Midwest Methodist Foundation

This month, James Lumberg of SouthCol Advisors presented the quarterly market review, "Uneven Momentum," for constituents of the Foundation.

Check it out and share it with anyone you think may find this independent and long-term perspective helpful, a contrast to the frenetic, minute-by-minute commentary of talking heads in the business media.

www.youtube.com

August is National Make-A-Will Month. More than half of American adults do not have a will. The Foundation offers a free will and estate planning tool on our planned giving website. Check it out!
https://methodistgift.org/?pageID=99&destPageID=wills

Happy 250th Birthday to America!

In his 2025 book, The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, Walter Isaacson unpacks, word-by-word, this famous sentence in the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."

The Declaration is just that, a declaration, not a document with the force of law, like the Constitution or legislative statutes. And yet the Declaration of Independence continues to be the most influential document for governmental aspirations in human history.

It is up to us to make those aspirations a reality.

Similarly, Jesus declared a preface to his aspirations in Mark 1:14-15: "Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the good news of God and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.'"

"the kingdom of God has come near" ... that's the declaration, that's the "good news."

Maybe our calling as Christian Americans is to repent and to believe we are all "created equal," and to make both of those aspirations a reality.

Happy Fourth of July to you and yours!

Thank you to everyone who visited with us this week at Northern Illinois Conference - UMC and ate the best chocolate!

"German utilities expressed many of the same concerns nearly a decade ago when plug-in solar started to become popular in Germany. But with more than a million systems installed, no safety incidents have been reported for customers who used the panels as instructed, according to a research paper funded by the U.S. Department of Energy."

"In Germany, smaller plug-in panels cost just a few hundred dollars, and customers can recover that in saved energy bills within seven years. The panels should continue to produce power for up to 30 years."

Easy-to-use solar panels are coming, but utilities are trying to delay them Utilities are convincing lawmakers around the U.S. to delay bills that would allow people to buy solar panels, plug them into an outlet and begin generating electricity.

Dollars for Scholars deadline has been extended to March 20!
Undergrads, are you attending a UMC-related school?
Pastors, are you pursuing a D.Min. at a UMC-related school?
This is for you!

‼️BIG NEWS‼️The application deadline for UMHEF scholarships has been extended to March 20! Take advantage of these life-changing opportunities today. Link in comments.

There are less than TWO WEEKS left to apply for UMHEF scholarships for the 2026-2027 school year. Deadline: March 1

🎓 For members of The United Methodist Church and select other Methodist-traditions
🎓 Preference given to students attending UM-related colleges, universities, and seminaries
🎓 $2 MILLION awarded every year; scholarship amounts vary

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

May the True Light enlighten your heart, and may you be a witness to the world!

"What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people ... and we have seen his glory ... full of grace and truth." - John 1

Filmed at their 50th anniversary gathering in August 2025, this mini documentary tells the story of Sisbro Folx, a non-geographic covenant community, that was formed in 1975 by seminarians at Evangelical Theological Seminary, now Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.

Sisbro Folx donate 2% of their income each year to their donor-advised fund to grant to charitable causes that express their values.

Midwest Methodist Foundation is honored to be the public charity sponsor of Sisbro Folx’s DAF for decades.

Sisbro Folx Mini Documentary - Midwest Methodist Foundation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOaQTQ5PWbo Filmed at their 50th anniversary gathering in August 2025, this mini documentary tells the story of Sisbro Folx, a non-geographic covenant community, that was formed in 1975 by seminarians at Evangelical Theological Seminary, now Garrett-Evangelical Theolo...

"We give, not alone, but together, weaving our gifts into God's vision of a Beloved Community." Provocative and encouraging thoughts from Angela Johnson of RootedGood on "stewardship."

Stewardship. What is in a word? Email from RootedGood The Newsletter of RootedGood Vol 18 October 1 2025 The Newsletter of RootedGood Vol.18 October 1 2025 Faithfulness. Generosity. Discipleship. This is how we partner in mutual ca