Endowment

Why Do We  Give? - Joy in giving comes through your participation in the life of the First Church family of faith. We find joy in giving and receiv­ing because these acts relate us to one another. Giving to First Church is different from other charitable giving. We give to the church because we are followers of Jesus! We give to support the ministries that touch thousands of people in our neighborhood, city, state and world. Whenever members enter our family of faith, they are asked to support First Church with their gifts, service, prayers and pres­ence. This is a vow in response to God’s invitation to be a part of His church and the First Church community.

Why Do We Pledge? - “We pledge because all we have comes from God and ultimately belongs to God,” says one couple that gives a percentage of their income to the church each year. “We know the church depends on pledges to help in financial planning. It would be hard for our family to figure our budget if we didn’t know how much we were getting paid at work.” This couple has increased their pledge a percentage each year for the last several years. They hope to work their way up to giving 10 percent of their income to First Church  soon. “We have found the more we give back to God through the ministries of the church, the more involved we are in touching the lives of people.” Another First Church couple gives because they too understand their gift of money does much more than “keep the lights on.” “As two of the many members of His church, we are glad that our efforts, multiplied by the other member’s various gifts and talents, can make a real impact on the world — an impact greater than we could make alone.”

Percentage, Not Dollars - When you complete your estimate of giving card, we encourage you to reflect on how your church is touching the lives of thousands of people across the city and across the globe. Rather than focusing on how many dollars you want to commit to these lives, think about the percentage of your income you will give.

Every family needs to decide what percentage of its income to give back to God. We believe the Bible teaches a tithe or 10 percent. Others feel five or eight percent is more in line with their lives and budgets. Whatever your family decides, we encourage every member of the family to pledge.

Ways to give –

1. Cash or Check - For some families, this is the best way to support the ministries at First Church. When choosing this option, it is helpful to fill out the estimate of giving card, indicating the amount you are giving to encourage the mission of First Church. You can then send in your check each month or put the gift in the offering plate on Sunday morning. Either way, you will receive a full accounting of your support to the ministries of the church.
2. Electronic Contribution or Bank Draft - Many who give in support of the min­istries at First Church choose an automatic bank draft of their pledge. The bank draft option allows the giver easily to keep track of their investment in the ministries of the church, while adding the convenience of a regular withdrawal. Fill out the Bank draft form from the Finance office and attach a voided check, and you are all set.
3. Prepaid Pledge - Some years you may need to take advan­tage of the tax benefits of giving to First Church. One of the best ways to do this is to prepay your pledge. This means you give your entire pledge or a portion of it to the church at the end of the current year for use in the next year. For example, if you are giving money for use in 2004, you can give your check to the church on Dec. 31, 2003. You may then deduct your gift for the 2003 tax year, rather than waiting for 2004. Your gift to the ministries at First Church is then used for ministry in 2004. Gifts of Securities - The best stocks to donate are those that have increased greatly in value, particularly those producing a low yield.

   Stock may be donated to First Church by transferring investments to our securities account. Please contact Scooter Leonard for instructions or notify us of any pending transfers so that we can be aware of any activity and handle it properly.

   If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact Ann Holt at the church at 859-233-0545 or Steve Chrissy with Merrill Lynch at 859-231-5212.

   Receipts

   You will receive a receipt of your tax-deductible gifts in accordance with IRS requirements. Please let us know if you have any specific needs regarding the timing of these notifications, otherwise you will receive only the minimum summary of your gifts necessary to meet government standards.

Answers To Common Questions About Electronic Contribution

Q.     What is Electronic contribution?

A.     Electronic contribution is an automatic transfer program which allows you to make contributions without writing checks

Q.     What is the advantage of electronic contribution?

A.     It saves time!  It saves work!  It simplifies your life!  You also help the church stabilize its budget and save money

Q.     How is my electronic contribution automatically deducted from my account?

A.     Once you authorize the transfer, your specified contribution is electronically transferred directly from your checking or savings account to the church’s account.

Q.     When will my contribution be deducted from my account?

A.     On its due date.  You never have to worry about forgetting a payment or mailing it on time.

Q.     If I do not write checks, how do I keep my checkbook balance straight?

A.     Since your contribution is made at a pre-established time, you simply record it in your check register on the appropriate date.

Q.     Without a canceled check, how can I prove I made my contribution?

A.     Your bank statement gives you an itemized list of electronic transfers.  It is your proof of contribution.

Q.     Is electronic contribution risky?

A.     Electronic contribution is less risky than check contribution.  It cannot be lost, stolen or destroyed in the mail.  It has an extremely high rate of accuracy.

Q.     What if I change bank accounts?

A.     Notify us and we will give you a new authorization form to  complete.

Q.      How much does electronic contribution cost me?

A.     It costs you nothing and saves you time.

Q.    What if I try electronic contribution and don’t like it?

A.    You can cancel your authorization by notifying us any time.  But, once you’ve enjoyed the convenience, time and money savings of electronic contribution, we doubt you will want to go back to making contributions the way you did before.

Q.    How do I sign up for electronic contribution?

A.    Complete and sign the authorization form available from the church office and return it to the church office along with a voided check or savings deposit slip.