May 11, 2020 – A Day of Remembrance
On the 125th Anniversary of the passing of Rev. Ira Joy Chase, the staff of Pension Fund of the Christian Church invites you to join us today in remembrance of Rev. Chase, the legacy of Wabash Christian Church, and the leadership of Brother A. M. Atkinson, who upon hearing of the unexpected passing of his beloved pastor, organized an offering to provide a modest home for the blind and widowed Rhoda Jane Castle Chase and her three small children. Even in the midst of her own vulnerability, Mrs. Chase insisted $1000 be returned to the Chase fund upon her death, so that others might experience a similar embrace by the church in their times of greatest need.
A few days ahead of the General Christian Missionary Convention that fall, Brother Atkinson gathered Church leaders in Dallas to discuss the formation of the Board of Ministerial Relief and Assistance (Pension Fund’s ancestral organization) – no small task given that it would be the first Convention held west of the Mississippi River.
By pausing today and remembering a life of service and the generosity of a faithful church, we embrace the call in these challenging times to live generously and faithfully; to be attentive to, and care for, the needs of others.
We don’t know the seeds we plant or their lasting impact. And while I’m certain, if it hadn’t been for Brother Atkinson’s tireless work to launch the Board, someone else’s need, or someone else’s work would have led us to where we are today. I remain grateful that a faithful church rose up around one of its own.
While our mission has widened and our assets have grown significantly, the core of what we do – serving those who serve others – hasn’t changed.
We at Pension Fund stand with you during some of the most sacred moments of your lives: in the beginning of your journey, in the moments of unexpected transitions and challenges, in moments of celebration – retirement, new calls, and new places in which to serve and lead, and even with your beneficiaries as they grieve your passing.
As a people of faith, it is in death that we find life.
For Pension Fund, our life began when Rev. Chase’s life ended. So, I invite you to join us in remembering Rev. Ira Joy Chase – December 7, 1834 to May 11, 1895. And, if you are able, consider making an online gift to Ministerial Relief and Assistance, perhaps even in memory of the Chases or in honor of the work of Brother Atkinson, so that we can continue to build on their tremendous legacy.
And my friends, here is to the next 125 years!
Blessings,
Rev. Dr. Todd A. Adams
President and CEO