Compiled from several Outlook reports
A Denver businessman announced June 15 a $150 million gift to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) — saying he is tired of watching the continuing decline of the denomination he loves and challenging Presbyterians “to reverse all negative trends. We can grow.” Then on June 21 questions arose regarding his ability to fulfill that pledge.
The money from the new Loaves and Fishes Church Growth Fund would be used for grants to presbyteries — from $250,000 to $1 million apiece. Presbyteries would have to apply for the funds and match part of it. The money would be used for church growth, mission work and theological education.
The donor is Stan Anderson, a third-generation member of Central Church in Denver. He made his fortune in the banking and financial industry — specifically, designing procurement cards, starting with one he produced for the federal government in 1986. Since 1988, he has founded a series of companies related to financial services and procurement cards.
He is an elder at Central Presbyterian in Denver and is a co-founder of Trinity Foundation Inc., which provides funds to Christian efforts in this country and internationally. The Loaves and Fishes fund will receive funding through that foundation.
Anderson’s gift was to be counted towards the PC(USA)’s Mission Initiative: Joining Hearts and Hands campaign, an effort to raise $40 million for church growth and international mission. That campaign has so far raised $25 million — so this gift pushes the Hearts and Hands campaign total to $175,000, said Tim Hart-Andersen, a pastor from Minneapolis who is on the campaign’s steering committee.
The funds were to be in place by late 2006.
Anderson’s announcement came at a vulnerable moment for the PC(USA) — a blast of good news in a difficult season. The denomination has reported membership losses of 48,400 in 2004 — part of an ongoing, dispiriting membership slide. On May 1, the denomination announced layoffs of 75 staff members and the reduction of 40 jobs for missionaries — the result of a $9.1 million downsizing. And on June 12, two Presbyterian organizations — The Outreach Foundation and Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship — announced that they will raise money to send their own missionaries, concluding that “the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) faces a missionary sending crisis. The number of PC(USA) missionaries continues to shrink at a time when global partners are telling us that more are needed.”
Questions raised
On June 21, secular newspaper stories about Anderson raised questions about whether or not he has the financial resources to deliver on the pledge. The Denver Post, Anderson’s hometown newspaper, reported that public records show Anderson has not paid his mortgages, dental bills and fees to his homeowners’ association, and that he owes hundreds of thousands of dollars to creditors.
John Detterick, executive director of the General Assembly Council, stepped onto the stage before the assembly the morning of June 21 to acknowledge the news accounts. Detterick told the assembly that Anderson has promised to keep his promise, but “I know this is a great disappointment to many people.” Detterick told the assembly “the money is there,” and said the church will accept Anderson’s gift “with gratitude and grace.” But Detterick said church officials have not independently investigated Anderson’s finances.
In an interview, Detterick said he’s spoken personally with Anderson, and Anderson has told him, “I would not promise my church something that I could not deliver” and that “the money will be there.” He’s known Anderson personally for 13 years. Anderson was chair of the presidential search committee that brought Detterick to work for the denomination’s Board of Pensions before he came to work for the General Assembly Council.
Anderson first initiated a conversation with Detterick three or four months before the General Assembly, wanting to talk about church growth. The amount of the gift wasn’t known until June 12, three days before the public announcement.
The $150 million donation is expected to be deposited in the fund by November.
