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We’re All InLSTC staff members respond to matching gift challengeby Rachel Wind (2010, M.Div.) regional gift officer“I think it’s important to remember to not takepeople or things for granted. This is a lesson I’velearned through experience,” said Cheryl Hoth,assistant to the Dean in her letter to LSTC staff.She encouraged them to give a small portion oftheir paychecks back to the school she has cometo love in her five years at LSTC. And the staff hasresponded.A generous matching grant from Mark andKathy Helge to LSTC presented an opportunity tocheck the barometer for annual giving from all constituencies—includingstaff, faculty, and students.We discovered that staff giving had seen a steepdecline following the end of the Equipping theSaints for Ministry Campaign. So we asked for helpto turn this around.Staff share their commitment in AnnualFund videoThree staff representatives were selected to meetwith members of the Advancement Office to helpdetermine the best way to engage the larger staff.Kenesa Debela, director of information technologyservices; Cheryl Hoth, assistant to the dean and vicepresident for academic affairs; and Paul Knutson,facilities operation manager hesitantly agreed tohelp, but all of them were wary of having to ask anyof their colleagues for money. Conversations withstaff revealed that they were feeling exhausted and abit stressed following recent major decisions in thelife of the institution. The atmosphere did not seemconducive to an appeal for staff giving to the AnnualFund.But the staff representatives had some ideas. PaulKnutson, who is currently completing a degree infilm-making, suggested making a video that showshow the staff at LSTC are impacted by the AnnualFund. He and I conducted interviews with a numberof staff members and Paul edited it masterfully. Staffmembers whose voices may not have been heardbefore were given an opportunity to share what theylove about this place and also their dreams for thefuture.Staff gifts matched by Helge Annual FundChallenge GrantIn September, LSTC staff members were invited toa party at Goose Island Brewery in Chicago to celebratetheir commitment to the Annual Fund andto LSTC. The party was exclusively for the staff, toremind them that they are valued and an integralpart of the whole of LSTC. It was a huge success.By the end of September, staff giving to theAnnual Fund was higher than it had been four yearsago during the last year of the Equipping the Saintsfor Ministry Campaign when pledges were still beingcompleted and the staff was larger.There's more good news: most of the gifts arerecurring gifts as automatic paycheck withdrawals,so the gifts will continue to grow each month. Mostof these gifts are new or renewed, which means theywill be matched 100% by the Helge Matching GiftChallenge, nearly doubling their impact.LSTC staff have committed to our seminaryand its future in a way that is undeniably positiveand forward-thinking. It’s very clear that despiterecent changes in the school, the staff still believesin LSTC’s mission. For this initiative, our three staffrepresentatives are using the phrase, “We’re All In!”We would love it if you chose to join the staff in givingto LSTC’s Annual Fund and committing to thefuture of this wonderful place—Are You In?You may make a gift to LSTC’s Annual Fund onlineat www.lstc.edu/alumni-friends/giving/ or by usingthe envelope in this magazine.24