O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever

O give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever…

(Psalm 136:1, 3-4, NRSVUE)

Forever is one of those words that I can never fully wrap my head around. As a child, it seemed like there were many things that lasted forever. Waiting for the end of the school year seemed eternal. Having to stay inside when it rained for days on end was agonizing. Worst of all were the multiple hours spent in the backseat on the way to the beach. No matter how many times I asked, “Are we there yet?” time just stood still on the highway.

And yet, forever doesn’t have to take on a negative connotation. The psalmist uses the familiar refrain “[the Lord’s] steadfast love endures forever” a remarkable 27 times in Psalm 136. It is comforting to know that God’s love never ceases. Perhaps the psalmist had good reason to repeat this phrase over and over again. There seems to be instructions hidden in the text: Read these words, say these words aloud, until they become a part of your very soul. “The steadfast love of the Lord endures forever.”

In my work as a Ministry Relations Officer, I often get to tell stories of the impact that a single gift can make on the life and mission of a congregation. I think of gifts that faithful disciples have made, sometimes through their will or estate plans, that have enabled their church to sustain their ministries for generations.

Our first endowment at the Presbyterian Foundation, given by Elias Boudinot, dates back to 1821. That gift has been funding ministry for more than two centuries, and it’s still going strong today. We now manage more than 7,000 endowments that provide a reliable income stream for congregations and Presbyterian ministries in perpetuity.

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of preaching at Park Lake Presbyterian Church in Orlando, Florida. They were celebrating their 100^th anniversary – which is not something you see every day in Florida! Not long after my visit, one of the elders of Park Lake, Mackenzie Bertram, reached out to me. She wanted to create a permanent endowment that would support her congregation forever.

As we talked, Mackenzie asked a wonderful question I hadn’t been asked before. “Can my mother and I create this endowment together?” Her mother, Melahn Murphy, was also a faithful member of Park Lake. Over the next few weeks, we worked together to make their vision a reality. And the Melahn Murphy and Mackenzie Bertram Hope Fund was born!

Hope.  That is the perfect word to describe what funds like these offer to our congregations.  In a changing world where so many things are uncertain, an endowment like the Hope Fund can bring peace of mind both to the donor and the beneficiary. The donor can rest assured that once their gift has been made, there’s nothing else they need to do. The beneficiary can rely on receiving a gift each and every year.

It brings me such joy to think about how this generous gift will be a blessing to Park Lake throughout its second century and beyond what any of us will see on this side of heaven. How might your generosity make an impact in the life of the Church of Jesus Christ today, a year from now, and for generations to come?

I invite you to consider creating a permanent endowment fund to support a congregation or Presbyterian-related ministry that is near to your heart. Such a gift can be a great way to demonstrate to the world that God’s love does indeed endure forever! If you’d like to learn more, reach out to your Ministry Relations Officer. We are honored to walk alongside you wherever your generosity journey takes you.