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Giving-300x201There are any number of motivations for giving. Some folks give out of their bounty, simply because they have it to give. Some folks give in order to get a tax deduction. Some folks give because they believe in the cause. Of all the reasons for giving, the best is to give out of a simple spirit of gratitude, to give with a grateful heart. No matter how generous our gifts, our acts of generosity are really just a response to the great generosity of a creative God who has given us the gift of life itself and blesses us with this good creation, a God who has been willing even to give God’s own Son for our sake. 

At St. Andrews we have many reasons to give thanks with grateful hearts:

  • a lively and vital shared faith which inspires and blesses us,

  • a competent and gifted preacher, talented musicians, and welcoming volunteers,

  • a mission-oriented congregation which is committed to serving our community and the World in the name of Christ,

  • a beautiful place to worship in a beautiful part of God’s creation.

We have indeed been blessed and give thanks with grateful hearts.

But there is another “heart” image that is just as important—a “growing heart”. As we give thanks, we also ask God to expand our hearts so that we can grow in our ministry and witness for Christ.  A growing heart catches a vision of what God would like to do and responds in generosity.

The heart of St. Andrews is a grateful heart and today we seek to have a growing heart as well, a heart of grace – to grow in our giving and sharing, our outreach and service, our ministry and compassion for the community and the world.

 

How to Make a Gift

 

Follow the link below to give by credit card or electronic funds transfer:

https://benziestandrews.breezechms.com/give/online

 

Call the St. Andrews office to make a gift over the phone, or mail a check to:

St. Andrews Presbyterian Church

8190 Lincoln Rd.

Beulah, MI 49617

 

 

Ways to Give

ANNUAL PLEDGE OR ONE TIME GIFT

Consistent with the philosophy that current members support current needs, annual pledge or gift income provides 85% of the revenue for the annual budget. St. Andrews invites all members to make regular commitments to the church by pledging each year, allowing the church to plan and manage most effectively. Our annual expenses are based on the pledge commitment you make annually.

Contributions may be made by:

¨ Cash or check

¨ Recurring bank draft

¨ Credit Card

 

BEQUESTS

St. Andrews, like many other churches, accepts bequests.  If the donor does not specify the use of the bequest, our policy stipulates that it will be distributed as follows:

  •  10% to the Endowment Fund
  • 40% to either the Endowment Fund or the LT Contingency Building Fund (as designated by Session)
  • 25% will go to Mission
  • 25% will go to a purpose determined by Session

Bequests, received in the past, have come in the form of cash, stock and the proceeds from the sale of real estate. Your estate attorney can advise you on the appropriate way to set up a bequest.

 

STOCK GIFTS

St. Andrews maintains a brokerage account for the purpose of accepting gifts of stock. Giving appreciated stock can be advantageous to the donor because donors receive a charitable tax deduction equal to the fair market value of the stock on the day of transfer and avoid capital gains tax on its appreciated value.

Should you wish to make a gift of stock, please reach out to the Chair of the Finance Ministry Team or our Bookkeeper and they will provide you with the data you need to complete the process. Each brokerage firm has a slightly different approach to completing this sort of transaction but it is usually quick and painless.

Gifts of stock benefit both the donor and the church.

 

DONOR ADVISED FUNDS

A donor-advised fund is a philanthropic vehicle established at a public charity. It allows donors to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax benefit and then recommend grants from the fund over time. An easy way to think about a donor-advised fund is like a charitable savings account: a donor contributes to the fund as frequently as they like and then recommends grants to their favorite charity when they are ready.

  • You make an irrevocable contribution of personal assets.
  • You immediately receive the maximum tax deduction that the IRS allows.
  • You name your donor-advised fund account, advisors, and any successors or charitable beneficiaries.
  • Your contribution is placed into a donor-advised fund account where it can be invested and grow tax-free.
  • At any time afterward, you can recommend grants from your account to qualified charities.

 

IRA CHARITABLE GIVING

Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD’s) are an effective tax-advantaged way to donate if you meet the following requirements:

  • The Donor must be 70 ½ or older at the time the donation is made
  • Distributions must be made directly to an eligible institution (such as St. Andrews)
  • There is a $100,000 annual limit
  • The receiving charity must provide the donor proper substantiation of the gift  (such as our Giving Statements)

QCD’s can satisfy one’s minimum distribution requirements in the year the QCD is made. The QCD amount is not included in the donor’s adjusted gross income, helping to potentially avoid higher taxes and higher Medicare premiums. QCD’s provide donors, that use the standard deduction, a tax break for their contribution.

 

 Learn more about St. Andrews Endowment Giving