A reflection on giving back, by Gates DeHart
As a single man endowed with a modicum of wealth and few financial responsibilities or burdens, it has always been my pleasure to pledge at least a tithe of my income to the church each year. As my sister, Betty Stanley, says, “Gates, it’s all God’s money.” I believe this with every fiber of my being, else I could not, in good conscience, say, “All things come of Thee, oh Lord, and of Thine own have we given Thee.” When I “cross over the bar,” St. John’s Endowment Fund will receive a tenth of what remains of my estate – could be a nickel, could be a considerable amount – only God knows – but I will feel good about that aspect of my life at St. John’s, an incredibly blessed one during these 50 glorious years it has been my privilege to be a part of this place at the corner of Jefferson and Elm Avenue.
This is the first in a series of periodic reflections from the Endowment Board of St. John’s Episcopal Church.
Photo by David Hungate, Dominion Images
We Gather 