This letter was sent via email and mail (those without email addresses) on June 29, 2016. Please carefully read the letter and contact any member of the Endowment Board for more information. The survey will be available in the coming weeks. A printable version of the letter is available here.
River Road Church, Baptist Endowment Fund
8000 River Road, Richmond, VA 23229
804-288-1131 | www.rrcb.org/endowmentfund
June 29, 2016
Dear River Road Church Members,
The River Road Church, Baptist Endowment Fund was established in 1967 to support and benefit our church. The fund has grown because of the foresight and dedication of church members who believed that Christian stewardship includes providing for the ongoing work of God’s kingdom in their estate plans. Their gifts have made it possible for the Endowment Fund to contribute more than $2.3 million to the church since 2002. These gifts have funded capital, operating, and program needs. As of June 28, 2016, the Endowment Fund had investments of approximately $8.8 million.
We will mark the 50th anniversary of the Endowment Fund in 2017. The Endowment Board of Directors believes this will be an appropriate time to engage members in discussions about how to support our church through planned giving through their estate plans. The Board has engaged Horizons Stewardship to consult with us as we study how best to approach this effort. Dr. Tom Melzoni, our consultant for the recent Rejoice & Give Thanks capital campaign, will also be our consultant on this project.
To start, Dr. Melzoni will conduct a stewardship assessment which will include a survey of all members as well as thirty-minute interviews with some members. Both the survey and interview results will be confidential, and no comments will be attributed to individuals. We ask that you complete the survey and agree to be interviewed if asked.
Recognizing that ongoing stewardship and planned giving are closely connected, the Endowment Board has invited the Stewardship Committee to participate in this study, so that it may consider the results of the stewardship assessment as it plans the church’s stewardship emphases.
Thank you in advance for completing the survey and for participating in the interviews. Please feel free to contact me or any member of the Endowment Board if you have questions.
Your love and support of River Road Church, and the love and support of members who preceded us, have enabled us to accomplish much. May our church continue to receive God’s blessings and continue to enrich our lives.
Sincerely,
Ransone Hartz
President