PUT HEART INTO STEWARDSHIP

 

            In continuing my reading the booklet put out by VANCO, titled The Complete Guide to Church Stewardship, I read about the second of eight rules for effective church leadership: Put Heart Into Stewardship!

            The Scripture sited was the story of the widow’s offering (Mark 12:41-44):

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

 

This reminded me of my favorite stewardship program that is offered by Cokesbury. It is Treasure by Jacob Armstrong. It cites Matthew 6:21: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

            The widow didn’t give because she had it to give, but because she felt called to, or wanted to. She gave not from her purse, but from her heart.

            This is what we have to focus on when we talk about giving with our church. We want our church members to give from their hearts, focusing on God, not on the amount.

            When we focus on money as the point of money, we miss the point of why Jesus spoke about money so often. It wasn’t because Jesus thought money was important, but he knew what the world would cause us to do.

            We need to focus on what the bible says about money, about giving, about consumerism, greed, society, debt. This is a responsibility for ourselves and for our churches.

 

            If you wish more information on anything you’ve been reading about, please feel free to contact me at (315) 427-3668 or sranousacctg@twcny.rr.com or susanranous@unyumc.org.  I’d be happy to help or answer any questions.

 

                                     MAKE STEWARDSHIP ABOUT DOING

 

            I was preaching recently, and the scripture was based on Luke 17:11-29, and the story of the healing of the ten lepers. I was talking about being thankful, which is a pretty good topic for the Sunday before Thanksgiving, but just as the one leper that was healed stepped out to go the priests even before anything had changed (as had the other nine), he also returned to Jesus. He didn’t go to the priest, or his family, or his life, but instead returned to Jesus to thank him. It led to a discussion about what kind of action is Jesus looking for from us? Has God's Holy Spirit been urging us toward some action step? Has the Lord been tugging at us for some step of faith? Is there a family, a friend, or even a stranger in need of help this Thanksgiving season? Is there something you feel compelled to do?

            This week, after giving this message, I was re-reading a booklet put out by VANCO, titled The Complete Guide to Church Stewardship. That book gave eight rules for effective church leadership. And the first rule was: Make Stewardship About Doing!

            I was thrown when I realized that a non-stewardship sermon given about giving thanks also led right into this “rule.” The author of the booklet talked about the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-28). The focus of the rule was “that stewardship should not be about giving only but doing.”[i]

            How often do we talk about the needs of the church, the needs of people and then ask people to give. We need to articulate a vision of what giving will do: (1) for them; (2) for the church; and (3) for those impacted by the gift.

            Lives have to be changed; otherwise what is the purpose in giving? If we can’t tell stories, different stories, regularly, about changed lives because of what we’re doing, then what are we doing? Are we really a church?

            Remember, giving is part of worshipping God. Members are part of the mission of the church. People are not just funders of the mission. ALL giving has to be about how they are contributing to God’s work; impacting lives.

 

 

            If you wish more information on anything you’ve been reading about, please feel free to contact me at (315) 427-3668 or sranousacctg@twcny.rr.com or susanranous@unyumc.org.  I’d be happy to help or answer any questions.

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[i] The Complete Guide to Church Stewardship by Vanco Payments.com

 

                                                 WHAT IS YOUR WHY?

 

            I was preaching recently, and the scripture was based on Ephesians 3, which was indicated by one of the commentaries I was studying as Paul’s Why I Am Statement.

            That reminded me of the video I have watched many times on Youtube (Michael Jr.’s Know Your Why). If you’ve seen it, you know that Michael Jr. is doing one of his stand up routines and talks to people in the audience. One of the persons he talked to was a man who said he was a music teacher. Michael Jr. asked him if he could sing and asked him to sing a verse of Amazing Grace. The man did a wonderful job, a truly beautiful rendition of that first verse. However, then Michael Jr. asked him to sing it as if he had just gotten out of jail and his uncle had been shot – do the “hood” version. That version was amazing. It brought people out of their seats on onto their feet. If you haven’t seen it, or it’s been awhile, I encourage you to go online and google Michael Jr. know your why and watch.

            What is our why? I’ve spoken with churches in the area of budgeting and asked them questions: what would be missing if you no longer existed? What is God calling this church to be at this time? Not what are you doing, what are you called to be?

            I think this is important work for us as individuals but also for our churches. How do you even start this? I’d start:

1.    By looking at your mission and vision statements. What does it say about your church? Is it based in the past or is in the future? Read the mission statement aloud and finish the last line with so that what???? What is it that that mission is going to accomplish in the world?

2.    Ask a lot of questions. Why are you even asking why right now? What are your (or the church’s) core values. As an individual, what fulfills you? As a church, what motivates people to encounter, follow and disciple?  

3.    Be patient and understanding as you try to figure out a mission or why statement that works for you. But be honest.

4.    As an individual, what motivates you? What do you enjoy? Why?

5.    As a church, what is the church known as? What is it called to be? Children? Older Adults? Mission? Other?

6.    How does your personal mission statement help you be a better leader for your team, a more caring provider for your family, and a more engaged citizen in your community? Your why should be able to touch every corner of your life and, by extension, every person in it, too.

7.    How does the church’s mission statement help it make disciples, grow disciples, change lives, transform the world?

8.    As an individual, work on habits that remind you of your why.

9.    As a church, work on policies and procedures that remind the church of their why. Maybe read and re-read the mission statement of the church at the beginning of every gathering, every meeting. But also discuss how that team, that committee is fulfilling that mission.

10. Review and revise.

 

 

            If you wish more information on anything you’ve been reading about, please feel free to contact me at (315) 427-3668 or sranousacctg@twcny.rr.com or susanranous@unyumc.org.  I’d be happy to help or answer any questions.

 

                YEAR END REMINDERS ABOUT CHARITABLE DONATIONS

 

            I thought, as we got closer to the end of the year, that I’d give everyone a list of reminders. I know more and more people aren’t itemizing, so, for many, charitable donations aren’t tax deductions, but some may still itemize and some may still have the mindset of making contributions prior to year-end. So here is a list of information. I think it might be a good idea to include this in your church newsletters as a reminder to folks.

1.    Only donations made during 2023 are deductible in 2023. A donation made in 2024 will be deductible in 2024.

 

2.    What happens if my contribution that I mailed in December isn’t received by the church until 2024? It all depends on what the postmark is on the envelope. If the postmark is 2023, it is deductible in 2023, even if the envelope isn’t received by the church until 2024.

3.    Is the amount I send to the church for a retreat or other event deductible? No. Receiving benefits (attendance at a retreat, a dinner, etc.) worth an amount equal to or greater than the amount you sent in means it is NOT deductible. Only the amount that exceeds what you received would be deductible.

4.    I spend a lot of time volunteering at my church. If they had to pay someone to do what I do, it would cost a great deal of money. Can I deduct the value of what I do as a contribution? No. The value of personal services is never deductible. Only the amount of unreimbursed expenses that you spent while doing the services (i.e mileage at the charitable standard rate (14 cents per mile) plus any other out of pocket costs (paper, supplies, etc.)) As an example, a mission trip might have some unreimbursed travel expenses that could be deductible as a charitable contribution.

5.    There are IRS limitations on what is a deductible contribution on a tax return. The amount that can be deducted in any given year usually cannot exceed 60% of the adjusted gross income of the taxpayer.

6.    What records do I need to keep?

a.    No cash contributions can be deducted unless you have a cancelled check, bank statement or credit card statement showing the name of the church, the amount and date, a receipt (or letter or other communication) from the church, or payroll deduction records.

b.    For individual contributions (cash or property) of $250 or more, you will need to have a contemporaneous written acknowledgement from the church with the church’s identifying information, a designation of any non-cash contributions and a statement that “no good or services were received in exchange for this contribution other than intangible religious benefits.”

c.    For contributions worth more $500 or more, other rules apply. Noncash items worth more than $5000 will require a special tax form on the taxpayer’s return (Form 8283). Exceptions may apply.

d.    For donations of cars, boats or planes, there are special rules.

 

7.    Other reminders for the treasurer/financial secretary:

a.    Non-cash donations are not reported on the “normal” giving statements that contain cash donations. A separate letter by the church acknowledging the non-cash item received is what should be used instead, i.e. “500 shares of Apple stock were given on August 1, 2023.” No value specified, and nothing included on the giving statement.

b.    Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD) are also not reported on the normal giving statement. A letter is sent to the donor (owner of the retirement account), acknowledging the receipt of the QCD, amount, date, and from whom it was received (i.e. JPMorgan). A second letter is sent to the company that sent the funds (i.e. JP Morgan). A contribution made via QCD is not deductible by the giver, because the retirement distribution is also not recognized as income by the giver. If you have other question on this, there is an earlier blog that might be helpful. (Qualified Charitable Distribution – February 8, 2023).

Of course, each person should consult with their tax professional to get specific questions answered. These are the general items that pertain to charitable contributions.

 

            If you wish more information on anything you’ve been reading about, please feel free to contact me at (315) 427-3668 or sranousacctg@twcny.rr.com or susanranous@unyumc.org.  I’d be happy to help or answer any questions.