, Jerry served as the Director of Development and Communications at Matthew 25 in Cedar Rapids. Since joining St. Paul’s, Jerry has been active in the Sanctuary Choir, Serendipity Class, and the Church Council.
Lana Lodge, a member of St. Paul’s UMC since 1994, has been selected to serve as Treasurer of the Foundation Board. She is active in several areas of church life, singing in the Sanctuary Choir and serving in areas such as worship and arts ministry. She is a member of the Seekers Sunday school class. She and her husband Kevin raised their daughters, Hannah and Sarah, at St. Paul’s. Lana retired in 2022 after a 30-year career at Transamerica. She has a B.A. in Accounting and Business Administration from Coe College.
Learn More
For more information on the Foundation or to discuss how you can make a difference in the future of St. Paul’s, contact Rev. Jerry Oakland, Executive Director, at 319-200-1066 or Foundation.Director@stpaulsumc.org. All inquiries are confidential.
St. Paul's United Methodist Church Foundation, the Iowa Annual Conference United Methodist Church Foundation, and the United Methodist Church General Board of Higher Education and Ministry offer a variety of scholarships and loans to students attending United Methodist and other accredited colleges and universities. Some scholarships and loans are reserved for seminary students. These scholarships, awarded from funds given in love and faith, are truly the intersection of faith and learning, with hope for the future.
For more information on the Foundation or to discuss how you can make a difference in the future of St. Paul’s, contact Rev. Jerry Oakland, Executive Director, at 319-200-1066 or Foundation.Director@stpaulsumc.org. All inquiries are confidential.
Employment Opportunities
St. Paul’s UMC Foundation is seeking a qualified candidate for the position of Executive Director. This position is being vacated by Jerry Oakland who has announced plans to retire later in 2023. Jerry has held the position since May 2017; we thank him for his leadership.
The objective of this one-quarter time position as an independent contractor is to provide the Christian-based leadership necessary to successfully implement the development strategies, objectives, policies, and programs of the St. Paul’s UMC Foundation to support the missional priorities of St. Paul’s UMC. Apply here
Witness the many visible ways the St. Paul’s Foundation helps us answer God’s call for our church. Read the Foundation’s quarterly Messenger newsletter.
