Gwinn United Methodist Church Endowment Fund

Gwinn United Methodist Church Endowment Fund

What are the differences between an Endowment Fund and a Memorial Fund?

What is the Endowment Fund?
The Gwinn United Methodist Church Endowment Fund is a permanent fund built through
gifts from the membership and friends of the church. The fund’s purpose is to enhance the
Christian mission of the church by supporting activities and providing for capital improvements.
Through the Endowment Fund we share God’s love with the world.
An Endowment Fund utilizes the income from monies given and invested while protecting
the principal of the fund. Thus, gifts become permanently a part of the Endowment and give
forever through earned income.

Making Gifts to the Fund
Church members and friends may give gifts to the fund at any time of cash, securities, real
estate and/or life insurance. A gift may also be given through a will or a memorial.
“Gifts may be of any size, small or large, from $5.00 to $50,000.00 or more. All
gifts are important and welcome.” --John Maki, Chair, Endowment Committee
Donors may use the Endowment Fund envelopes or contact a member of the committee or
the pastor to plan their giving.
Cash gifts qualify as a charitable deduction for federal income tax purposes and are fully
deductible up to 50 percent of your adjusted gross income in the year in which the gift is made.
Additional information on tax benefits is available.

When will the Church Start Using the funds?
The Endowment Fund was established in April, 2002 with a bequest of $25,000 form the
estate of Bill and Millie Andrews, members of Gwinn United Methodist Church. This gift is
hopefully the first of many to build lasting ministry opportunities through the Church.
Early in 2003, funds will be available for use for the first time to support the following
types of missions: supporting church member participation in conferences, camps and training;
mission projects; building and equipment needs; and grants in the community for social services
and to meet human needs.

How will decisions about expenditures be made?
The Endowment Committee will review requests to the fund and make recommendations
to the church Administrative Council. Up to four percent of the fund balance may be distributed
annually. Proposals may be submitted by anyone to the committee using the church’s endowment
fund proposal form.
“We hope our endowment fund will provide our church a new opportunity to invest in our church
and our community in the name of God. Giving to the Endowment Fund is a lasting investment in our Christian
mission.” --Mark Breit, Endowment Committee Treasurer

For more information please contact the members of the Endowment Committee:
John Maki, Judy Watson-Olson, Mark Breit, Shirley Rice, Dick Johnson, Rev. Geri Hamlen.

THE ENDOWMENT FUND: ACHIEVING DREAMS BEYOND THE BUDGET

You can make a difference in the ministry of Christ!

Why an Endowment?

Nowadays, the cost of maintaining property, program, staff and worship is so high, too little is left for mission and service. We live in a time when we need large endowments for doing good in the world, and doing the work of Jesus Christ.

Endowment funding says to the church and community, "The ministry of the church is important."

An Endowment Fund provides a way for members and friends to make gifts for the benefit of the church, and the work of the church in the local community, and the world. This gift becomes a permanent endowment of financial support and a living memorial.

Income from the Endowment is able to Achieve Dreams Beyond the Budget. This income is intended for nonrecurring purposes that are not a part of the church’s established programs funded through its operating budget.

Gifts made would be invested and only the income used for the purpose designated in the endowment charter. The principle is never touched!

CHRISTIAN FINANCIAL PLANNING

Christian financial planning should be approached with careful thought, much prayer, and with our focus on God. We affirm that all we have comes from God, and that we are merely caretakers for a time. What we do with what we have is the ultimate test of our faith. We must strive always to be open to God’s love and guidance as we progress through the stages of our lives. As Christians we begin the financial planning process by recognizing and celebrating our relationship with God.

THE CHRISTIAN APPROACH TO PERSONAL FINANCIAL PLANNING

..."You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength and with all your mind." And Jesus said... "Do this, and you will live.: Luke 10:27-28.

These words from Luke’s Gospel tell us how to live as Christians. When we give and are active in helping others, we are showing how powerful the love of God can be in our lives. Our focus shifts to helping others, we experience God’s love in our own life, and we are indeed blessed. Stewardship of life is about Christians moving beyond ourselves and loving others as Jesus taught. That is how we experience life in all its joy and abundance!

For us to experience God’s grace and to be active in his work in the world, each of us needs to understand God’s love for us individually, and to reflect that love to our neighbors through our actions.

HOW YOU MAY PARTICIPATE

For Christians, the church and its ministry have given them a faith to live by. It has been the guiding light in the good and bad times of their lives. Many of the high moments in their lives were within the fellowship of the Christian community. An Endowment Fund provides an excellent instrument for those whose lives have been blessed by the church. YOU CAN GIVE A PERPETUAL GIFT TO ENSURE ITS CONTINUANCE AND GROWTH.

Contributing to an Endowment for your church may serve as a means of providing a tax advantage both now and for your heirs upon the distribution of your estate.

Gifts may be made in cash, real estate, securities, trusts, personal property, life insurance, as well as other methods, such as a "living memorial," a bequest in your will, or both.

WHAT AN ENDOWMENT FOR YOUR CHURCH CAN DO FOR YOU:

* It is a witness to family and friends as to your values.

* It provides satisfaction that you are supporting a cause you believe in.

* It helps the church minister in special ways.

* It honors friends and loved ones.

GWINN UNITED METHODIST ENDOWMENT FUND

Mid-year Financial Report June 30, 2006 Mark W. Breit, Treasurer

________________________________________________

TOTAL AS OF JUNE 30, 2006: BALANCE: $43,666.71

CONTRIBUTIONS: $382.00

FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION: $1686.98 in 2006

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Grants awarded through 6-30-06 (for year 2005):

*Wesley Foundation (Brandon Veale mission trip) 2/27/06 $100.00

$ 1586.98 still available for grants

Accounts as of 6/30/06:

*TDAmeritrade (formerly TDWaterhouse).............................................................$18,367.53

*SIRCFCU (savings: $1591.31; checking: $ 17.00; CD: $13,270.40).....................$ 14,878.71

*River Valley State Bank CD.....................................................................................$ 10,420.47

TOTAL........$43,666.71

Earnings Total January thru June, 2006: $1053.96

Fund Raising for 2006 thru 6/30 Contributions for 2006 $1053.96

Legacy Program $560.50 thru June 30, 2006 $ 740.50

Valentine Flower Sale $180.00 $382.00 $ 382.00

TOTAL $740.50 total additions: $2176.46

This page was last updated on: 09/08/2006