It gives us great joy to announce that the Church of the Lutheran Brethren (CLB)and Hillcrest Lutheran Academy (HLA) are each receiving an approximate one million dollar gift from Ewald and Alice Sems of Chardon, OH.  Earlier this summer, Mr. Sems recognized the need to do some financial and estate planning in connection with the upcoming merger/sale of a small company he owned stock in. That led to his consulting with CLB Development Officer Mark Johnson and together, they worked out a plan involving both immediate and deferred charitable gifts to best achieve his stewardship and estate planning goals. The CLB and HLA were notified about the coming gift in early July, which is unquestionably an answer to prayer for both recipient organizations. In accordance with the terms of the sale, the initial 90% of each gift arrived in our respective offices in early August with the remaining 10% held in escrow and scheduled for distribution in 18 months.

“God has richly blessed our family and extended family,” said Mr. Sems, “and I would like to encourage others who are mission-minded to give to the mission of the Lutheran Brethren. I come from a very humble beginning. Our family arrived in the U.S. in 1952 without a cent to our name and God has richly blessed us.”

“On behalf of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren, we thank the Lord God for using everyone in his mission and praise him for prompting Mr. and Mrs. Sems to give this gift to him and the Church at this time,” President Joel Egge responded. “They are active worshippers, workers and givers in their congregation and are regular partners in our synodical ministries. May the Lord encourage each of us to serve the Lord with the gifts he has given us.”