Fuller Legacy Newsletter: Spring 2024

FULLER LEGACY

ALUM SUPPORTS THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS

By Mary Holder Naegeli, MDiv ’87, DMin ’11

My association with Fuller Seminary goes back to 1978, when I attended a one-time conference called “Women and the Ministries of Christ.” Pastoral scholars, working from the original languages, unfurled the Scriptures to show that women were indeed included in the call to teach and to baptize in the name of Jesus Christ.

Thereby freed to pursue a theological education, I enrolled at Fuller and completed a Master of Divinity in nine years. I was ordained in 1987 as a Presbyterian pastor in the San Francisco Bay Area (East Bay) and earned a Doctor of Ministry in 2011. Meanwhile, I was adjunct faculty in my area of specialty, adult discipleship and equipping, serving regional campuses

in Menlo Park, Seattle, Phoenix, and Colorado Springs.

I am a Grace and Charles Fuller Legacy Circle donor with Fuller because I feel at this stage in my life (active retirement), my job is to encourage the next generations of women and men in the manifold ministries of Christ’s church. I had financial help in those early years (through my church), which made pursuing a degree possible, starting in my 20s.

Today, my gifts are motivated also by my desire to see Fuller thrive, grow, and become even more effective in this noisy and distracted world. It is uniquely positioned to address the complexities of ministry (theological drift, globalization, and mental health) with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I want to invest in its ongoing development, just as it invested in me! I hope you, too, will consider supporting Fuller and help future students share God’s word.

To learn more about Fuller’s longtime commitment to women, go to fuller.edu/womeninministry.

The Fuller Foundation Newsletter | Spring 2024

Mary and Andy Naegeli

TURN YOUR LOVE INTO YOUR LEGACY

A Will Isn’t Just a Piece of Paper—It’s a Piece of You

When you think of the word “family,” what comes to mind? Or rather, who?

Maybe biological relatives. Perhaps stepparents or stepchildren. Lifelong friends. A faith community. Advocates for a common cause.

Whether you’re connected by biology, geography, shared values, or simply love, one thing is constant: Your family comprises people you care about and want to protect.

One of the most meaningful ways to protect that family is through your will. It’s more than a set of documents outlining who gets your stuff—it’s a lasting reflection of your love.

When you spend time considering and documenting how you want your possessions distributed, they become something much bigger: a legacy. Your care extends far beyond your lifetime. Your love lives on.

We're grateful you're part of our Fuller community. We would be pleased to share the many ways you can have a lasting kingdom impact through your estate plan. Connect here.

An Even Greater Legacy

Your plan also gives you the power to provide for the organizations you care about. Your faith and values can be part of your legacy.

If you choose to include us in your will, your faithful generosity will allow us to prepare the next generations of Christian leaders for years to come. Your connection to our mission and students goes beyond the present and becomes a part of you forever.

Alumni Spotlight

CHAPLAIN (MAJ.) JASON HOHNBERGER

I am an Army chaplain serving The American Forces Network in Riverside, California. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Wisconsin (Oshkosh) and a Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary (2009). Throughout my career, I have served in various assignments, including Special Operations Support Command (Airborne), 1-38th CAV (Airborne), Arlington National Cemetery, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), and the Vicenza Italy Garrison. I have had the privilege of deploying to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. I am honored to have received awards, including The Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, and The Army Commendation Medal. Additionally, I am proud to wear The Parachutist Badge and The Air Assault Badge.

In my current role within the Department of Defense, I serve in a unique capacity. As the Broadcast Center Chaplain for The American Forces Network, I go beyond typical chaplain duties. I curate and create religious content for more than 400,000 service members and their families stationed overseas. My responsibilities range from negotiating contracts with religious TV producers to filming and editing my own public service messages, reminding service members that they can always confide in the chaplain.

Fuller Seminary’s deep understanding of the evolving role of pastors taught me that as a chaplain, I should not try to rebuild the fading structures of Christendom but rather learn to lead in exile. This requires leading through influence, not position. This shift in mindset prepared me for my service, providing spiritual guidance in environments outside of traditional church ministry.

I must take theological concepts and make them applicable on the battlefield for a team with little exposure to church outside of weddings and funerals. However, more than mere translation is required; Translation means little without incarnation. To truly show God's presence in atrocious situations, I must suffer alongside these soldiers, sharing in the danger and bringing light to their darkness.

Fuller’s Master of Divinity program helped shape this perspective. The Fuller community fostered open dialogue and embraced diversity of opinion without compromising scripture, which prepared me for the pluralistic environment of the Army Chaplain Corps.

We love hearing from our Fuller Seminary alums. If you’re part of this community, have questions, ideas, seek to join our Fuller Alumni Network, or want to share information, please reach out to our Alumni Relations team at alumni@thefullerfoundation.org

Krissel Rivas Photography

SCHOLARSHIPS HELP CHANGE LIVES—AND THE WORLD

What’s your vision for the future? At Fuller, we see a world transformed through the hope of Christ, a transformation that begins by equipping our called and gifted students with the best seminary education available.

The place to gain that education is Fuller, where our unique integration of theology and psychology empowers Fuller graduates for leadership.

During the previous academic year, Fuller welcomed 2,860 students, and 63% of those students relied on scholarships. At this time of significant instability in both society and the evangelical church, the need for more theologically trained Christian leaders has never been more critical. Scholarship support allows these faithful servants to attend Fuller without the burden of debt and more quickly answer God’s call.

The students equipped today will become the preachers, missionaries, teachers, business leaders, artists, and therapists of tomorrow.

Learn more: fuller.edu/giving

What Can a Scholarship Do?

One Student’s Story

Brad Lewis knows the anguish of seeing a loved one suffer, and he’s made a commitment to help ease the pain of others.

“I am married to a lovely wife who is a breast cancer survivor,” he shares. “Together we have one beautiful 6-year-old daughter. I look forward to using my Fuller education to help others who are in the support role of someone dear to them who is going through illness or suffering.”

At Fuller, Brad is working toward a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy. He seeks to integrate his deep Christian faith into the practice of counseling, walking with others to restore their identity back to Christ as their anchor. He plans to eventually pursue licensure and work in the field of sexual addiction or as a counselor for spousal support of loved ones going through severe illness.

Scholarship support makes his journey possible. Because of financial aid, “I am able to step into the calling God has placed on my heart and pursue the education necessary to accomplish his plans for my life.”

Provide an affordable education to a deserving student, cover expenses like textbooks or recruit top faculty—your scholarship can change the world. Discover four non-cash ways to fund a scholarship by requesting Scholarships: Open Doors to Life-Changing Opportunities. Simply return the enclosed reply card today to get yours.

THE AMAZING BENEFITS OF THE CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY

It’s the best time in a long time to consider the gift that pays you: a charitable gift annuity.

Payout rates went up again Jan. 1, 2024, and are higher than they have been in over five years. Seize the moment by considering this amazing gift that provides you with stable, regular income, regardless of the economy.

One Life

After your lifetime, the remaining amount becomes part of your legacy at Fuller, allowing us to thrive far into the future.

With this gift, you’ll also enjoy a partial income tax charitable deduction for your gift when you itemize. In addition, part of each payment will be income tax-free throughout your estimated life expectancy.

How a Charitable Gift Annuity Works

Two Lives

These rates are subject to change. Please contact us for a personalized illustration.

You make a donation using cash, marketable securities, or other assets, and we, in turn, pay you a fixed amount for life. You’ll receive reliable, predictable payments for your lifetime (and the lifetime of a loved one, if you choose).

For example, a 72-year-old who transfers $25,000 in exchange for a charitable gift annuity will receive annual payments of $1,650, a rate of 6.6%.

Request Your Personalized Example

We would be happy to send you a free, no-obligation calculation showing you the increased benefits you can receive from a gift annuity. Contact Dasha Thomas at 626.765.8431 or giftplanning@thefullerfoundation.org to begin.

Give from Your IRA: If you are 70½ or older, you can make a one-time election for a qualified charitable distribution of up to $53,000 (without being taxed) from your IRA to fund a gift annuity. Special rules apply, please contact Dasha Thomas at dthomas@thefullerfoundation.org to learn more.

SERVING INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, BUSINESSES, AND INSTITUTIONS

Trust. Honesty. Integrity.

At The Fuller Foundation, we believe such values matter and we live by these every day. The Fuller Foundation, partnered with Fuller Investment Management Company (Fuller Investing) since 2013, has helped Fuller alums, supporters, faculty, and friends with investment needs for over 30 years. Fuller Investing is committed to understanding your specific goals and motives for each investment decision.

Fuller Investing provides investment services as a subsidiary of The Fuller Foundation, and together we serve the greater Fuller community. We continue to live by the Christian principles of stewardship, compassion, and generosity, and offer a Christ-centered approach to your customized investment solutions. You benefit from personal wealth management, Christian values model portfolios, institutional investing, institutional share classes, and alternative investment solutions.

If you’d like to learn more, please visit fullerinvesting.com or contact Todd Derrick at 626.765.8450 or tderrick@fullerinvesting.com.

Client Spotlight

I have no skills for the world of investing, so I depend on outside expertise. I doubt there would be a Wright Family Trust without Fuller Investment Management Company.

I came to you originally because I trusted the company's reputation. And then knowing you and appreciating your abilities made it easy to place our money with Fuller Investment Management Company.

When I reflect on the eight years our family trust has been in place, I realize that what I value most is not the return on investment, which has been good. It is the people. Everyone there has treated us as friends, helping us understand what we were doing, or needed to do, explaining clearly the market implications for our goals.

The people there and your services make it very attractive for anyone to entrust their financial objectives to your team. And trust is the operative word for me.

Thank you for the service you provide.”