They're women with a passion for faith and finance. Theirs is a calling, they say, to help ministry get accomplished. All four work in a field they never expected to enter, a field that attracted few women 25 years ago, a field that sometimes still draws the reaction, "Ugh, why would you want to do that?"

Their profession? Charitable fundraising.

"I feel God led me here," says Michelle Wagner, Director of Public Relations and Fund-Raising for Lutheran Special School and Education Services, Milwaukee, WI. For 18 years, Michelle worked in shopping center marketing. In her present position, she runs an annual golf outing that brings in over $100,000 to benefit children with learning disabilities. She also does an awareness building event, Pasta with Pastors, a dinner where area pastors serve as waiters. She enjoys the work with donors, Wagner says, because "we're not asking for money for ourselves. It's for the ministry, for the kids. They're the driving force behind what I do!"

Because tuition, traditional fund-raising activities and church contributions no longer cover the costs of parochial schools in this age of technology and inflation, many principals have had to become fund-raisers in order to maintain quality education. One of those is Deborah Schmich, principal of St. John's Lutheran School, Arnold, MO.

"If a school wants to be forward-looking, provide modern technology and honor the staff with a decent salary, we must find additional sources of money," Schmich explains. Her goal is to establish a healthy endowment; this will require some major gifts. It's a struggle, she says, but is thankful for the "good team of volunteers" who help with the school's annual fund drive that brings in $20,000.

Ruth Probasco shares information with Concordia Seminary, St. Louis student Peter Lange.

"I always said I would never work in development," Ruth Probasco, St. Louis, MO, recalls. She enjoyed being a teacher and later a travel agent. But then she began attending Association of Lutheran Development Executives (ALDE) conferences with her husband, Lloyd, a synodical development officer. She soon recognized that the task of development is "to bring people and the church back to Biblical stewardship practices." Now she is campaign director for Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.

Ever since 1995 when the Missouri Synod approved full tuition support for seminarians, the development staff has been working hard to make that goal a reality. Of the $14,400 annual tuition fee, the student's district and the congregation are each asked to provide $2,000, while the seminaries cover $10,400.

Last year the schools had to raise an additional half million dollars to make up for funds that districts and churches failed to pay. This year the students must cover any shortfall, because the seminaries' endowments earned less interest and dividends in 2003. That makes Probasco's job a greater and greater challenge.

"When I first heard the word development, I thought it meant construction," says Michelle Janssen, Director of Development for Valparaiso University. A 1987 Valpo grad in speech and drama, Michelle planned to attend law school but needed to work for a couple of years first. Lutheran Child and Family Services of Michigan hired her as a Public Relations Assistant-and "Eureka! The field was a fit! I like to talk, I like to write, and I like people," Janssen explains, and this job had it all.

Before long she was attending ALDE conferences, and "I got all pumped up. I wanted to make calls on donors." She transferred to a development job at Concordia College, Portland, and there she met her husband, Wade, also a fund-raiser. "I owe ALDE a lot!" she says.

In 1992, Janssen learned that Valpo was seeking its first female development officer. Her husband was willing to move and encouraged her to apply. She got the job. Two years ago she was promoted to Director of Development for Capital and Major Gifts, heading a staff of 17. Last year she became the third woman to serve as president of ALDE.

Benefiting from Giving

For these women and dozens like them, fundraising is a career that has become increasingly important to the continuing outreach of the Lutheran church. With rising inflation and a depressed economy, the need grows daily.

Lutheran Services in America, for example, includes 300 health and human services organizations. These agencies serve 5.8 million clients in 3,000 communities in the United States and the Caribbean and have a total operating budget of $7.6 billion, much of which must come from contributions. Lutheran church bodies, seminaries, colleges, universities, and auxiliaries (like LWML) also depend heavily on charitable gifts.

For donors, it can be confusing to determine where, when, what and how to give. Most people do not realize how much good they can afford to do through charitable estate planning by utilizing gift annuities, charitable trusts, bequests and/or gifts of stocks, bonds, insurance, in-kind donations and cash. Each has its own personal benefits to the donor, including varying tax deductions.

Recognizing their ethical obligation to maintain a high level of professional competence in order to be of greatest service to donors, 56 Lutheran men in development careers founded ALDE in 1979 to educate and mentor the church's fundraisers. Today ALDE has over 800 men and 200 women members.

The ALDE "Code of Ethical Principles and Practices" requires members to work for the best interest of the donor, accurately portray the institutional mission, maintain confidentiality in handling donor and prospective donor records, avoid or disclose all potential conflicts of interest, comply with all federal, state, and municipal laws, and ensure accurate use of designated gifts, optimal management of all solicited funds, and truthful reporting.

Donor's Bill of Rights

In addition, Lutheran development officers recognize that donors have rights, including:

• To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.
• To have access to the organization's most recent financial statements.
• To expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship.
• To receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition.
• To have their donations handled with respect and confidentiality.
• To ask questions and receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers.

Based on these principles, development officers become partners with donors in achieving maximum results for their contributions and enabling them to make a difference in this world. As development people match contributors with Christian ministry opportunities that ignite their passions, donors experience the joy of extending Christ's love at home and abroad in special and unique ways.

Furthermore, through charitable estate planning, they can continue giving to their favorite causes after the Lord has called them to their eternal reward. That's why Wagner, Schmich, Probasco, Janssen and all their Lutheran counterparts, both male and female, say, "This work is so exciting and fulfilling ... a wonderful way to help people and support what you believe in!"

Marlys Taege Moberg, Milwaukee, WI, is the first woman to serve as president of the Association of Lutheran Development Executives. She is a member of the LWML Nominating Committee.

To help its members support the work of LWML through planned giving, the league has established "A Light That Endures" program. Through a contract with Synod, the LCMS development representatives are available to assist leaguers. Contact your district office or the LCMS Foundation in St. Louis to arrange a meeting with your district gift counselor.

Every adult, regardless of age, should have a current will and should review it regularly. Most of us own more than we realize, and if there is no will, the state dictates how our property will be disposed of when the Lord calls us to our eternal reward. LCMS gift counselors also have samples of Christian preambles for wills.