Generosity

TOOLBOX1 The Generosity Journey

You make financial decisions almost every day. Some are minor - will I drive through McDonald’s for coffee or splurge on a milkshake at Chick-fil-A? Some decisions are major – will I purchase a new God has or car? Some relate to the future – how much will I spend on vacation or on a retirement fund?

Giving creates uncertainty, thus you start asking yourself what brought us you will do and how you will fill that gap if you give this gift to the church. It is an honest response and one that God hears and understands. Place your full trust in Him as He guides you on this to this place generosity journey. Giving is a significant decision, but giving invites God into your life like nothing else. Giving is a tangible way you declare your trust and commitment to God. Giving paves the way for God to partner for such a time with you in your life in a really powerful way. as this. God’s work can be seen through giving.

This guide will help you discern how God has blessed you and how He invites you to trust Him during the NEXT campaign. Ideas will be presented here that will hopefully help you consider how Esther 4:14 God wants you to participate in the journey. May you experience the power of God in your life as you first seek Him and His Kingdom through generous living and giving.

2 3 During Lakeway on November 21 and during all three Sunday services on November 24, our church family will have the opportunity to celebrate Lifestyle generosity God’s grace and generosity by making commitments to the NEXT campaign, a three-year commitment to the future of our church. The most effective path to generosity is a spiritual one where you Commitment Services set your heart on things above. Your financial priorities will then flow naturally from your spiritual priorities. Thursday, November 21 & Sunday, November 24 In worship we have been honoring what it means to find the heart of generosity. Generosity isn’t just a transaction, it’s a lifestyle.

CHRIST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH What you do with your financial resources is an important part of the lifestyle of generosity. It is always a temptation to give to the Lord in a way that makes the least impact on how you live. The challenge of living a generous lifestyle is to intentionally and prayerfully find a way to let your giving touch your living!

Total 3-Year Commitment Annually Monthly Weekly $1,000,000 $333,334 $27,778 $6,945 $750,000 $250,000 $20,834 $5,209 $500,000 $166,667 $13,889 $3,473 King David declared in 2 Samuel 24:24 $250,000 $83,334 $6,945 $1,737 $100,000 $33,334 $2,778 $695 $75,000 $25,000 $2,084 $521 $50,000 $16,667 $1,389 $348 $35,000 $11,667 $973 $244 $25,000 $8,334 $695 $174 $15,000 $5,000 $417 $105 $10,000 $3,334 $278 $70 $7,500 $2,500 $209 $53 $5,000 $1,667 $139 $35 $3,600 $1,200 $100 $25 This giving schedule is for quick calculation of weekly, monthly, and yearly giving. No one should feel confined to this schedule. “I will not give to God

4201 St. Hwy 6 S., College Station, TX 77845 | 979.690.4673 | christ-umc.org

2019 that which costs me nothing"

We are invited to commit our hearts in faith to share the love of David understood that the value of the gift presented to God is Jesus Christ in our growing community. Imagine the work we can achieve with God’s help. Through the NEXT Campaign, I/We will Personal Information determined by its value to the giver. A gift that touches the heart of endeavor to give over and above my/our regular offerings to God. (please print)

Date: God must first touch your life. This is the spirit of lifestyle generosity. I/We plan to give accordingly:

$ Weekly for 156 weeks First Name:

$ Monthly for 36 months Last Name: “If it is for my God, my gift must have and value to me.” $ Annually for 3 years Mailing Address: I/We wish to give to the NEXT Campaign by a means Lifestyle generosity is a level of giving that affects you – your plans, other than cash: City: Description: your activities, your attitude, and your approach to life. You give up State/Zip: something in one area of your life in order to give more of yourself in Estimated Value of asset given: Phone: another area of your life. for example: Stocks, Bonds, IRA Distributions, Securities, Personal Property, Appreciated Real Estate, Paid-Up Insurance Policies, Charitable Trusts Email:

Signature:

Your commitment is an indication of your intention to give as you are able.

4 5 Thoughts on Generous Giving Small = Big Impact

Priority Budgeting Many substantial gifts will be needed to reach our goal. You may choose to rearrange your priorities and give up something More importantly, it will take a commitment from each person in your current budget in order to increase your three-year for the full goal to be achieved. Perhaps you will consider making commitment. Priority budgeting may mean postponing a planned small sacrificial changes in your lifestyle to help us obtain the goal. expenditure such as a remodeling project or purchasing a new car. Here are a few examples of how small changes can make a larger impact in the life of Christ United Methodist Church. Redirect Present Expenditures

Families often have significant short-term expenditures for specific needs. Cash flow changes when a loan is paid or when a child Small Sacrifices Avg. Cost x725 graduates. If a present expenditure will cease during our three-year Add Up Quickly Per Month x36 Mo. Families campaign, will you consider using those funds toward your commitment? 4 Half Gallons Ice Cream $22 $792 $574,200

Increases in Income 2 Large Pizzas $24 $864 $626,400

You perhaps receive periodic increases in salary or a year-end 1 Fast Food bonus. The temptation is to automatically change your lifestyle. Is Family Meal $30 $1,080 $783,000 God calling you to do something else with those extra resources? 1 Family Movie & Popcorn $75 $2,700 $1,957,500

Small Sacrifices Yield Big Results $3,941,100

6 7 Giving from Stored Resources Planning Your Giving

Appreciated Assets Giving does not need to be in equal increments over the Gifts of appreciated assets are typically investment three-year period of the campaign. securities or real estate that are advantageous to both the donor and the church. You may be able to give more in year two and three than in year one. Unlike gifts of cash that have already incurred income tax, gifts of appreciated assets avoid a capital gains tax. If you can give more in year one, it will help the church save on any money borrowed to finance construction. The donor receives a deduction for the full market value of the asset. That, in effect, makes these gifts less costly to make.

Charitable IRA Rollover Gifts A Final Word

Charitable IRA rollover gifts apply to those who are over Finally, as you consider your financial commitment to God 1 70 /2 years old and have an IRA account. and His work, you may want to consider estate planning. Many sincere and committed Christians have not made provision You may be able to make a gift from your IRA directly to for God in their wills and estate plans. Perhaps this is a good time Christ United Methodist Church to support the campaign to do that. It may be as simple as including a provision in your will through a tax-free transfer of up to $100,000 yearly. that ten percent of the value of your estate be donated to Christ United Methodist Church at the time of your passing. It can also This type of gift can provide additional benefits to you by involve a planned giving method such as a “Charitable Remainder allowing it to count toward your IRA’s required minimum Trust.” While such gifts do not give immediate financial benefits distribution for the year by reducing your taxable income. to the NEXT campaign, they are still wonderful gifts of your faith commitment to carry on the ministry of Christ United Methodist Church for future generations.

To discuss the possibility of giving through any of these ‘Stored Resources Gifts’, please contact our Executive Director of Operations, Stacie Lambert, at 979-690-4673.

8 9 Generosity Journey

The Generosity Journey Toolbox can assist you in thinking about your transformation as a generous giver.

As you look and think about this journey, ask yourself – what drives my generosity?

For most of us, this is a daunting question with no clear answer, because each person’s circumstances differ. It has less to do with the size of one’s gift and more to do with the spirit in which the gift is offered. In the Bible, Jesus looks suspiciously as the wealthy make their offerings, for he knows they have sacrificed little in proportion to their blessings. Then comes a widow who can only give two small coins. “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them,” Jesus says, “for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21: 1-4)

As you consider the amount to give, reflect on God’s example as the first and most generous giver. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son...” (John 3:16) By following God’s example, you give from your very best; you give sacrificially; you give in love.

10 11 The Challenge Gift Profile Guide

Dear Christ UMC Family,

The vision that God has given us is a bold, God-sized dream! It is the vision of being more of a spiritual center for this community by meeting people where they are and by having a campus that draws more people into our family. I know this vision is from God because it matches our heart, stretches our imagination of what is possible, and causes us to rely and trust in Him to meet this opportunity. Our goal is $17,400,000 “above and beyond our regular giving” over the next three years. An equally important goal is for the entire congregation to participate. The “Gift Profile Guide” reveals a possible way to help each of us find our next season of reaching, growing, and serving.

The guide shows us that every gift – every single gift – makes a difference. We are praying together about equal sacrifice, not equal gifts. The truth is that all of us are not in a position to make the same gift. However, all of us CAN share a gift that pleases God and stretches us with a sacrificial commitment to invest in this vision. I am simply asking everyone to spend time discussing this with God. If there are others in your household, involve them in the conversation as well. Pray about not necessarily settling on the first amount that is revealed to you, but pray about the possibility of moving up a step in your giving. Only you know what is possible, so I invite you to pray about what is right for you and pleasing to God.

Thank you for taking this journey seriously and for the privilege of allowing me to journey with you.

12 13 14 15 What are the next steps for me?

PR AY

- Pray over your own finances and diligently examine your spending habits.

- Pray for generosity in the hearts of the Christ United Methodist Church family.

- Pray for the Christ United Methodist Church pastors and leadership as they make ongoing decisions throughout this campaign.

COMMIT

- Consider where God is calling you to make sacrifices.

- Commit to supporting Christ United Methodist Church through your generous pledge during one of our Commitment Services, on November 21 or November 24.

TRUST GOD

- Trust God in His provision for you.

- Put your hope in God’s power, promise, and faithfulness.

- Know that He will never leave nor forsake you.

Christ United Methodist Church, College Station, TX 16 979-690-4673 christumcnext.org