Common Questions
How do I make an over and above gift to Christ Church?
Christ Church will be relying upon financial gifts “over and above” the congregation’s current level of giving. The best path to increased giving is the spiritual path, where you set your heart on things above. Financial priorities then take shape from the spiritual priorities.
One way of defining this is “lifestyle stewardship,” a term used to describe a level of giving that affects one’s living. The challenge of lifestyle stewardship is to find ways, boldly and prayerfully, to let our giving touch your living! The three keys to effective lifestyle stewardship are:
- Reassess lifestyle
- Rearrange priorities
- Reallocate resources
their church. The following seven steps are offered to help you in this regard.
1. Practice priority budgeting. Priority budgeting may mean postponing
a planned expenditure such as a new car, vacation, home remodeling, or
other major purchase.
2. Redirect present expenditures. Often, families have significant short-term
expenditures for special needs. One example would be the cash flow that is
freed up when a loan is paid within the three-year timeframe of the project.
3. Increase giving with increased income. Some people receive periodic
increases in salary or bonuses from their employers. The temptation for many
of us is to increase our lifestyle to fit the higher income. In many instances,
families have decided that they will commit the full amount of salary increases.
4. Give from your excess. A young man decided that two baseball cards he had
worth over $20,000 would be the most appropriate means of sacrifice for his
family. Some families save money over a period of years for a special project.
These resources can become vital contributions to the church.
5. Commit unexpected cash. Often, people pray for God to show them a way
they can give beyond what they can presently see or afford. Sometimes, the
answers come unexpectedly. When we consider larger than expected tax
returns or special gifts for holidays and birthdays, we can give some of these
funds for the expansion.
6. Sacrifice your extra time. Some family members have extra time they would
be willing to use at a part-time job to be able to give more to the church. This
is particularly true for families whose children are grown and away from home
and for semi-retired or retired couples.
7. Donate appreciated assets. Many people own stocks that are worth
significantly more than the original purchase price. That is good news. The
bad news is that if these stocks are sold, a significant portion of the gain
would be lost to taxation. The church has established a Foundation to receive
such non-cash assets to avoid capital gains taxes.
A Final Word
Giving does not have to be in equal increments over the three-year period of
Kairos project. You might be able to give more in the third year than in the first
two. As you think about your financial commitment to the campaign, think not just
of your potential to give right now, but also of your potential to give in the future.
It might be that you can make a three-year commitment in which 20 percent is
given in the first year, 30 percent in the second year and 50 percent in the third.
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How long will I be making my commitment?
The financial portion of the project will last for 3 years. You can make commitments to give annually, monthly, or weekly.
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How can I donate noncash assets such as personal property, stocks, vehicles, etc. to the church?
Through the Christ Church Foundation we can accept them, and we will work with you to develop the best giving strategy for you and your family. For those of you who engage in planning and/or sell properties and businesses, etc., you can avoid taxes and maximize giving if you do it properly. You can do more with what you already have than you ever could before. You can discuss how to pledge your non-cash assets to the Kairos Project by calling Gary Haluska, Executive Director of the Kairos Project, (309) 691-2438.
In addition to cash donations, through the Foundation we can now facilitate gifts including:
- Vehicles
- Antiques
- Jewelry
- Estate Gifts
- Inventory
- Personal Property
- Business Interests
- Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds
- Real Estate (Commercial and Residential)
- Collectibles (Antiques, Coins, Stamps, Baseball Cards, etc.)
When do I start giving to the Kairos project?
We will receive commitments on October 26th during the corporate worship service. Giving to the campaign begins November 2, 2008. Please write Kairos or Building in the memo line.[top]
How do I discern what God wants me to give?
If you are single:
1. Pray and ask God to place an amount on your heart to give to the Kairos Project.
2. Ask yourself what amount of money:
a. You want to give over three years.
b. You can believe God to provide for you to give over three years.
3. Next, assume for a few days you were to give the amount of money you’ve decided upon. Ask yourself these four questions:
a. Am I joyful about giving this amount?
b Is my gift sacrificial?
c. Am I demonstrating an expression of faith?
d. Am I convinced that I can give this amount with a motivation of worshipping God?
4. If you can answer yes to all four of these questions, then you can feel comfortable about your gift amount. If you could not honestly answer yes to all four questions, go through steps 1 and 2 again until you are comfortable with your answers in step number 3.
If you are married:
1. Pray, as individuals and as a couple, asking God to place an amount on your heart to give to the Kairos Project.
2. Individually, ask yourself what amount of money:
a. You want to give over three years.
b. You can believe God to provide for you to give over three years.
3. Next, assume for a few days you were to give the amount of money you’ve decided upon. Ask yourself these four questions:
a. Am I joyful abut giving this amount?
b. Is my gift sacrificial?
c. Am I demonstrating an expression of faith?
d. Am I convinced that I can give this amount with a motivation of worshipping God?
4. If you can answer yes to all four of these questions, then you can feel comfortable about your gift amount. If you could not honestly answer yes to all four questions, go through steps 1 and 2 again until you are comfortable with your answers in step number 3.
5. Now, get together as a couple and look at both of your gift amounts. If you each came up with a significantly different amount, repeat steps 1–3 and see if there is an agreement when you come back together.
6. If you are not able to reach an agreement on a commitment value after a reasonable amount of time, choose the lower number as your gift.
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