If you want something done right, just ask a busy person. That old adage proved true when Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary asked Chrys Hyde to help organize a Small Informational Gathering in Oshkosh, Wisconsin as a part of its Forging Our Future campaign in 2003.
Although she was already deeply involved in church and community activities, she was recommended by her pastor as someone who would do a great job in coordinating such an event. "I'm a good organizer and that's my problem," says Chrys. "I can't say 'no.' I'm hard on myself. If I say I'll do it, then I'll do it 150 percent. I have a hard time relaxing and I like to be busy."
Alumni Remembers Love Expressed to Father
So Chrys said yes to organizing the gathering-and it was a big success. In fact, she so impressed Garrett-Evangelical staff with her leadership and organizational skills that she was invited to join the seminary's board of trustees. Again she said yes, this time because of her deep appreciation for The United Methodist Church and her recognition that preparing outstanding leaders for the church needed to be a high priority.
"I'm a United Methodist through and through," Chrys notes. Her love for The United Methodist Church goes back to when she was a little girl growing up in Kansas City. Her father, a recovering alcoholic, was told by several churches that he could never hold a leadership position in the church, even though he had been sober for years. Asbury United Methodist Church in Prairie Village, however, welcomed him and his family with open arms.
Chrys went to Coe College in Iowa, where she majored in psychology and sociology and met her future husband, Doug. They married and moved to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where they raised two children, Andrew and Sarah, and became deeply involved in the life of the community. Like her father, Chrys became a leader in the church, serving as trustee, stewardship chair, membership chair, vacation Bible School chair, pastor-parish relations chair, administrative council chair, revisioning committee chair, and fund for discipleship chair.
Chrys' leadership didn't stop at the church, however. When her children were young she started the citywide Parent Teacher Organization. She worked on capital campaigns for the Girl Scouts and the Paine Art Center. She was a founding member of the Women's Fund, a fundraising organization with a mission to empower the lives of women.
In 2007 Doug and Chrys "retired" and moved to Florida. While they now have more time for boating, traveling, and reading, their lifestyle is not one of just leisure. Chrys has already thrown herself into the work of the local United Methodist Church; Doug remains active with the Boys and Girls Club, and they are both involved with their alma mater, Coe College. Chrys is again hard at work raising awareness for Garrett-Evangelical and the important role it is playing in preparing bold Christian leaders for the church and the world.
Giving Back Is Easy When You Receive So Much
Why is such a busy layperson willing to give her precious time to serve as a trustee at Garrett- Evangelical? Chrys summarizes it well when she states, "After every board meeting I become overwhelmed as I feel the arms of grace wrap around me. I've received a free gift from God. I've just attended a board meeting where I got to break bread, pray, worship, and analyze important issues with a group of dedicated people moved by God to bring their own unique gifts to the table. I feel that I receive far more from this association than I could ever be able to give back."
But give back she does, in generous measure, her time, her talent, and her treasure. Chrys assumed many leadership roles at the seminary and campaign, Forging Our Future, by establishing the Chrys Grafrath Hyde Endowed Scholarship. This leadership scholarship, which is being funded with outright gifts and a planned gift commitment, will someday provide enough earnings each year to provide a full tuition plus stipend scholarship to an outstanding woman preparing for ministry at the seminary.
Your Generosity Matters
Your support of the Ministerial Education Fund Apportionment helps schools like Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary to prepare people to discover their calling through the challenging curriculum. Your generosity enables the church to increase financial support for recruiting and educating ordained and diaconal ministers and to equip annual conferences to meet increased demands.
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary website, Evanston, IL
This story shows the power of the Ministerial Education Fund—one of seven apportionment funds of The United Methodist Church—to prepare and equip those answering God’s call to ministry. Your church’s support provides theological education, scholarships, and leadership development through our United Methodist seminaries and boards of ordained ministry. Together, we ensure that faithful, well-prepared leaders continue to guide the Church into the future.
When your church supports the Ministerial Education Fund, you invest in the next generation of United Methodist clergy and leaders.
