THE GIFT OF A LIFETIME

Last Sunday we celebrated the life of Helen Hawkins Wright and her devotion to Park Hill Christian Church.

Helen had many titles during her time here on earth.  She was a mother to Barbara, John and Jeff.  A wife to John Hawkins, and years after losing John, a wife to Dick Wright.  Helen served her church in so many roles, not the least of which were as a youth sponsor, a girl scout leader and a deacon.

As most knew, Helen was involved in the SPEAC Pantry.  But what you may not have known was that Helen originally started the Pantry out of her home !  The space constraints and demands soon forced her to find a larger venue, and that venue became Park Hill Christian Church.  For years, the Northland Pantry operated out of our Church.  Eventually it even outgrew our space and moved to its present location in the Presbyterian Church in Parkville.

When Helen and Dick met and married (having both lost their first spouses to illness) they had grown children from those first marriages.  They set up a family trust to first of all benefit their children after they were gone.  However Helen also directed her trustees to set aside a gift for her Church.  Last week, Helen Hawkins Wright (by way of her trust) presented Park Hill Christian Church with the "Gift Of A Lifetime". 

On Wednesday the Church received a check for $283,505.19 !!!  Knowing that we were going to eventually receive this gift, but not certain when, your executive committee planned on how to best use this precious gift.  Here is what we decided: 
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The first $10,000 will be donated in Helen's name to the SPEAC Pantry.
The next $25,000 will be placed into the permanent endowment fund in Helen's name, forever memorializing her gift to her Church.
The next $20,000 will be set aside for replacement of a portion of the Church Roof; and
The remaining $283,505.19 will be used to pay down the Church mortgage. 

As many of you may recall, when we built the Life Center and remodeled and expanded the Narthex, our original mortgage was about one million dollars ($1,000,000.00).  After we make this payment, our debt will be down to around $20,000.  Helen is challenging us to now step up and raise that remaining $20,000.  With the help of each of you we can do it !  The money we have been diverting to mortgage payments could be used for so many more great ministries here at Park Hill, if only we can rid ourselves of that remaining debt. 

So how about it ?  Are you on board ? Can you help finish the task that we are sooo close to completing, because of the gift from Helen Wright ?  Please think about it.  Pray about it.  And then give what you can.  

Best regards,
C. Carl Kimbrell