Jim and Karen Laatsch

It all began on the doorstep of Grace Lutheran Church in Queens Village. "I met Karen shaking hands at the church door. I didn't know it then, but she was an unexpected gift from God." For Jim, from a small family farm about 50 miles west of Green Bay, Wisconsin, city life was quite different from his previous experience. For Karen, a neighborhood resident who already felt blessed with a supportive family, school and community, the welcoming and devoted congregation was an extended family and added bonus. For both, it was a place and experience that brought them together.

After paying off their student loans, Jim and Karen worked together to save and invest, and will tell you it was not without mistakes. Yet with a little knowledge and discipline, modest incomes produced sizeable reserves. Upon retirement, they found themselves wanting, and most importantly realizing, that they could use their assets to make a difference in the church at large.

Having benefitted from urban ministry, Jim and Karen were passionate about its importance, especially given today's increasingly stressful urban environment. Believing there was a need for pastors and teachers with experience in and a heart for people in urban locations, they decided to focus their efforts on increasing the number of trained professionals through an endowment. Concordia University Chicago—both ideally situated near a major urban area and already active in urban ministry initiatives—was an ideal partner. "Concordia-Chicago was already involved in urban ministry initiatives that we felt were compatible with and supportive of our vision," explained Karen.

For Jim, the decision also took into consideration the overall educational approach of the University, which remains rooted in living a life in Christ. "I like to say that the purpose of the church is to help people find greater happiness both here on earth and in the life to come," explained Jim. "Concordia-Chicago embraces this broad mission."

In 1997, Jim and Karen Laatsch made their first gift to Concordia-Chicago through the creation of The James and Karen Laatsch Fund for Urban Church Leadership, to which they have given more than half-a-million dollars. Jim and Karen have positively impacted the future of urban ministry through the scholarships their fund provides to students. "We have received far more than we have given. Our lives have been enriched by the student recipients we have met as well as by our new circle of friends at CUC." Jim and Karen have made plans to further support their endowment by including Concordia-Chicago in their estate plans.

Jim spent his freshman year at Concordia Teachers College (CTC) from 1958 to 1959 prior to transferring to a synodical junior college for ministerial prep. He currently serves on the Concordia University Chicago's Foundation Board of Directors; Karen served on the Board for more than 10 years. Jim is a retired LCMS pastor presently serving as a vacancy pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Wisconsin Dells. Karen is retired from American Family Insurance.

Jim and Karen Laatsch were compelled to create their endowment by a need they felt was too urgent and important to put off. Today, the Laatsch's vision for stronger urban ministry is no longer a hope or idea, rather a tangible reality from which they experience great joy. If you too would like to experience the joy of giving, contact us today!