The Shepherd’s Fund: Big Blessings for Those Who Have Blessed Us
We are sure by now that you have heard us talking about the new Shepherd’s Fund we are offering in conjunction with a very generous friend of the seminary. We are getting retired alumni medical expenses paid as a blessing to those who have blessed God’s people. A whole lot of you have received applications, and some of you have turned them in. BUT – We bet a lot of you are thinking it sounds too good to be true…or surely it is difficult to be approved for the fund. We’d like to clear up any questions you might have! But first, we would like to share a sweet story from one of our recipients (used with her permission, of course! We never ever share your confidential information!).
Meet Phyllis Walrath! It has been a joy for us to become acquainted with this dear woman of God as we’ve handled her Shepherd Fund application.
Phyllis was one of our first Shepherd Fund recipients, and she came to us with needs for a power chair. She was overjoyed to find out that she would be able to recieve funding, not only for her power chair, but also for many other items, including a hearing assistance device! It has been wonderful to hear her update us with her progress and to hear her share about her rediscovery of the sounds she had been missing, from singing birds and ticking clocks to the quiet little jokes that families love to share. She let us know that her new hearing aides have greatly improved her ability to visit with friends and family and to conduct her own affairs as she likes (Phyllis has a lot of spunk!). She expressed her gratitude for the blessing, and all the good health improvements that the generous funds made possible for her. Phyllis said, “I can understand why people believe it’s too good to be true!”
But the truth is that is actually isn’t difficult to apply. To date, we have had more than 60 people apply for the program, and no one has been turned down unless they did not meet one or more of the primary qualifying criteria (you must be retired, an alumnus of the seminary, and have qualifying medical expenses). As you can see, we are already getting the money to the people for whom God desires to send it.
You can apply online or you can request a paper application by mail – simply contact us via email (alumni@asburyseminary.edu) or phone (859-858-2085). Any retired alumnus of Asbury Theological Seminary may apply. Alumni spouses and children as well as denominational leaders may also apply on their alumnus’s behalf. Alumni spouses are also eligible for assistance for their medical expenses. Many types of medical expenses are covered, from prescriptions, devices and equipment to hospital bills, hearing aides, and wheelchair ramps. If you have any questions about which expenses might be covered or who may be eligible, please let us know! We want to get this money into the hands of the people who deserve it most, and we cannot do that if we don’t hear from you. Be sure to give very good contact information on your application, or we may not be able to contact you to complete the application process.
I would like to receive a paper application.
Hi Jerry,
I just sent you an email from our Asbury Alumni email. Please respond to that email, and I will get you fixed up with an application.
Thanks,
Hannah