Have you remembered Woodlawn in your estate planning?

The Woodlawn Endowment Society is a group of members who have donated or plan to donate to the Endowment Program. To become a member, please fill out a Donor Declaration Form using the links below. The form can be filled out online and submitted, or if you wish, can be printed to fill out and sent to endowment@woodlawnumc.net or to the Church office.

The Program was chartered in January of 2020 and consists of three general funds:

-The Legacy Unrestricted Fund will be the repository for gifts not otherwise specified for other funds.
-The College Scholarship Fund will be used for post high school education.
-The Building Funds will be used for future building needs.

The charter also allows for donor restricted funds such as those already established:

-Hubert and Jane Pomeroy Fund with use restricted to the General Fund.
-John and Mary Withers Fund with use restricted to Derby Community Family Services.
-It also allows for restricted gifts in the future to fund Christian ministry and missions as defined by the donor. Minimum gift limit applies.

The charter defines committee responsibilities, duties and makeup by clearly defining term limits and new member replacements annually. There are policies for receipt of gifts, investment of funds and spending limits.

The primary purpose of the Permanent Endowment Program is to provide a means for members and constituents of Woodlawn United Methodist Church to make gifts and bequests to provide a permanent endowment that will become a source for long-term financial support and living memorials to their faith. Gifts to the Permanent Endowment Program will be held in perpetuity, if not otherwise designated by the donor, with income to be used to further Christian ministry and mission. This includes support of ministries of the church, of the Great Plains Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, ministries of The United Methodist Church nationally or internationally, and any other Christian ministry or mission deemed appropriate by Woodlawn's Permanent Endowment and Planned Giving Committee.

These permanent endowment funds and resulting income are NOT intended to provide for the church's general operating expenses. It IS intended that the church's annual budgetary process, together with annual giving, shall support normal and customary church activities. Income from the permanent endowment funds should only be used to support ministries beyond standard local church activities or to provide temporary assistance in starting new ministries in the church.

The Program may accept both cash and non-cash gifts and bequests. Non-cash gifts may include corporate stock, mutual funds, bonds, bank deposits, real estate, grain, precious gems and metals, and other items deemed acceptable by the Permanent Endowment and Planned Giving Committee.

The Woodlawn Permanent Endowment and Planned Giving Committee is responsible for managing the fund and is currently made up of the following members:

Chairperson: TBD
Member at large: Coy Allen
Member at large: Jerry Campbell
Member at large: Ken Mulanax
Member at large: Rick Dirks
Member at large: Mary Mattley
Representative from Finance Committee: Ted Metcalf
Representative from Board of Trustees: Estellene McCormick
Senior Pastor: Lance Carrithers (without vote)
Treasurer: Phil Schroeder (without vote)

All funds are invested to maximize income while maintaining reasonable security of the investments consistent with United Methodist Social Principles and the required liquidity of the individual fund.

For more information about the Woodlawn Endowment and Planned Giving Program, please contact any of the committee members or the church office by phone at (316) 788-1507 or by mail at Woodlawn United Methodist Church, 431 South Woodlawn, Derby, KS 67037.

Hubert (Hap) and Jane Pomeroy were charter members of The Woodlawn Methodist Church when it started back in the mid 1950’s. When Hap retired from Boeing at the end of 1984 it was part of the Pomeroy’s estate plan to establish an endowment that would produce income to supplement their tithe to the church. At the thirtieth anniversary of the endowment and several years after Hap’s passing, we were honored to interview Jane on her recollections of the churches beginning and the thinking behind the initiation of their endowment which is still growing and producing income today.

The Woodlawn Endowment and Planned Giving Program works closely with The Kansas Methodist Foundation. The Foundation’s website is an excellent resource for trusted information about general estate planning and ways to support Woodlawn’s ministry in perpetuity. Click below to access these additional resources.