The church enjoys receiving gifts at the end of the year just as you do – to give thanks to God, to sustain our ministries and to support you in advancing your own tax planning. Here is our 2018 Christmas wish list based on some possible areas to support (“what”) and how to do it (“how”). Just note on your gift the purpose, whether in the memo of the check or a separate note and we’ll direct it as you desire and thank you for your gift.
What ?
- George’s Trusts and Funds: Your gifts are invested and provide benefits long after this Christmas is over.
- Memorial Trust Fund (MTF): A broad based fund for “charitable or benevolent purposes”, education, for the sick, “the general repairs, maintenance, and operation: and upkeep of any real estate owned by St. George’s.” You can restrict the gift for a particular purpose or keep it unrestricted and let the church decide how to use it.
- General Endowment Fund (GEF): A more specific fund for the following areas – outreach, capital additions/improvements, items beyond the operating budget. These gifts are unrestricted.
Look around you at St. George’s and see the work of these funds – The GEF, for instance, has bought tables for Sydnor Hall, sent kids to South Dakota, created preschool scholarships, contributed to renovations, and bought staging equipment for the music department.
- Long-Term Building Fund: Help us keep our HVAC going as we replace the boiler in 2018. We also our looking at our damp problem, particularly around the kitchen and transept area on the north side. The boiler alone is estimated at $40,000. The damp cost is unknown. Help us get our building ready for the 300th anniversary in 2020
- Organ Fund: Our wonderful organ was partially completed in 2010. It sounds amazing but still needs 732 pipes to be complete, which will cost around $271,000. $372 buys one new pipe. A sound grouping of pipes or “stop” costs between $15,000 and $35,000.
- The Table at St. George’s: The Table is 6 years old in December, 2017. Give a birthday gift to help us support “the least of these,” both the disciples who manage the Table and those who are the recipients of our gifts. Most of the Table financial support is greater than the church budget can provide.
- Haiti Scholarship Fund: This fund has been invaluable in aiding the children of Notre Dame in Port Au Prince, Haiti. The continued scholarship donations have helped to provide much needed school uniforms, books, teacher salaries, nutrition and nurse’s salaries in recent years.
- Mission – Help us support Jesus commandment in Matthew 28, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
- To the Church – no specific purpose. We begin Mark’s Gospel this Advent. The overriding theme of Mark is Jesus coming as a servant, revealing who He is through his actions. The church reflects the collective wisdom and actions of all who have served here over 275 years. Give a gift to the church to continue this legacy of service. It is still tax deductible!
How?
- Checks – Checks must be received in the office or postmarked on or before Dec. 31, 2017 to count for tax year 2017. Please note that the date on the check is immaterial. Be sure to document the purpose of your gift.
- Credit Card – Our credit card site is available 24/7. Check out the link here- https://www.stgeorgesepiscopal.net/giving/ There are opportunities to give to all of the areas above. Quick and easy.
- Securities – Appreciated securities are a wonderful way to give a gift since any potential capital gain goes into the gift amount to the church which is deductible back to you. Thus if you bought a $1,000 stock and it is now worth $1,200, donate to the church, get credit for the $1,200 and don’t worry about the capital gain. We can talk to your broker and give them all the information they need in 5 minutes. Please note the contribution of investment securities becomes deductible when the gift securities have passed beyond the donor’s control. Thus, a stock donation to St. George’s through a broker must show a contribution date of Dec. 31, 2017, or before.
- Charitable IRA. If you are 70 ½, have an IRA and have not taken your required minimum distribution, donate it back to the church and you don’t have to count that income on your tax return. Consult your tax advisor and the holder of your IRA. Keep this in mind for 2018 also!