Michael Peeler Fund

The Michael Peeler Fund was established in 1955 under the will of Michael Peeler, a Salisbury businessman and member of St. John’s-Salisbury. His will provided that one-half of his estate go to the North Carolina Synod to establish a fund to be known as the Michael Peeler Fund with the income there from “to be used by the synod each year where ever it is needed most for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.”

Through good management and stewardship this fund has grown to provide a sizable income for mission and ministry. Over the years it has enabled our synod to undertake projects and ministries that have made a difference in the lives of tens of thousands of people. Synod agencies and institutions, organizations, congregations and groups of congregations have been granted start-up funds for such projects as a tutoring program for at-risk youth, a consultant on evangelism and revitalization for a group of congregations, and a coffee house for special needs adults.

The fund is distributed by a synod council subcommittee using a grant process that includes recommendations to council. The investments are managed by trustees elected by synod council and held, along with other long term endowments, by the North Carolina Synod Foundation.

Virginia Casey Fund

The Virginia Casey Fund was established in 2007 by a gift of $2,250,000 from the trust of Virginia W. Casey. Mrs. Casey was a native of Davie County and member of Gloria Dei-Salisbury. She served the NC Synod as secretary to former bishops George Whittecar and Ernest Misenheimer.

Mrs. Casey asked that the gift to the synod “be used to glorify God and promote the work of the Church.” The fund is a focused, specific fund with two main areas of concentration:

• “Identifying and equipping leaders” This includes but is not limited to seeking and supporting qualified candidates for ministry, identifying and supporting lay leaders and providing care, counsel and education for lay and rostered leaders. Some examples would be the candidacy program, student loans/scholarships, counseling, sabbaticals, education programs, subsidizing intern programs, special worship services for leaders, and Fall Convocation.

• “Reaching out to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a changing world” This includes but is not limited to starting and sustaining congregations, mission projects within and outside the United States, community outreach projects, and evangelism projects to the un-churched and under-served (especially youth).

Grants are available to the ELCA, ELCA congregations, NC Synod, and its agencies and institutions, and individuals operating within the NC Synod or in keeping with the mission of the NC Synod.