Helen Nolte

For many people, the financial benefits of a Concordia University charitable gift annuity are the reason they fund one. Friends of Concordia like the high payment rates, income tax deductions and even capital gains tax savings. However, for one Concordia family member, Helen Nolte, there are two other important reasons why she funded a gift annuity. She did it for her husband, and she did it for the glory of God.

A few years ago, when her husband, Earl, passed away, Helen called her friend Pastor Tom seeking comfort and to share memories of the man they both knew for decades. To most of us, “Pastor Tom” is Dr. Tom Ries, president of Concordia University. However, Helen and Earl got to know President Ries when he was a young minister who helped start and grow the church the family attended. To them, he will always be Pastor Tom.

As Helen and Tom talked about Earl, they reminisced about a remarkable man. Earl had served in World War II and fought in pivotal battles in the South Pacific, including storming a beach in the battle to take Leyte Island. The United States awarded Earl many commendations including the Purple Heart. However, Earl was a humble man, and turned down many accolades, including the Congressional Medal of Honor. He was so unassuming, even his wife of 60 years did not know all of his heroic acts and awards from the war. Yet, one thing was clear about Earl: Despite all his accomplishments, his main goal was to be a godly man.

When Helen talked about ways to honor Earl, Tom asked Helen to consider funding a Concordia charitable gift annuity. A gift annuity is a simple agreement between a donor, like Helen, and Concordia.

In exchange for her gift, Helen receives payments back for life, at a fixed, attractive rate. The rate is based on her age at the time of funding. She qualified for an income tax deduction the year she funded it, and she could have received capital gains benefits had she funded it with an appreciated asset like stock (by transferring, never selling the stock).

Although she routinely receives a good-sized check from Concordia each year, Helen does not talk about the significant financial benefits of her gift annuity. They are wonderful, and she appreciates them, but what she values more is what the gift annuity will do later. After a lifetime of payments to her, all funds left in the gift annuity will automatically support students in Concordia's ministerial program. Her gift annuity will begin a fund named in honor of her husband and her. As she says, its purpose is to help the Lord's Kingdom.

The humility and grace of Helen and Earl may be uncommon in the world today, but is common at Concordia. If you want to learn more about a gift annuity and what it can do for you and for Concordia, let us know. President Ries introduced Helen to Matt Steiner who now is Helen's friend. Matt showed Helen all about gift annuities and how one would work for her. It fit her goals and plans perfectly. If you want to learn more about a gift annuity (without any obligation or commitment), or any of the many ways you can give to Concordia and get back, contact Mark Hill at 651-641-8223 or hill@csp.edu. You too can realize many benefits while also serving the Lord or any part of Concordia's mission you desire.