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Supporting
Our Church
There are many
ways that we can support the ministries of the Suncreek UMC faith community. Each year, we are called to support the Operating Budget of the church
with a pledge in proportion to the financial gifts we have received. This year, the dynamic growth of our church calls us to contribute to the
Capital Funds Campaign so that we have adequate facilities for worship and
spiritual development.
Giving
Special Gifts
Another way that
persons can support the vital ministry of the church is through
Memorial and Honorarium Gifts. We
encourage you to think of your church when you are making special gifts. This
kind of special giving goes beyond the basic responsibilities that we have for
supporting our church. Yet,
it can be an exceedingly fun, creative, and meaningful way to express our love
for our church, God, and each other.
Be Creative! For example, imagine that you a seeking a special Christmas gift for an Aunt that loves music and loves the church. Consider donating a hymnal in her honor to the church. You could give her a card to unwrap at Christmas that says that a special gift of a hymnal has been given. The gift will make it possible for others to make a joyful noise to the Lord for decades to come. Imagine
that you are seeking a way to honor a former youth director who took you on a
mission trip and taught you valuable lessons about Christ’s call to feed
God’s sheep. Consider sending him
a note that says thank you and informing him that you have given a
scholarship in his honor to Suncreek UMC that will pay for a youth to
participate in a Summer Mission Trip who could otherwise not afford to go.
Imagine
honoring a special Sunday School teacher in your child’s life by giving a gift
to the church in the teacher’s name. Maybe,
a fitting gift would be a set of children’s picture books that tell Biblical
stories. Your card might
thank the teacher for finding creative ways to bring Biblical stories to life
for your child.
Memorial
Gifts
When
you are faced with the difficult task of selecting where to designate memorial
funds that are collected for a relative, we hope you consider the church. We acknowledge that there are times when some other charity is a better
match. However, often a gift
for a specific item or ministry offers an ideal way to recognize the glorious
life of a relative.
The
Stewardship Committee has asked leaders of a variety of ministries at Suncreek
UMC to provide a list of specific needs to aid persons that want to give these
kinds of gifts. Some of the items on this list may have already been given. We encourage you use the list to generate ideas and then talk to the leader cited to learn more. If you would
like to view a copy of the complete list, click here.
Purchasing
the Gift
Please
work with the church office to determine who will purchase the gift. It often is best if a check is written to the church and the church
purchases the item. This typically
saves money, because churches are exempt from sales tax under state law. It is also best to speak with a leader from the program area related to
the gift before you purchase a gift. This
will avoid duplication and help us to be good stewards of our limited resources. (Please write memorial or honorarium on the memo line of your
check.)
Plaques
and Certificates
All
special gifts are recognized in the church newsletter. If you would like your gift to be anonymous, please inform the church at
the time of the gift. Gifts like hymnals are also typically noted inside the
front cover of the book. Sometimes,
persons request that a plaque be placed on a object to recognize the donor or
the person who the gift was given to honor. Decisions about affixing a plaque to an item are made by the church’s
trustees. Excessive plaquing of
items can have a negative impact on the beauty of the church. So great care is used in determining such action. A copy of the church’s policy is available from the office or the web
site.
Certificates are available from the church office to recognize that a memorial or honorary gift has been made. You may request that the church send a certificate to a specific person or pick the certificate up from the church office. Ideally, you should contact the church office (972/ 390-1695) a few days before the certificate is needed. Examples of Gifts Adult
Choir Music
Our youth chior and adult choir have a great need to purchase additional sheet music. The cost is approximately $150 per anthem to purchase music for the adult choir members, director, and accompanist. It is a somewhat more for or 100+ member youth choir. Your gift will be noted in the worship bulletin the first time the choir sings the anthem. Sanctuary
Banners
The Worship Committee is continuing to add seasonal banners
that enhance our worship experience. Large fabric
banners vary in cost, but the average cost is about $750.
Special
Music Instrumentalists and Singers
Occasionally, we would like to enhance our Sunday Morning Worship experience by hiring professional musicians and singers. This is an especially pronounced need if we decide to present a long and complex work like the Messiah or a Requiem. Gifts of approximately $150 to $200 are needed. 25-Passenger
Bus
A long-term dream of many
groups in the church is to have a 25-passenger bus. This would be a great resource for our children and youth. It would be used for activities like mission trips, retreats, camps, and
field trips. This is a big
ticket item with a price tag of at least $25,000. However, gifts of any size are welcome to aid us in reaching this goal.
Youth
Bibles
Our youth are in need of
additional bibles that are placed in youth classrooms and used during Sunday
School, Bible Studies, and Sunday Evening Youth Activities. The cost of the study bibles are $25 each.
New Education Building There will be many exciting opportunities for persons to make special gifts for items that are essential for transitioning into our new building and reconfiguring our existing building. TV
and VCR on a Portable Cart
Our teachers of children,
youth, and adults often request equipment to view a videotape as part of a
Sunday School class lesson or other church activity. We do not have sufficient equipment to meet all of these requests. A gift of $900 would purchase a 32-inch TV, a VCR, and a sturdy cart that
would facilitate video presentations for large groups.
Computers
As our church and staff
continues to grow there is a pressing need for new computers to aid
communication and productivity. A $900 gift would provide a staff member with a network-ready computer
and the software they need to lead their ministry area.
Children’s
books, music CDs, and videos
We would like to create a
children’s section of our church library that includes Christian resources for
children that are not available at the public library. A list of requested items is being prepared. The cost of most of these items range between $10 and $30.
Youth
Scholarships
Provide a scholarship for a
youth that cannot afford to attend a retreat, camp, or mission trip. The approximate costs are: Summer Mission Trip $150, Conference Summer
Camp $225, Conference Retreat $55, SUMC Youth Retreat $75. Your gift can provide a youth a life changing experience.
Trees and other landscaping
Our master plan includes a tree lined promenade. Soon we can go ahead and start planting trees that will frame this area. We welcome donations.
Many persons support their church by including the church in their will. The church cherishes these gifts. There are also many creative ways to make gifts while you are still living that maximize your gift by limiting the Estate and Capital Gains taxes on the gift. For example, there are ways to give assets to the church and to continue receiving income from the asset. Yes, it sounds complicated. With the help of a financial professional, these kinds of gifts can be relatively simple. One resource is the Texas Methodist Foundation. Click on the link below for a list of brochures they offer. http://www.wpg.cc/stl/CDA/articleDetail/1,1001,335-1269,00.html
Special Offerings and Other Second-Mile Missions Giving From time to time we have
special offerings. Decisions
about collecting offerings are typically made by the Missions Committee and our
Sr. Pastor. Suncreek UMC often
collects special offerings on Communion Sundays. Recent offerings include Aid for Victims of Flooding in Houston, Earthquake Victims in
Afghanistan, and Austin Street Shelter, which serves homeless persons in Dallas.
Disaster Relief:
When major disasters occur
in the world, Bishops will sometimes send a special letter to all the churches
in their Conference requesting that a Special Offering be collected. One
of the nice things about these special United Methodist offerings is that 100%
of the offering goes to help those in need. All of the administrative costs for the church personnel that manage
these funds are paid through our Apportionments and other gifts to these
agencies. Some other relief
charities spend a large percentage of the funds they raise on Administrative
costs like advertising and public relations.
Design Your Own Special Offering: You don’t need to wait
until there is a special offering to give to a situation that touches your
heart. If there is an area of
significant need in the world that you learn about through the TV, radio, or a
newspaper, the United Methodist Church has a way to put your money to work to
meet that need. Simply write a
check to SUMC and attach a note that explains where you want the money to go. For example, “Africa children that are orphans because their parents
died from AIDS.” The church will
send your gift with the regular payments we make to the North Texas Conference. An Advance Project number will be listed next to your gift that
makes sure it is assigned to the correct fund. The church staff will call you if they cannot find a project that is a
good match for your request.
You can also use the United Methodist Church Advance Internet site to select a project that matches your interests. This site will allow you to search Advance Projects by ministry type and geographic region. Click on the UMCOR Emergency Response box to go to a page that lists many recent disasters and the Advance numbers for the funds. Then write the name of the project and the Advance number on your check and drop it in the offering plate on Sunday. Even relatively small gifts to these funds can make a real difference! What Does the Term Second Mile Refer to? The "first mile," or priority, is for United Methodist churches to support ministries around the World by paying their apportionments. Missions giving beyond this is referred to as “second mile giving” or “going the second mile.” |