ESTABLISH

The faithful dreamers who founded St. Andrews Presbyterian Church had a vision for the future. In faith, they planted seeds of a congregations, a strong and vital witness for Jesus Christ in Benzie County and around the world. 

 

The St. Andrews Endowment Fund is a way for members and friends of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church to provide gifts which can help strengthen and expand our ministry today and in the future. The fund offers the opportunity to invest in an endowment which will be used to support projects above and beyond the regular program of the church. This can include mission enhancement, education programs, scholarships, special events, unusual capital needs and other projects beyond the scope of the regular operating budget. 

 

GROW

Planning your gift may enable you to send more to ministry or to protect more future value for your family. Here are some of the more common gifts that you might consider. 

Bequest: Make a gift after your lifetime through your will or trust.

Retirement Account: Choosing this as your gift might leave your less tax-burdened assets to your loved ones.

Real Estate: Contributing property after you lifetime or when it is no longer needed. 

Charitable Trust: Trusts can combine flexible benefits including a generous income, tax benefits and a powerful gift to the church. 

Other: Ask on of our Endowment Ministry Team members about other opportunities for giving. 

 

 

Endowment Ministry Team Update April 2022

 

Thanks to the generosity of St. Andrews members and friends, the Endowment Committee reports that the balance in our Fund was more than $210,000 at the end of February, significant growth in a short amount of time.

 

And, the committee is proud to say that these funds are doing good work in Benzie County, in Northern Michigan and beyond.

 

The Endowment’s first grant in 2019 funded updated audiovisual equipment which has helped St. Andrews stay connected to our congregation and the community during the pandemic. Two grants were awarded in 2020: one supported preventative dental care to local elementary students, and a second grant went to Frontera de Cristo, a PC-USA Ministry providing housing and humanitarian assistance to immigrants detained at the border.

 

The Endowment Committee met in November 2021 to consider new applications for 2022. Four applications were approved for funding this year: Seeds EcoCorp Workforce, Remain in Touch, BACN Medical Expense Support, and Northwest Michigan Supportive Housing, utility expense assistance.  The Committee will provide updates on these programs soon.

 

Creative Giving to the St. Andrews Endowment

 

St. Andrews donors are creative. Several families regularly celebrate birthdays and anniversaries and other family joys with a gift to the Endowment Fund.

 

A more conventional gift can also be made to the Endowment using IRA accounts and/or pensions. After age 72, there is a requirement to remove a portion from the account each year (Required Minimum Distribution). The amount depends on the size of the asset and the age of the owner.

 

Tax code provides that this distribution can be given to a charitable organization (501c3), and the amount of the contribution is then removed from the owner’s taxable income. The size of the gift is specific and determined by the owner.

 

The basic premise is that taxable income is decreased, and St. Andrews Endowment receives a donation. Consult your financial advisor for details in your situation.