-- “Now the whole group of those who
believed were of one heart and soul…. there was not a needy person among them,
for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what
was sold…. and it was distributed to each as any had need. (Acts 4:32-35 NRSV)
When
my son was a toddler, he had a favorite song about all the pockets on his
overalls. Whenever he lost something, we
always checked all five pockets on his bib overalls and, eventually, we’d find
the missing treasure!
If
the Sunday offerings in your church aren’t quite enough to meet the ministry
challenge Christ has given you, don’t give up!
Keep looking! Have you checked
all the potential pockets of income? Our
annual income is one “pocket.” It may be
that up-front pocket that’s most visible.
But, what about the other “pockets” we might check? Have you ever considered checking the
“pockets” that hold your non-cash assets when considering gifts to the church?
Did
you know you can make gifts of appreciated stock to your church? By processing gifts of stock through the
Foundation Office, you can avoid paying any commission or selling fees,
allowing you to make a larger gift to the church! You also avoid paying any capital gains taxes
when you use stock to make a gift.
Have
you considered donating “obsolete” life insurance policies that might
have been purchased long ago for a reason that no longer exists? What a wonderful hidden treasure!
Would
you consider giving the cash saved in a Certificate of Deposit to
establish a Charitable Gift Annuity? By
making a gift with a CD, you can receive a guaranteed annuity payment each year
for the rest of your life. Call our
office for the current rates.
Another
“pocket” often overlooked is real estate. You can turn assets of property or stock into
a Charitable Remainder Unitrust. The
trust will pay you 5-8% of the market value of the fund each year for
the rest of your life. And, the church
and any other qualified non-profit charities you designate will receive a
significant gift at the time of your death.
--WI Ann Conf
God Is Still In Control!
Miss Lladale Carey
Web Content Producer
www.umcgiving.org
lcarey@umcom.org
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