Larry enjoys “building relationships with people and pastors to guide them and help them reach an understanding of God’s will for them in relation to generosity, and then to act on that understanding.” He believes he can best do this through The Columbia Partnership as a member of the Developing Resources Team led by Ruben Swint, a Ministry Colleague and board member with TCP.
After receiving his Master of Divinity degree and then doing post-graduate work at the University of Edinburgh, Larry has spent more than 40 years in ministry as an ordained United Methodist minister. As founding pastor of a thriving church in the Houston area, he saw his congregation excel in growth and personal stewardship. In 1985, after 17 years in the local church, Larry sensed his calling taking a new direction and has spent the past 25 years consulting with churches through a ministry of stewardship and generosity. He has led more than 175 campaigns, each with its own dynamic challenges, and has led multiple campaigns in more than 20 of these churches.
Larry Sykora is known for spirited leadership given with the heart of a true servant. He is an expert at building collaborative relationships, strategizing the overall plan for a church’s giving campaign and structuring the team of staff and lay leaders who will carry it out.
In describing his decision to join The Columbia Partnership, Larry shares, “It is my belief that Columbia Partnership represents a ministry with great integrity, gifted people, and gifted skills to further the Kingdom in the North American Church. I believe that coming alongside Ruben Swint will help to continue build a team that will further develop a high quality and effective stewardship ministry. I believe a relationship with The Columbia Partnership will allow me the opportunity to further develop, and give of the skills and gifts that I have been blessed with over the past 25 years.”
Larry is married to Gerry Sykora. They are members and teachers at Northbrook United Methodist Church in Roswell, GA. To contact Larry, you may send him an e-mail at LSykora@TheColumbiaPartnership.org or call him at 770.335.0836.
The Developing Resources Team with The Columbia Partnership now includes Ruben Swint, Ann Updegraff Spleth, Don Durham, and Larry Sykora. Within this team is more than 75 years of fundraising experience. Two have served as foundation presidents, two have served on the staff of national fundraising organizations, all four are ordained ministers, and one is an adjunct faculty member of the Fund Raising School at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. It is a highly qualified and experienced team of fundraising professionals ready to help congregations, denominations, and parachurch organizations benefit from effective generosity approaches.
