CLEMMONS — Imagine the value of an endowment that was established 50 or more years ago at the founding of a parish – that’s what Father James Stuhrenberg ponders in planning for the future of Holy Family Parish in Clemmons as it approaches its 40th anniversary in 2024.
“If an endowment was set up at a church’s very beginning, what would it be worth now?” he asks as he recalls the 50th and 80th anniversaries of his past parishes.
When it comes to his current parish, Father Stuhrenberg didn’t want any more time to slip away. In his desire to add to Holy Family’s security in a lasting way, he began speaking from the pulpit about the importance of planned giving.
It’s working.
Since he became pastor of Holy Family in 2020, four new endowments have been established, each in the 2021-’22 fiscal year, bringing the parish’s number of endowments to eight – some of which have been set up by individuals. Currently, there are 41 members of the Holy Family Parish Legacy Society and Catholic Heritage Society who are remembering the Church in their estate plans.
To establish an endowment, donors give $25,000 or more, which is then invested. The endowment then draws upon earnings from the investments only, not touching the principal, leaving a stable source of money to be used according to the endowment agreement terms. An individual can establish an endowment immediately, through their estate plan, or both.
One of the new endowments at the Clemmons parish is the Holy Family Scholarship Endowment Fund that provides tuition aid for parishioners. Many Holy Family parishioners have children who attend Our Lady of Mercy and St. Leo schools in Winston-Salem and Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville, Father Stuhrenberg noted.
“Catholic schools used to be run by the religious, but now they are run by lay people who support a family, so tuition continues to increase,” he said. “We started a scholarship program to help our parishioners obtain a Catholic education.”
The three additional endowments are the Holy Family Catholic Church Facilities Endowment Fund, which provides for facilities needs at the church; the Rieker Family Endowment Fund, which provides for liturgical needs such as Mass intentions, candles, vestments and hosts; and the St. Joseph Endowment Fund, which provides for the general needs of the parish.
Father Stuhrenberg said he is immensely grateful to everyone who has contributed to the endowments.
He encourages further growth of these funds by holding second collections to build on the principal of the endowments. Parishioners can also give to these efforts through the parish’s website.
Other efforts include the establishment of a parish planned giving committee and hiring a development/stewardship staff position at the parish.
“Father James is doing a wonderful job educating his parishioners on the benefits of proper estate planning,” said Gina Rhodes, director of planned giving for the Diocese of Charlotte. “His commitment and leadership are having a positive impact. We welcome all parishes to work with our office in encouraging parishioners to remember the Church in their estate plans.”
Father Stuhrenberg added that donations to help a parish with immediate needs fixes only the problem of today, but endowments set up security for the future.
To illustrate this, he said, “Many people invest in a 401(k) so that they will have a sustainable income many years in the future. Endowments could be just like that for our parish. Instead of a retirement fund, it’s a stability fund.”
— Annie Ferguson
Fund an endowment
Interested in setting up – or adding to – an endowment to benefit your parish or Catholic school? You can establish an endowment in the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation by leaving a bequest in a will, a beneficiary designation from a retirement plan, a trust or annuity, or a gift of real estate, life insurance, cash or securities. For details, contact Gina Rhodes at 704-370-3364 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
MOUNT HOLLY — Teenage volunteers gave their time and hearts this summer to help support the residents of Holy Angels as part of its Volunteen program.
“The Volunteen program was a really great opportunity to do good and spread God’s love,” said Volunteen Lila McGarry, an incoming freshman at Charlotte Catholic High School. “Holy Angels is filled with so much love, and it is a wonderful place to volunteer.”
Holy Angels has provided residential services for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and complex medical needs since 1955. This is the first time the organization welcomed back the Volunteens since the beginning of the pandemic.
Program attendees supported residents through art and music therapy, visits to Camp Hope, playing games and lots of conversations, leaving a lasting impact on the lives of the residents.
“The Volunteen program holds special significance at Holy Angels, bridging the gap between generations and nurturing the spirit of compassion and service within our younger supporters,” said Holy Angels President and CEO Kerri Massey. “These dedicated teens exemplify the core values of Holy Angels, demonstrating the profound impact they make through genuine connections and acts of kindness. We hope they had an exceptional experience and created a lifetime of memories.”
The Volunteens bonded with many of the residents and staff, creating friendships that will last beyond the summer.
Aidan Flynn, another Charlotte Catholic High School freshman, expressed his appreciation for the program’s impact.
“The Volunteen program is great because it gives teenagers the opportunity to develop a relationship with those individuals who are differently-abled, along with the team members who have the biggest hearts,” Flynn said. “I made several new friends, including one resident, Mark. We had so much fun playing cornhole. It meant a lot to me that he drew a picture of both of us playing football for the Seattle Seahawks. This was a life-changing experience.”
Throughout the summer, the volunteens brought so much enthusiasm, igniting smiles and laughter, and instilling a sense of belonging within the community.
“Holy Angels is a really beautiful place,” McGarry added. “Everyone I met was so loving and kind. I love all the residents and all their unique and wonderful personalities. It was a blessing to be a part of Holy Angels.”
— Shawn Flynn
Get involved
Get involvedInterested in becoming a Holy Angels volunteer or Volunteen? Contact Holy Angels Foundation at 704-825-4161 or go online to www.holyangelsnc.org.