Church unaware of bequest until recently
By Russ Oechslin Journal correspondent | Posted: Sunday, October 14, 2007
ROYAL, Iowa -- Knowing that hundreds or even thousands of bidders and spectators are expected to be in Spencer, Iowa, Saturday for the sale of 57 antique DeSoto automobiles, the Rev. Deb Mechler, jokes that she "may just decide to walk" to the sale from her home on the west side of the city to the Soccer Complex on the east edge of the city to avoid traffic.
Even though she's not an antique car buff, Mechler has more than just a passing interest in the sale. She is pastor of Royal's Bethlehem Lutheran (ELCA) which is named in Constance Binder's Will as the recipient of the proceeds of the sale which one of those involved estimates could be "a half-million dollars -- plus."
Mechler, who has been Bethlehem's pastor only since June 1 and did not know about the bequest at the time of her calling, says her job now "is to prepare the church spiritually for such a large bequest. We need to be prepared for the stewardship of this money. We want to keep it in the perspective of the much larger gift God has given us."
The church council has agreed to take its time in making any decision about the gift through a discernment process, she added. The group has not formally discussed the possibilities, but will hold an informational congregational meeting Oct. 25.
"The one thing we do agree on is that the money will not be put into our general fund," Mechler notes.
With about 500 baptized and 375 confirmed members, Bethlehem's proposed budget for the coming year is $137,000. About 125 attend Sunday morning services in a 40-year-old church that seats 200.
"It's a young and growing church. We want Deb to help us with that," explains church council member Kay Kracht.
"The Binders gave with the best intention to church they loved so much. Connie worked in the church a lot -- on the altar guild and all. She was as active as she could be. I'm quite concerned about the gift, though," Kracht adds.
"It's a difficult, difficult decision for the church to make. I hope we can handle it with God's grace. We need to find a place where God wants us to use this gift. It is His will."
Part of Kracht's concern is that some people might stop active giving to the church if they feel it has too much money.
The church council vice president, Sherry Toft, who along with council president Keith Kruse met with the bank's trustee and the auctioneer to discuss the situation, shares Kracht's thoughts. Toft says she, too is "cautious."
"I'm concerned that with a large gift people will stop giving. But the decision on using the gift is up to the congregation, not the council," Toft says.
While some members have informally discussed mission work and an endowment, Toft says she has no idea what the congregation's decision will be. "We have a very responsible congregation. And I expect it will handle the large gift responsibly."
Bethlehem already has one endowment fund which is used for charitable purposes. And the church is a very active part of the Royal community, a town of 479.
While Toft refuses to speculate on the outcome of the auction, she says "It will be a fun thing to see. I understand they will put the cars fin-to-fin. It's been kinda fun. I've learned a lot."
Harold Christensen, whose great-great-grandfather homesteaded in the area, was one of the Binders' neighbors, and says he was not surprised at Binder's bequest.
"I was not surprised to see the church receiving so much. She was a good member. They were both good members," he says.
Like others in the Bethlehem congregation, Christensen, who is still farming with the fifth and sixth generation of his family, says very matter-of-factly "Deb has already written to us on how not to get carried away on this. We need to somehow thank Connie for giving use this gift. It could have gone somewhere else."
Even though she's not an antique car buff, Mechler has more than just a passing interest in the sale. She is pastor of Royal's Bethlehem Lutheran (ELCA) which is named in Constance Binder's Will as the recipient of the proceeds of the sale which one of those involved estimates could be "a half-million dollars -- plus."
Mechler, who has been Bethlehem's pastor only since June 1 and did not know about the bequest at the time of her calling, says her job now "is to prepare the church spiritually for such a large bequest. We need to be prepared for the stewardship of this money. We want to keep it in the perspective of the much larger gift God has given us."
The church council has agreed to take its time in making any decision about the gift through a discernment process, she added. The group has not formally discussed the possibilities, but will hold an informational congregational meeting Oct. 25.
"The one thing we do agree on is that the money will not be put into our general fund," Mechler notes.
With about 500 baptized and 375 confirmed members, Bethlehem's proposed budget for the coming year is $137,000. About 125 attend Sunday morning services in a 40-year-old church that seats 200.
"It's a young and growing church. We want Deb to help us with that," explains church council member Kay Kracht.
"The Binders gave with the best intention to church they loved so much. Connie worked in the church a lot -- on the altar guild and all. She was as active as she could be. I'm quite concerned about the gift, though," Kracht adds.
"It's a difficult, difficult decision for the church to make. I hope we can handle it with God's grace. We need to find a place where God wants us to use this gift. It is His will."
Part of Kracht's concern is that some people might stop active giving to the church if they feel it has too much money.
The church council vice president, Sherry Toft, who along with council president Keith Kruse met with the bank's trustee and the auctioneer to discuss the situation, shares Kracht's thoughts. Toft says she, too is "cautious."
"I'm concerned that with a large gift people will stop giving. But the decision on using the gift is up to the congregation, not the council," Toft says.
While some members have informally discussed mission work and an endowment, Toft says she has no idea what the congregation's decision will be. "We have a very responsible congregation. And I expect it will handle the large gift responsibly."
Bethlehem already has one endowment fund which is used for charitable purposes. And the church is a very active part of the Royal community, a town of 479.
While Toft refuses to speculate on the outcome of the auction, she says "It will be a fun thing to see. I understand they will put the cars fin-to-fin. It's been kinda fun. I've learned a lot."
Harold Christensen, whose great-great-grandfather homesteaded in the area, was one of the Binders' neighbors, and says he was not surprised at Binder's bequest.
"I was not surprised to see the church receiving so much. She was a good member. They were both good members," he says.
Like others in the Bethlehem congregation, Christensen, who is still farming with the fifth and sixth generation of his family, says very matter-of-factly "Deb has already written to us on how not to get carried away on this. We need to somehow thank Connie for giving use this gift. It could have gone somewhere else."
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