Title: Gift from Disciples retiree boosts communication ministry
Date: August 20, 1997
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact: news@cm.disciples.org
97b-48
INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- Elizabeth Frazier retired April 30 after 10 years of keeping finances for the Disciples Office of Communication and serving as office manager. She had worked here for 13 years, beginning in 1984 as a secretary for Robert Friedly, former vice president for communication and now editor of The Disciple magazine.
Now the church's communication ministry will receive a financial boost thanks to Frazier's generosity and gifts for money management. Executive Director Curt Miller recently received a $555 check as the first dividend from a gift annuity she established for the Office of Communication.
"This was an absolute surprise," said Miller. "I'm humbled by Elizabeth's generosity and sense of Christian stewardship. This will really help the communications ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)."
The Elizabeth Ann Frazier Fund was begun about 10 years ago by the April 1997 retiree. She started the fund with money from a personal inheritance. Over the years she socked away more money into the interest-bearing account with the Christian Church Foundation.
The fund pays out at 5 percent of its market value every year, she said. And there are no strings attached to the annual dividend. "I did it to help promote the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)."
Frazier said she enjoyed working with the Disciples communication office. The establishment of the fund is a natural extension of Frazier's commitment to the denomination's communication ministry. "I wanted to give back to the office some of the things the office had given me," she said.
Besides her professional and financial gifts, the active United Methodist laywoman has shared another valuable resource with the office through the years -- her husband, Edward (Bud). During each General Assembly, Bud, a retired high school science teacher, often works at Elizabeth's side as a volunteer.
Both Elizabeth and Bud are active members of Speedway (Ind.) United Methodist Church, west of Indianapolis.
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