Atonement Lutheran Church and Preschool

Atonement Endowment Program

A planned giving opportunity to help grow the Kingdom of God

The Atonement Endowment Program (AEP) supports the one mission that all individuals at Atonement Lutheran Church have in common: To touch the lives of others with God’s surprising grace. Gifts and contributions to AEP enable it to fund ideas related to Christian ministry and service projects. These ideas can come from not only Atonement’s leaders but also staff, members and friends. AEP therefore is a vehicle for the entire church community, not just a select few. Grants are awarded by an independent committee based on an idea’s demonstrated grace, creativity and passion for the proposed use of the funds.

Check Out the 2019 AEP Projects

Donating to AEP is Convenient…

Text your donation to 614-500-4721. Please include “Endowment” with your donation amount (e.g. $100 Endowment). The first time you text a donation you will need to go through a process to provide the funding source.
Set up a one-time or recurring donation.
Complete a donation form and mail it to the attention of the AEP Char, 1621 Francisco Road, Columbus, OH 43220, or email it to alcendowment@googlegroups.com.
- Additional information about the Endowment Program can be obtained by contacting the AEP Chair at 614-451-1880, or alcendowment@googlegroups.com.

Building the Kingdom

For 50 years, Atonement Lutheran Church has sought to spread the love of Christ and his mercy within and beyond the boundaries of Atonement. Today, we are strengthening this effort by establishing AEP as a vehicle for putting the congregation’s various talents and ideas into action. While we are one in mission, our ideas and talents are varied and need a vehicle for expression.

How to Support the AEP

The Atonement Endowment Program needs your prayers and financial support to be an instrument of Jesus Christ, to be a lasting anchor for Atonement Lutheran Church and a catalyst for new ministries. Contributing to AEP is one way of putting your faith into action, as all dollars earned on investments will be distributed in a measured, thoughtful way to support the long-term growth of God’s Kingdom.

Create a legacy with your gift to AEP. The Endowment Program gratefully accepts one-time and recurring gifts of any amount. Please consider AEP when you are:

Planning your estate
Considering a memorial gift
Making a gift of thanksgiving
Considering a charity of your choice
Thinking about your legacy
Occasionally supplementing your regular giving to Atonement

Some examples of creative ways to leave your legacy include:

Cash
Securities
Life Insurance & Annuities
Retirement Plans

Real Estate
Trusts & Wills
Donor Advised Funds
Remainder Gifts & Trusts

Donors interested in giving $50,000 or more have the option of designating restrictions on how earnings from the gifts are used, provided the restrictions are consistent with AEP’s policies. Gifts of $50,000 or more also come with the opportunity to name the fund. Two or more donors can make a combined gift to establish a legacy to their special ministry at Atonement Lutheran Church. Please see the donor guidelines for more details.

Help for Developing a Plan

Our Stewardship Committee partners with Eileen Fitzenreiter, Gift Planning Counselor from the Lutheran Church’s Missouri Synod Foundation, to hold informational meetings regarding charitable giving and will awareness. Eileen is available to Atonement members and others to help develop a lifetime plan for giving. She takes participants step-by-step through the challenges, questions and information needed to tackle the most frequent gifting and legacy matters. The confidential service includes a discussion of your goals and how the opportunities and benefits in charitable planning might fit these goals. This service is available at no cost and with no commitment for making gifts to the Atonement Endowment Program. If you are interested in speaking or meeting with Eileen to discuss your legacy for Atonement she can be reached at 419-599-0213.

Distribution of Earnings from the AEP

Each year, Atonement members, leaders and friends of the congregation will submit applications to request financial support for their proposed programs or projects for new ministries, as well as continued support for programs in their infancy stage. A rotating committee of Atonement members and leaders will select one or more proposals to be funded from earnings of the AEP investments. To date, AEP provided funding for:

Atonement Lutheran Preschool bible distribution
Atonement High School Youth supporting Star House, an organization supporting homeless youth
K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry
English as a Second Language (ESL) program. ESL has allowed us to build new relationships and strengthen existing relationships with families in our immediate community. The Family ESL at Atonement Steering Committee stated, “We ask that God will open doors through these relationships for the Gospel to be planted.”

How Can I Request Funding for a Special Program or Project?

You can request funding to support new ministries annually by submitting a completed application during the months of July - September. Download the AEP Award Application by clicking here. To learn more about the process of submitting a proposal, see the AEP Call for Proposal flyer.

Contact Information

Please contact the AEP Chair if you would like further information or have questions about Atonement’s Endowment Program. The AEP Chair can be reached at alcendowment@googlegroups.com or by telephone at 614-451-1880.

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