The Mission of the Endowment Fund

The mission of the Endowment Fund is “to help support Parish
Ministries, to provide programs of charity; and to ensure our heritage
and religious beliefs for the ages to come.”

Endowment Fund Grant Application  (Printable)

Endowment Fund Grant Application (Fillable)

Metropolis of Boston Camp Application (Fillable)


Endowment Fund Facts

Jordan Chatis came to St. Luke from The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Enfield, CT. He came with many good ideas as well as the enthusiasm to make those ideas become a reality. One of those ideas was the formation of an Endowment Fund. Jordan worked with many other parishioners to develop this idea, formulate a mission statement, and develop by-laws. These efforts finally became a reality at the 1997 spring general assembly at which the Endowment Fund idea, its mission and its by-laws were approved.

This fund is invested in a licensed agency advisory fund as directed by the Endowment Committee and approved by the Parish Council. Our present fiduciary is Creative Planning.

This fund is perpetuated by donations such as “in memory of,” ”in honor of,” “congratulations to,” etc. as well as by proceeds garnered from specific fund activities. Parishioners may also indicate gifts to the Endowment Fund via a will, a trust, a charitable gift annuity, or an endowed fund etc.

This is a restricted fund that may be used for any purpose consistent with the fund’s mission statement. Part of its aim is to enable the church to accomplish areas of work it might otherwise be unable to undertake. Monies from this fund are not used for general operating expenses, which are supported through stewardship.

Ministry leaders, parish council members, clergy, and parishioners may apply for this grant money at any time during the year as described above by filling out a grant application. The request must be aligned with the objectives of the fund as described in its mission. This application may be printed out from our website link or picked up at the church office.

The following listing shows examples of some of the ways the EF monies have been utilized…

  • Sending youth of the parish to the Kosmos Program in Greece. The Kosmas Program is a camping exchange experience via the Metropolis of Boston
  • Sending youth of the parish to the Metropolis of Boston Winter and Summer camps
  • Sending youth of the parish to participate in Project Mexico
  • Purchasing four choir robes and choir binders
  • Hiring a DJ for the GOYA fund raising event held to raise money for World Vision, which is an annual GOYA philanthropic project 
  • Covering the cost of plane fare for a young parishioner who reached and was proudly representing St. Luke at the Archdiocese Oratorical National Finals which were held in Chicago
  • Making a charitable donation to Shriners Hospital for Children-Springfield 
  • Providing monies for the annual Madeline Knava Scholarship recipients 
  • Covering the cost of the Choir’s trip to Newburyport (2018) and Boston (2019) for the annual Choir Federation weekend …monies covered trip, housing, meeting participation, and materials needed for sessions 
  • Covering the cost of restoration and installation of the St. Nicholas icons now hung at St. Luke memorializing St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Enfield CT which merged with St. Luke
  • Covering the cost of the “onsies” project which involves outfitting babies leaving the NICU unit at Baystate Medical Hospital and going home with foster parents…the onsies were inscribed with “I Am Loved”
  • Covering the cost of items for the “Blessing Bag” project providing socks, gloves, hats, scarves, soap, toothpaste and brushes, and other essentials to those living on the street and in the Rescue Mission
  • Covering the cost of purchase and installation for 160 pew book racks placed on the backs of our pews
  • Covering the purchase of new, updated Liturgy/Hymnals to follow the text and hymns of our Liturgy
  • Covering the purchase cost of yarn for the Knitting Ministry who make hats and blankets for the babies in the NICU at Baystate Medial as well as make prayer shawls/blankets for parishioners who are ill
  • Covering the cost of the bus trip to Spencer MA for the 2019 Laity Award dinner 
  • Covering the cost of printing and laminating 124 Prayer Cards showing the Lord’s Prayer in Greek phonetics to be placed in the pew book racks for use during the Liturgy
  • Funding of the Good and Faithful Steward Program
  • Purchase of a new vigil oil lamp for the Altar