Stewardship – "And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work."   2 Corinthians 9:8

During morning worship on Consecration Sunday, November 15, 2009, attendees made their financial commitments to our church’s missionary, benevolent, and educational ministries in this community and around the world by completing a 2010 Estimate of Giving Card.  Brunches were held after both the 8:40 and 11:00 a.m. worship services. 

The November 15, 2009, message of our guest preacher, Dr. Gary Burge, "The Greatest Gift Given to Jesus," was both humorous and inspirational.  It is available in real audio or mp3 format.  It can be accessed from this page, our sermons page, or our sermons podcast.  Photos from the November 15, 2009, Consecration Sunday worship service and the brunch following the 8:40 a.m. worship service are also online.

For those who did not attend church on November 15, 2009, and complete an Estimate of Giving card at that time, the 2010 ESTIMATE OF GIVING (formerly known as a pledge card) is online.  You can print the form right from the website and return it to the church office (Attn:  Finance).  Contact Denny Lawson if you have any questions.  The EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) Form is also available online and can be completed and returned to the church office.  Estimate of Giving cards and drop-off boxes for them are also available in the Narthex and Rotunda.

Congregations that approach financial stewardship from a biblical perspective do not view the money Christians give to their church merely as a way to pay its bills.  Rather, such congregations see financial contributions as a way to help people grow spiritually in their relationship with God by supporting their church’s mission and ministry with a percentage of their incomes.

Our congregation’s Stewardship committee has selected the New Consecration Sunday Stewardship Program as a way to teach the biblical and spiritual principles of generous giving in our stewardship education emphasis this year.

New Consecration Sunday is based on the biblical philosophy of the need of the giver to give for his or her own spiritual development, rather than on the need of the church to receive.  Instead of treating people like members of a social club who should pay dues, we will treat people like followers of Jesus Christ who want to give unselfishly as an act of discipleship.  New Consecration Sunday encourages people toward proportionate and systematic giving in response to the question, “What percentage of my income is God calling me to give?”  The chart below is an easy way of estimating your weekly contribution if you can step up the percentage of your income that you donate in 2010.

Some thoughts for 2009, which is not quite over yet . . .

Meanwhile, we all need to remember to keep our 2009 pledges current.  The last worship service of 2009 will be on Sunday, December 27.

ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER - You can sign up for this at any time just by using the EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) Form available online and in the church office and returning it to the church office.  Your monthly pledge commitment can be automatically withdrawn from your checking account, savings account, or credit card.  This convenient and secure method of payment costs you nothing, eliminates the need to write checks or bring cash to church, and gives you peace-of-mind knowing that the church is receiving your contribution even if you are unable to attend, which also makes for a more even cash flow for our church.  If you would like more information please contact Joan Johnson at 630-668-5147, ext 18.

Year-End Giving

Year end Is a great time for giving, and God’s grace is visible even in the midst of federal tax laws.  That grace allows us to be a generous giver to the work of the Realm of God without any penalties; indeed, you can do so with advantage.  So, as we approach the end of the calendar year, please think of making an additional year-end contribution.  Not only will this help our church operations, ministry, and missions, but it will allow you to get the benefit of tax savings.  You are not limited to giving cash. Your tax savings can be even greater if you give appreciated assets, such as stocks and bonds.  By donating stocks or bonds, you receive an additional bonus by avoiding the federal capital gains tax.  Securities will allow you to receive the charitable deduction based on their fair market value on the date of the gift along with avoiding all federal capital gains taxes that would otherwise be due at the time of sale of these assets.  Please contact Jan Buscher if you are planning on making a contribution of
stocks.

Pension Protection Act

As part of the Emergency Stabilization Act, the Pension Protection Act of 2006 is being extended through 2009.  It provides continuation of an opportunity for church members age 70 1/2 and older who own an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to direct gifts of up to $100,000 to the church from the IRA without reporting the transfer as income.  The contribution must be transferred directly from the IRA to the church.  Historically, any withdrawals from an IRA would be taxed prior to making a gift.  Now a contribution can be made directly from the IRA without being taxed.  This is just one more creative way, along with gifts of stock, that members can consider as a significant way to give, particularly as the end of the year approaches.  As always, consult your tax advisor.

Please contact Denny Lawson at dennylawson@hotmail.com if you have any questions about Stewardship at First Presbyterian Church.