Founders Circle

The Founders Circle is an opportunity for you to partner with Urbana Seminary to make training available to people preparing for ministry. A member of the Founders Circle will give a specific amount each year to the Seminary’s Annual Fund. This ensures that the Seminary can count on having certain resources available to plan and grow its ministry. The donor then is able to enjoy the benefits and opportunities that the Seminary accords to those who are members of the Founders Circle.

A member of the Founders Circle makes a commitment to give each year as the Lord prospers. Though any amount above the minimum gift will qualify you for membership in the Founders Circle, we encourage people to think in terms of one of four levels to enter the Circle and sustain your membership year by year:

  • A gift of $3,000 per year
  • A gift of $5,000 per year
  • A gift of $10,000 per year
  • A gift of $20,000 per year


A gift between the amounts of $3,000 and 9,999 will admit the donor and spouse to the Founders Circle, Dorcas Level (see Acts 9:36-42) and a gift of $10,000 or more will admit the donor and spouse to the Founders Circle, Barnabas Level (see Acts 4:36-37).

For the members of the Founders Circle, the Seminary affords opportunities to:

  • Participate in an annual Founders Weekend. You will receive a special invitation to join in with other leaders in the business, academic, and professional communities to be present at the Seminary for the entire weekend’s activities. This will include a chance to hear a national leader in their field give a lecture, attend a training and brainstorming session designed for Christian leaders in the marketplace of ideas and business, and be recognized at a special dinner hosted by the Seminary.
  • Give input into the formation of future leaders in church ministry and world missions. Associated with the activities of each year’s Founders Weekend, the Seminary will incorporate opportunity for you to meet with students in our programs. The goal is that you would be able to share what you want a future pastor to know about your profession, the challenges you face in living out your faith in Christ in the marketplace, and ways that the church can most effectively minister to people in your setting.


Members of the Founders Circle will receive:

  • The Flame, Urbana Seminary’s newsletter and prayer guide published quarterly
  • Mention on a special Founders Circle section of the Website
  • An invitation to the Founders Circle dinner each Founders Weekend
  • Invitation to participate in all the activities of each year’s Founders Weekend—the lecture, special seminar/training for people in business and professions, dinner, input into the lives and formation of current Seminary students
  • An annual report at Founders weekend on the status of the Seminary, its ministries, new initiatives and the overall picture of Fundraising for the Seminary.