mother wisely invested “her” wealth in nursing home corporations. Doug and Katie continued to live off their wages. T ey weren’t able to have children, so Zion became their family. Katie directed the children’s choirs and Doug took care of the building and grounds.
SHUTTERSTOCK
Million dollar love W
Ohio congregation receives & gives a gift of love
By Steve Bauerle
story: Katie (Bryant) Graf ’s love for her husband Doug. Katie was an only child and her parents, who lived in
Tiffi n, Ohio, were proud and wealthy. Her father was a successful businessman; her mother was involved in the local bank and universities. Doug’s family had a black- smith business in nearby Waterville. Aſt er her father died, Katie introduced Doug to her
mother. It didn’t go well. In fact, aſt er several times being with Doug, Katie’s mother was still so against this boyfriend that she told her daughter: “All of this wealth is yours if you stop dating Doug.” Not long aſt er, Katie made it clear that her love for Doug was more important than her mother’s money. T ey married, and Katie became an elementary school
music teacher, and her husband a custodian for the local schools. During the 50 years they lived in Waterville, Katie’s
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www.thelutheran.org
Every 10 years ... According to the investment policies, every 10 years Katie’s mother reinvested and real- located her wealth. Ten years went by, then another and so on. When it came time for the money to be reinvested in 2000, Katie’s
mother had died. As a result, the money went to fi rst of kin: Katie. By then Katie was in a nursing home suff ering from
Alzheimer’s disease and knew nothing about the money that had been leſt to her. Doug was overwhelmed by this windfall, having never seen that much money in his life. His main concern was making sure Katie was fi nan- cially secure in the nursing home. Having done that, he arranged to give “God’s” money ($2.7 million) to their “fi rst of kin”: Zion. Doug died in 2000 at age 74; Katie two years later at
ith great love, Zion Lutheran Church, Waterville, Ohio,
has for the last 10 years given away $1 million to more than 100 missions, organizations, projects and agencies. It all began as a love
age 78. With Acts 1:8 clearly in mind (Jesus’ command to be
his “witnesses in Jerusalem, in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”), Zion set up a mission endowment fund in 2004 that would serve its commu- nity, the surrounding area and the world. Zion’s anniversary theme this year is “Million Dollar
Love Story,” celebrating the Grafs’ love for each other, their congregation and the work of the church. Recipients of this love story include Lutheran World
Relief; Trinity Lutheran Seminary and Capital Univer- sity, both in Columbus, Ohio; Lutheran Social Services of Northwestern Ohio; food programs; missionaries; Goodwill; prison ministries; mission projects; Boy Scouts of America; a prayer shawl ministry; new mission starts; and children’s ministries. Each October, Zion celebrates “Mission Sunday.” Due
to the Grafs’ giſt , members are on the lookout throughout the year for projects or organizations to support. Zion’s endowment committee selects about 20 per year, and those recipients are invited each fall to celebrate as the church blesses them and their ministries. In the 10 years only the interest from the endowment
has been used to support the various ministries; 2.8 mil- lion remains in the fund.
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