Denver Seminary

7 7 ABOUT OUR LEGACY BUILDER PROGRAM Denver Seminary invites those who recognize our role in forming men and women for God's work to become Legacy Builders. Legacy Builders have honored the Seminary with a gift in their estate plans. Estate gifts come in all shapes and sizes. Every gift is welcome, as the spirit behind each one is to encourage future generations. Legacy Builders, such as the Ecklebargers, honor the Seminary with a gift in their estate plans. If you are interested in participating with the mission of Denver Seminary through an estate gift to impact generations to come, please contact James Rider, development officer at james.rider@denverseminary.edu or 303.762.6941. THE LASTING LEGACY OF KERMIT AND SHIRLEY ECKLEBARGER In 1972, Kermit and Shirley Ecklebarger relocated from Canada to Colorado after Kermit accepted a job as professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary. For the next 35 years, he taught at the Seminary and for a time served as the academic dean. He retired from his full time faculty role in 2001, yet continued to teach online for several more years. During their time in Denver, Shirley coordinated a program working with wives of students at the Seminary. She thoroughly enjoyed getting to know families at the Seminary and this gave Kermit the opportunity to become acquainted with his students and their spouses outside of the classroom. Even now, 46 years after Kermit and Shirley moved to Colorado to begin their journey with Denver Seminary, the Ecklebargers are actively involved with the school. They currently attend a church that is pastored by a Denver Seminary graduate. "We choose to go to a church pastored by a Denver Seminary graduate because we are sold on Denver Seminary," Kermit says with admiration. "We're seeing the end product each Sunday at church. We know the high quality work Denver Seminary graduates are doing and we are the beneficiaries of that." Because of the great experience they've had with Denver Seminary over the years, Kermit and Shirley have chosen to stay involved with the Seminary in another way, as Legacy Builders. "Theological education is essential to strong churches in the future," shares Kermit. "We need well-trained leaders in our churches and ministries and I believe Denver Seminary has a highly qualified faculty who are committed to Scripture and sharing the gospel. I think seminary training is a very important ingredient in God's plan for reaching the world with the gospel." Kermit and Shirley believe this so deeply they have committed one-third of their liquid assets to the Seminary as an estate gift. As Kermit explains, "We became Legacy Builders because we want to contribute to the ongoing ministry of the Seminary. To me there is no better place than Denver Seminary to leave your money for making a lasting investment for Christ and His kingdom."

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