The Bible has a
great deal to say about our financial lives. In fact, more than two thousand
Scripture passages address the theme of money and Jesus spoke about our use of
financial resources frequently. One of the central messages of these Scriptures
is that there is a connection between our relationship to money and possessions
and our relationship to God. There are three truths that lay the foundation for
how we approach this area of discipleship called stewardship:
- God created everything
- God owns everything
- As disciples of Jesus,
we are not owner of our stuff, but trustees
God entrusted
us with financial and physical resources to meet our needs and to help carry out
his redemptive work in the world. Once we are able to offer God control of our
finances, we can offer God our entire lives, and experience the spiritual
freedom and joy that God intends for us. The New Testament describes it in
Matthew 25:14-30 and II Corinthians 8:9.
*Online Giving* is now available.
For more
information on specific topics about financial support of our ministries,
please consider the following
Frequently
Asked Questions:
Frequently
Asked Questions About Giving
“Is my
salvation determined by the level of my giving?”
No. We are
saved by God’s grace, as a free gift accepted by faith. But living into that
salvation includes learning how to use the gifts that God gives us so that our
whole life is shaped and formed around our salvation and so that God can use our
gifts as a part of his work of salvation in the world.
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“How much should I give?”
That’s between
you and God. While we never tell anyone how much to give, we lift up the
Biblical pattern of tithing giving the first 10% of our income to God as a
practical discipline for spiritual growth. (Malachi 3:6—10) Some people begin
with a smaller percentage and grow into the tithe. Those who are already
giving ten percent often feel God calling them to give beyond the tithe as their
faith and discipleship continue to grow. Everyone is challenged to “take the
next step” in their giving.
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“Should the tithe be based on my gross income or my net income after taxes?”
Again,
everyone must seek God’s direction in their giving decisions. Traditional
interpretations indicate the Biblical tithe represents the “first fruits” of our
income. By giving before the costs of housing, transportation, taxes, and other
expenses, we honor the principle that God owns everything anyway and we can
joyfully trust God to allow us to live fully on the other 90%.
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“Will I be expected to tithe?”
Not when you
are with us as a guest or when you are beginning your faith journey. We believe
that the biblical practice of offering ten percent of our income to God is a
valuable spiritual discipline. It can make a big difference in our lives and is
a biblical expectation for committed disciples of Christ.
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“If I do not tithe, will I still be welcome to attend church functions?”
Absolutely. No
one is ever asked how much they give. Tithing is always a personal, spiritual
discipline. We are committed to being an inviting, open congregation that
welcomes everyone who comes to experience God’s love in Christ regardless of
where they are on their spiritual journey.
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“When I give to Heritage United Methodist, where does my money go?”
We fulfill the mission of Heritage
United Methodist Church
through four basic channels.
- The
Operating Budget Fund underwrites the ministries, operation and maintenance
of our local congregation, such as staff salaries, ministries serving
children, youth, and adults, worship, building costs, and insurance The
Operating Budget also includes our share in the global ministries of The
United Methodist Church.
- The
Catch the Vision…Continue the Dream Fund provides the resources needed to
build the children/youth addition to our church and payoff the debt of
purchasing the 18.7 acres of land to our west side.
-
Mission Funds support mission projects that are specifically chosen by our
local church leadership such as our Food Pantry, Children’s Clothes Closet,
Mexico Mission and Africa Mission.
- The
Leaving a Legacy
Endowment Fund provides a way for persons to give gifts that
provide for the long term future of the church. The principal of these gifts
is held in perpetuity with the investment income made available as needed
for ministries of the church.
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“Who sees my giving information?”
Information on
pledges and giving are a sacred trust that are held in confidence in the
Business Administrator’s office.
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“If giving is between me and God, why does the Church ask for a pledge of my
next year’s planned giving each year?”
Good question! The Finance Committee takes very seriously its responsibility to
plan the Church’s expenditures for the coming year in line with reasonable
expectations of the income we will receive. The total amount of all pledges
helps the Committee prudently estimate that income and thus establish a
realistic expense budget for all of our ministries. We also believe a written
commitment is a tangible symbol of a person’s commitment to God. To make a
pledge for the General Budget or Catch the Vision…Continue the Dream , contact
Roger Goins by email:
rgoins@heritagevb.org, at (479) 474-6424 or print and complete this
Commitment Card then send it to the attention of Roger Goins in the church
office by postal mail to 51604 E Pointer Trail, Van Buren AR 72956. A commitment
may be changed at any time by letting the office know.
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“Does the church only want my
money?”
No! We encourage every disciple of
Jesus to find the place to serve that matches their spiritual gifts, talents
and passion. If you’d like to talk with someone about finding your place to
serve, contact Roger Goins,
Director of Ministries, at (479) 474-6424 or email:
rgoins@heritagevb.org.
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“How
do I give to Heritage United Methodist?”
We provide multiple ways for you to give. On Sundays, you may place a check or
cash in envelopes found in the holders on the back of each pew. As part of our
worship services, we receive these gifts by passing an offering plate along the
pews. You may also drop off in person or mail your gift to Heritage United
Methodist, 1604 E. Pointer Trail, Van Buren AR 72956.
For a more convenient method
of recurring contributions, you may want to consider electronic funds transfer
from your checking account. This method saves time, postage, and check charges
and you don’t have to worry about forgetting to bring your contribution on
Sunday or it getting lost in the mail. To setup recurring contributions
electronically, print this
Authorization
Agreement fill it out, attach a
voided check, and mail or drop off to Roger Goins at the above address. The
transfer occurs on the 5th or the 17th of each month,
which ever is best for you, or you may divide your contribution between the two
dates. If the 5th or 17th falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or
holiday, it will occur on the following business day. At any time you desire,
you may change or cancel your authorization with a two day notice.
Your employer
may also have an option for you to have your contribution withheld from you
check and they will then forward the contribution to the church.
Monthly and year-end
contribution statements will be sent to you by mail as a record of your giving.
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“How do I
know my money is properly accounted for and used?”
At
Heritage, we do all we can to maintain the highest levels of integrity with the
resources God gives us through the tithes and offerings of people. This includes
policies for secure handling and counting of weekly offerings, sending monthly
giving statements that show your year to date giving, preparing an annual budget
that is adopted by our membership and conducting an outside audit each year by
an accounting firm to review all our financial records and controls.
Contributions go directly to funding the ministry initiatives of our church
which, each week, affect the lives of many people. Faithfulness in giving allows
us to fulfill our mission of “loving God and people passionately and leading
people into a passionate relationship with Jesus Christ”.
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“What forms of non-cash contributions may I give to Heritage United Methodist?”
Non-cash contributions may include:
Publicly
Traded Securities
Long-term
appreciated capital gain property (such as stock) is one of the most common ways
to make additional gifts. These gifts are tax deductible at the full fair market
value subject to some limitations. Also, the gain is not subject to taxation to
the donor or the church.
Example:
Donor paid $2,000 for stock now worth $10,000.
If Donor sells the stock, he/she pays capital gains taxes on the $8,000 gain.
If Donor gives stock to church neither donor or the church pays taxes and donor
receives $10,000 tax deduction.
To transfer publicly traded
securities, contact Roger Goins at (479) 474-6424 or email
rgoins@heritagevb.org for up to date transfer instructions.
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Closely-Held Stock
Gifts of
closely-held stock are virtually the same as publicly traded securities, but may
carry additional benefits to the donor. Along with the income tax deduction,
gifting closely-held stock is a good way of reducing company retained earnings
and transferring ownership of the company to children or grandchildren.
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Personal Property
Tax deductible gifts of personal property may include antiques, art, jewelry,
vehicles or boats, coin or stamp collections, as well as other valuable assets.
These gifts of personal property have varying tax deductibility requirements so
be sure to consult with your tax advisor about such requirements. While the
Church is grateful for every donor’s intent to give, some personal property
donations must be approved by the Board of Trustees. To speak with a member of
the Board of Trustees, contact Roger Goins
(479) 474-6424 or email:
rgoins@heritagevb.org
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Paid
Insurance Policies/Life Insurance
Families often have paid life insurance policies that were originally taken out
to cover mortgage expenses or pay for college for a child. If these reasons are
no longer an issue, a paid insurance policy can be a wonderful way to make a
gift to the church. The tax deduction is equal to the replacement value or the
donor’s cost in the policy, whichever is less. The church will have the option
of retaining the policy or taking the current cash surrender value.
You may also make the church
a beneficiary of your insurance policy. When taking out a life insurance policy
with the church as the sole beneficiary, premiums may also be considered tax
deductible contributions.
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Charitable Lead Trusts
A lead trust can be established to provide income to the church for a specified
term of years. After the term of years, the assets in the trust revert back to
the donor or to the individual(s) designated by the donor. Cash, securities, and
some types of real estate can be used to fund the trust. There is no income tax
deduction for this type of gift but there may be an estate tax savings.
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Appreciated Real Estate
A gift of real estate generally will generate a tax deduction for the full
appraised fair market value. Like securities, the capital gain is not taxable to
the donor or the church. All donations of real estate require the approval of
the Board of Trustees. To discuss the donation of real estate, please
contact Roger Goins at (479) 474-6424 or email
rgoins@heritagevb.org who will put you in contact with a representative from
the Board of Trustees.
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Gifts-in-Kind
Gifts-in-kind are products or materials that you can give to aid particular
projects being undertaken by the Church.
Examples:
-
Construction materials: concrete, lumber, bricks, roofing, paint, etc.
-
Building materials: windows, doors, plumbing, lighting, flooring, etc.
-
Furnishings: Tables, chairs, audiovisual equipment, appliances, etc.
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Deferred Gifts
Deferred gifts are gifts that are received some time in the future by the
Church. During that time, the donor retains an interest in the assets. Examples
include bequests, estate notes, charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift
annuities, “Pay on Death” accounts, IRA beneficiary, life insurance.
The
possibilities for giving are endless. For your protection and peace of mind, you
should consult with your personal advisors and family when making a gift to the
church.
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Links:
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Gifts: Connecting to God's Generosity