Dec 11, 2011
"The Stegall Foundation is one of the greatest gifts we have to remind students they are not forgotten..."
[caption id="attachment_597" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="The Prechts"]
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I received an undergraduate degree from a school outside of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, and then I attended seminary at a school ten hours away from home. By the time I completed my ministry education, I had not lived in the Conference for eight years. Yet, during my seminary education, I had no doubt that this Conference was still my home.
Throughout the three years of seminary, the Stegall Seminary Scholarship Foundation was my most consistent and persistent connection to people who were praying for me, supporting me, and reminding me where I belonged. The financial aid provided by the Stegall Foundation was invaluable. Like most other recipients, I can remember months when a contribution came just in time to pay an unexpected medical bill or purchase books for a class for which we had no money. While many of my seminary classmates from other conferences are still struggling to pay off their school debt, my young family (My wife and I were married 10 days before I started seminary) was not overwhelmed by the
financial needs of our first years together.
Now, well into my fifth year since graduation, I am still incredibly grateful for the blessings which I received through the Stegall Seminary Foundation. As long as there is no United Methodist Seminary in our Conference (or indeed, in the State of Alabama), we will continue to send our future ministers away to receive the education and formation they need. The Stegall Seminary Foundation is one of the greatest gifts we have for reminding these students that they are not forgotten, but they are eagerly expected and welcomed to minister in the place that remains their home.” -
Rev. Michael Precht, Graduate of Duke Divinity School, Class of 2007
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I received an undergraduate degree from a school outside of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, and then I attended seminary at a school ten hours away from home. By the time I completed my ministry education, I had not lived in the Conference for eight years. Yet, during my seminary education, I had no doubt that this Conference was still my home.
Throughout the three years of seminary, the Stegall Seminary Scholarship Foundation was my most consistent and persistent connection to people who were praying for me, supporting me, and reminding me where I belonged. The financial aid provided by the Stegall Foundation was invaluable. Like most other recipients, I can remember months when a contribution came just in time to pay an unexpected medical bill or purchase books for a class for which we had no money. While many of my seminary classmates from other conferences are still struggling to pay off their school debt, my young family (My wife and I were married 10 days before I started seminary) was not overwhelmed by the
financial needs of our first years together.
Now, well into my fifth year since graduation, I am still incredibly grateful for the blessings which I received through the Stegall Seminary Foundation. As long as there is no United Methodist Seminary in our Conference (or indeed, in the State of Alabama), we will continue to send our future ministers away to receive the education and formation they need. The Stegall Seminary Foundation is one of the greatest gifts we have for reminding these students that they are not forgotten, but they are eagerly expected and welcomed to minister in the place that remains their home.” - Rev. Michael Precht, Graduate of Duke Divinity School, Class of 2007