About Your Foundation

Your Impact

As of 12/31/2020 Moravians have $184,070,246 under investment through MMFA. It’s the largest amount in the foundation’s 22-year history. These assets represent your collective endowments, trusts, scholarship funds, donor advised funds, gift annuities, pensions and various other investment accounts — all invested for the glory and furtherment of the kingdom of our Chief Elder, Jesus Christ.

MMFA oversaw $8,418,378.72 in distributions for 2020 represented by the pie chart.  When looking at MMFA’s controlled funds, our foundation stewarded $679,454.67 in distributions to ministry for 2020.

When considering the $8.4M that flowed out of MMFA in 2020, 59% of these distributions were issued to Moravian congregations or provinces in the United States to support the ongoing work of individual, local churches directly through the church or province. Global mission work received 10% of the funds. These gifts funded mostly Moravian global ministries through the Board of World Mission, Unity Women’s Desk, Armando Rusindo Ministry Foundation, and others.

Your Foundation's History

Before 1997 the Northern and Southern Provinces of the Moravian Church in North America operated two independent planned giving programs. The Reverend Gene Glasser led the Northern Province’s effort and Dick Gillett led the Southern Province’s program.

In 1998 the Synods of the Northern and Southern Provinces authorized the formation of the Moravian Ministries Foundation, which replaced the two planned giving programs. The decision to create the Foundation was rooted in the beliefs that it would result in:

  • A wiser use of both Provinces’ resources, and
  • A more effective voice to speak to Moravians about planned giving and other services that would foster personal and institutional (churches and ministries) stewardship.

Our Mission

We help individuals, churches, and agencies grow and sustain the ministries that are central to our Moravian faith.

Our Values

Trust: honesty, integrity, and transparency in everything we do.

Christian Service: commitment to practices that share God’s love with others.

Impact: dedication to delivering meaningful results.

Stewardship: developing, managing, and sharing gifts of time, talent, treasure and testimony.

Partnership: leveraging talents and building relationships while connecting tools and resources.

Our Strategy - MMFA 2023

Our one, three, and five year strategy for Moravian Ministries Foundation in America is built around four key goals:

Increase the awareness and impact of MMFA in the Moravian Church:
  • Communicate who we are and what we do
  • Build relationships across the Moravian community
Be the preferred partner for money management, stewardship development, and charitable planning:
  • Help those we serve define and achieve their goals by engaging them in impactful initiatives while providing the highest level of personalized service.
Be a learning organization:
  • Increase our effectiveness through listening and discernment, leveraging industry best practices, and exploring innovative solutions.
Engage 100% of MMFA’s trustees and shareholders in actively supporting our work:
  • Our trustees’ and shareholders’ support is critical to MMFA’s success. In order to achieve our mission and uphold our core values, MMFA must be led by a board that demonstrates leadership, advocacy, and best-in-class governance.

Administrative Staff

View Chris’ Blog Posts

Chris Spaugh, President

Chris joined the Moravian Ministries Foundation on June 1, 2017. A lifelong resident of North Carolina, Chris spent 22 years in increasing positions of responsibility at Wells Fargo Bank NA, and its predecessor, Wachovia Bank. He is a passionate leader of relationship-driven philanthropy in the areas of charitable giving and financial solutions. Chris has vast experience with visionary leadership, staff management, nonprofit governance, financial management/oversight, client service, partnership-building and strategic planning.

When Chris is away from the office he enjoys spending time with his wife Kelli and their four children on their small, family farm.  Chris also volunteers his time with his church and Boy Scouts of America in multiple areas.

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Laura Watson, Director of Stewardship Services

Laura joined the Foundation in April of 2012. A native of Winston-Salem and member of Home Moravian Church, she has worked in the Florida school system, at Salem College, and as Assistant Director of Laurel Ridge, the Southern Province’s camp and conference center.

When she’s not busy with stewardship for the Foundation, Laura enjoys running and fundraising for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), as well as traveling with her husband, Mark. She has served on the Salem Academy and College Board of Trustees, the Salem Academy Alumnae Board, and the Triad JDRF Board of Directors.

Kara Yates, Director of Operations

Kara joined the Foundation in June of 2016. A graduate of the Wake Forest University School of Business, Kara spent 5 years in Donor Relations with University Advancement at Wake before joining the Moravian Ministries Foundation.

Kara oversees all aspects of our internal business and financial operations, as well as being the relationship manager for Common Fund investors. She enjoys getting to know Moravians and their stories and making sure their business and philanthropic needs are being met.

When not at the foundation, Kara enjoys cooking, vegetable gardening, and spending time with her husband, Matt, and their two children Hayden and Madelyn.

Libby Davis, Administrative Accountant

North Carolina native Libby Pike Davis joined the Moravian Ministries Foundation in America in August 2020 as Administrative Accountant. She’s a lifelong, ninth-generation Moravian from the oldest congregation in the Southern Province, Bethabara Moravian Church. She has been Treasurer for Bethabara since June 2010. When she is not working for the Foundation or her congregation, Libby is also Senior Tax Analyst at H & R Block in Clemmons, NC.

Libby studied accounting at Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem. She has a son, Ryan, who lives in Gastonia, NC with his wife, Jaime and six children; a daughter, Sara, who lives in Durham, NC with her husband, Ashton. Libby and her husband, Chip live in Winston-Salem, NC and enjoy spending time with family and working in their vegetable garden.

Catherine Wolfe, Database Administrator

Catherine joined the Foundation in January 2019. A native of Winston-Salem, she was previously employed at Old Salem Museums & Gardens. Catherine has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Arts degree in Education from Wake Forest University.

When she is not working for you at the Foundation, Catherine enjoys the arts, being in nature, and her book club. She also enjoys spending time with her husband Andrew, her two daughters Hannah and Hallie, and her dog Bella.

View Vince’s Blog Posts

Vince Holbrook, Director of Communication and Marketing

Vince Holbrook became Director of Communication and Marketing in November 2017. He’s a career communications, marketing, and project management professional who spent significant time with Gilbarco Veeder-Root and Texas Instruments. Vince holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Morehead State University, Morehead, KY as well as a Master of Arts degree in Applied Communication from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Vince is a member of First Moravian Church in Greensboro, NC. He teaches public speaking and interpersonal communication at Forsyth Technical Community College and enjoys time with his wife, Susan, and two adult sons.

Board of Trustees - 2021

Trustees

Paul Armfield, Treasurer
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Congregation: Calvary

Keith Gohdes
Davenport, North Dakota
Congregation: Canaan

Julie Guffey, Secretary
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Congregation: Olivet

Paula Hall, Vice Chair
King, North Carolina
Congregation: King

Larry Johnson
Staten Island, New York
Congregation: Castleton Hill

Keith Kapp, Esq.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Congregation: Raleigh

William W. Matz, Jr., Esq.
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Congregation: East Hills

Cindy Miller
Lake Mills, WI
Congregation: Lake Mills

The Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Miller
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
PEC President, Northern Province

The Rev. Virginia Tobiassen
Winston-Salem, NC
Congregation: Home

Brent Waddell
Lexington, NC
Congregation: Friedberg

Cheryl Weber, Chair
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Congregation: West Side

Staff

Christopher W. Spaugh, President
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Investment & Finance Committee 2021

Paul Armfield, Chair
MMFA Board

Larry Johnson
MMFA Board

Brent Waddell
MMFA Board

Cindy Miller
MMFA Board

Keith Gohdes
MMFA Board

Robyn Glance & Brenda Cahill
Ex-Officio Members

Governance Committee 2021

William W. Matz, Jr., Esq.
MMFA Board

The Rev. Virginia Tobiassen
MMFA Board

Keith Kapp, Esq.
MMFA Board

The Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Miller
MMFA Board

Executive Committee 2021

Cheryl Weber
Chair

Paula Hall
Vice Chair

Julie Guffey
Secretary