New endowment will fortify Wesley Institute
By Annette Bender
Recent financial gifts from a Kingsport man and a Cleveland couple will help the Wesley Institute in its mission to provide educational opportunities for clergy and laity.
Announced by Bishop Ray Chamberlain at Annual Conference, a gift of stock valued at $45,000 will add to a new endowment created to benefit the Wesley Institute. Following Annual Conference, Chamberlain announced that another gift of $10,000 had been received.
The two gifts, from Holston church members, will fortify the $25,000 endowment created this summer by the Holston Conference Foundation to honor its own 25th birthday. According to Executive Director Roger Redding, the foundation's goal is to help create alternative funding sources for ministries that receive minimal funding through apportionment dollars.
"We're trying to build up resources to do bigger and better things for the conference," Redding said.
In 2003, the Wesley Institute had a $42,500 annual budget to sponsor events such as the annual Ministers' Convocation or training for first-time appointees, according to Institute Director Rev. Caryl Griffin.
When apportionment giving dropped off in 2003, the conference budget was cut by 60 percent, leaving a $17,000 annual budget for the Wesley Institute throughout 2004 and 2005.
Conference leaders hope the new endowment, fortified by the generosity of church members, will help the Wesley Institute meet its goals.
"We need an endowment of at least $2 million for the Wesley Institute so it can provide the crucial re-tooling, spiritual formation, leadership development, continuing education in worship, preaching and theology for our clergy," Chamberlain said in a written statement. "We also need a laity certification program in theological leadership."
"How can we do it all without a full package?" Griffin said, referring to the $17,000 annual budget.
For more information about the endowment, contact Roger Redding at (865) 690-4080 or by e-mail. For information about the Wesley Institute, contact Caryl Griffin at (423) 928-2156 or by email.
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