Betty Cooper Memorial Fund

The Betty Cooper Memorial Fund was established in 1978. Mrs. Cooper left her house to the church, and stated in her will that the purpose of her gift (valued at $35,000) was “to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” In 1978 Bethel members approved the Committee motion to treat the fund as an endowment with the principal to be left in perpetuity and only the earned interest would be used for the stated purpose.  In 2017 the members voted to allow the Betty Cooper Memorial Fund committee to keep $5,000 from the original principal to be available for worthy recipients and have the rest invested. In January 2024, Bethel members approved a motion that the Betty Cooper Fund not be restricted to spending only the interest.  There were no questions or objections, so now the Betty Cooper Fund committee accepts requests from members who are needing additional funds for mission trips or scholarships where the recipients will be “proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” The rationale is that the money in this fund should be used as needed, not just kept sitting in an account in a bank.