The Trust and Endowment was established in 1990.  The purpose is to create a financial pool to provide long-term assistance to St. Joseph Parish in its ministry to educate the parish in the Catholic Faith. 

The trust continues to grow through the generous gifts of parishioners.  Each year the interest disbursement is earmarked for a program or programs that meet the generous criteria of the Trust.  

The activity and balance of this fund is reported each year on our Parish Annual Report.  For a copy of that report, contact the parish office.  To learn more about the Trust and Endowment Group contact Jessica at x121. 

I have an update about our St. Joseph Parish Trust and Endowment. For those who are unaware, St. Joseph Parish began an Endowment in the early 1990’s and for the past 30 years it has been slowly growing through donations. Its purpose is to support the ministry and mission of St. Joseph Parish and School. Since its inception, we have had a local Endowment Board consisting of parishioners who have provided oversight and guidance.

In recent years, the Diocese of Lansing formed The Catholic Foundation and has been steadily working with parishes to move their locally held trusts and endowments to the Foundation. This is done to ensure that the monies are ethically invested according to Catholic moral principles. To bring ourselves into compliance with the Diocese, we have formally moved the St. Joseph Endowment to the Foundation. The Catholic Foundation in turn will give an annual disbursement to our parish based upon their spending rate policies.

The Endowment balance is currently just beneath $1.1 million, allowing for a projected annual disbursement of $49,500, which will be another revenue stream to support our staff and the needs of our parish. I want to thank all those who have given so faithfully over the last 30 years, as that generosity will begin paying itself forward!

I share this update to both inform you of the existence of the Endowment, and to invite you to consider remembering the Endowment when planning your estate. If you would like more information on how to leave a planned gift, please contact Lisa Brown at The Catholic Foundation. She can be reached at 517-253-8738 or [email protected]. Know that every gift you give will help support the ministry of St. Joseph Parish for years to come!

“Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” – Luke 6:38