Endowing your legacy

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that through His poverty you might become rich.”
(2 Corinthians 8:9)

The call to give, to build, and to support has always been at the heart of our Church. Generosity is not only a Christian commandment but also a defining part of our Serbian heritage. For more than a century, our Cathedral community has embodied this spirit of giving—both to the Church and to those in need.

During the Great Depression, the Chicago Tribune reported that only two buildings were under construction in the city of Chicago: the new Post Office, built by the Federal Government, and the Serbian Orthodox Church on Schiller Street—built through the sacrifices and love of our people. Time and again, history tested our community. And time and again, our response was generosity: sending soldiers back to fight in the First World War with the help of the Circle of Serbian Sisters; welcoming displaced persons after the Second World War; extending aid during the conflicts of the 1990s. In every trial, our people found it in their hearts to give.

In my fifteen years of service at our Cathedral, I have witnessed countless acts of kindness, generosity, and love. One story remains especially vivid: a parishioner once purchased a home and farmland for a father and daughter from Kosovo who had lost everything. Such extraordinary love is the very essence of Christian giving.

To preserve and multiply these acts of generosity, our Cathedral established the Endowment Program ten years ago. What began with just a few funds totaling no more than $50,000 has grown into a true pillar of stability and blessing. Today, in 2025, we are humbled and grateful to be approaching $2 million in endowment funds, with 14 endowments established by faithful families and individuals.

The impact is already being felt. In 2024, the Lebar Family Endowment Fund alone generated $26,000 in earnings—more than half the amount with which our entire program began. This is the power of endowment: gifts that keep giving, blessings that multiply across generations.

Endowments allow donors to honor loved ones in perpetuity, while providing vital support for ministries and programs. Because the principal remains untouched, these funds build a permanent foundation for responsible budgeting, long-term planning, and meaningful ministry.

On behalf of our clergy and community, I warmly invite you to support and participate in this growing legacy. Together, we can ensure that the generosity of today will bless the Church and generations to come.

In Christ,
V. Rev. Darko Spasojević, PhD
Cathedral Dean