First Church is celebrating the recent recognition of our own longtime members and leaders Anne and Hank Paup as Distinguished Philanthropists in Tarrant County by the Fort Worth Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) at its annual National Philanthropy Day Awards Luncheon held on November 14 at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Fort Worth.
This widespread and noteworthy recognition of the heartfelt philanthropy of these two very special people comes as no surprise to our First Church faith community. Look no further than our spectacular 190-rank Anne S. and Henry B. Paup Sanctuary Pipe Organ to see the evidence we enjoy during each and every Sanctuary worship service of this couple’s amazing generosity, not only in their financial support of our church and its programs and amenities, but also a generosity of spirit that reverberates through generations of this very special family.
As you may remember, our church’s Garden Courtyard in which we enjoy fellowship each Sunday between services, among many other times, was created by a gift to the church given by Hank’s great-great-aunt, Alice Davis Walker, in 1957. In fact, it was also following the example of Alice Davis Walker’s gift of the main organ to TCU’s Ed Landreth Auditorium that inspired the Paups to continue this family legacy of generosity with their naming gift of our new sanctuary pipe organ.
The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) fosters the development and growth of fundraising professionals and promotes high ethical standards in the fundraising profession. Our Fort Worth Chapter is one of 230 such chapters throughout the world. Formed in 1980, the Fort Worth chapter has approximately 200 members and globally is part of a 30,000 membership working to advance philanthropy through advocacy, research, education and certification programs.
This year, the Fort Worth Chapter of the AFP received an unprecedented 40+ nominations for its National Philanthropy Day Awards, and after the diligent work of its Awards Committee in reviewing these nominations and debating the merits of each, they determined what we here at First Church and those at Texas Health Resources who put forth this nomination already know very well. Through their extraordinary generosity and many contributions to our community, Anne and Hank Paup perfectly exemplify the spirit of the prestigious Distinguished Philanthropist award.
“With this award, Anne and Hank Paup join an illustrious list of well-known Tarrant County philanthropists,” adds Nancy Fisher, FUMCFW Director of Stewardship and longtime AFP member. “They are well deserving of being in such company!”
Anne Paup, who grew up in the Methodist church as the niece of Bishop Ellis Finger, Jr., Tennessee Conference, comes from a long line of Methodists in Mississippi. Although her husband, Hank, was baptized in the Methodist Church, he grew up Presbyterian in Midland, Texas. He and Anne met at SMU, where Hank was in law school and she was an undergraduate.Upon graduation, this devoted couple got married and moved to Fort Worth for Hank to accept a position in a local tax firm. They joined FUMCFW in 1982 when their son, Spivey, was just four years old. Their daughter, Robbie Jane, and a generation later, their two grandchildren, Henry Brooks Paup and Heidi Anne Paup, son and daughter of Brooke and Spivey Paup, were baptized at First Church. And, in August 2014, Robbie Jane and Daniel Pope were among the first to be married with music from this beautiful organ as it neared completion.
In addition to a long history of financial generosity to our church, both Anne and Hank have served tirelessly in many areas of First Church leadership. In addition to Anne and Hank teaching Sunday School for more than 10 years, Anne has been a member of its adult choir programs since 2002 and is an active member of United MethodistWomen (UMW) and charter member of the Hannah Circle. She has served in many UMW capacities including Special Events Chair and President from 2010 – 2012.
Hank has also served as President of the Church Council and Chairman of the Administrative Board, as well as on the Finance Committee, Board of Trustees, Staff Parish Relations Committee, and his longest tenure to date, the Foundation Board, on which he has served in many leadership capacities. In January 2020, Hank will succeed Dr. Lee Bloemendal as President of our First Methodist Foundation Board.
