Stewardship Temple Talks

During January 2009 there were several temple talks given on stewardship.  The text of those temple talks follow:

Update on the Financial Status of UiF

I am here today to give you an update on the financial status of United in Faith. It’s something we should have been doing more often, but is especially important now that the entire world is dealing with unprecedented financial stress.

Typically the cash income received here is less than cash expenditures.  However, we also have investments, and the investment gains and income in recent years have reduced deficits substantially, but not eliminated them.  Obviously we have always known this is a path than can’t be followed forever.  At some point, we do run out of investments, out of money.  But I think the philosophy has been that in time, growth would come; and with a larger membership, deficits would be eliminated.   So last year we all agreed to a budget that included a cash deficit, partially offset by investment income,

But this past year, anyone who had investments discovered that there was no escape from significant market losses.  2008 was a disaster for everyone.  Even many supposedly safe investments suffered market loss.  At UIF our general investments are down significantly.  Our even more conservatively invested Scholarship endowment is also down.   There is about a 30% drop in the value of our investments through November.  All this happened in spite of having outstanding financial advisers from Thrivent.  They never expected this to happen.   And the well-respected advisors Jackie and I use for our IRA keep telling us:  “Wow-never seen anything like this.”

With all this going on, UIF has been careful with spending.  We don’t yet have final numbers for 2008.  We will be talking about them at our annual meeting.  But as of November we spent $65,000 less than budgeted.  Even with this pullback, we continue to spend more than we take in.  Through November we have also had to sell $90,000 of our investments to cover the cash deficit.  Fortunately you have been faithful, and your gifts have keep coming during this period when all are feeling financial pain.  But the cash deficit and investment losses this past year have made finding a solution to our deficit spending more urgent.  We don’t have as much time to fix the problem as we used to.

But I don’t come with easy answers.  Can we cut expenditures any more without hurting our mission?  It obviously would be better to grow our income, but how do we do that. Yes, we are hoping for a return of investment income, and recovery of losses. But that has never been the whole answer.   Obvious answer has always been to grow the membership.  More people bringing gifts to God.  Bequests have helped us out significantly in the past.  Can each of us give more on Sunday?  I can’t answer that because each of us has different circumstances, only God knows.  Are there other sources of income?   Maybe.  So this is a complex problem, something we need to pray about and work on in the near future.  And for the next few Sundays we plan to continue this conversation.  The good news is that God is right there with us in all of our struggles.

Ray Good

Today’s temple talk is on “Estate Charitable Giving Options to UiF”

I am here to suggest ways you can leave part of your estate to your church.  In many cases this will not necessitate your making out a new will or trust agreement.  If you have not already prepared a “will” this of course is the easiest way to go.   You can just designate the church as beneficiary of a set percentage of your estate.

There are other ways to simply do this without preparing a new document.  For example, if you have an IRA, annuity (40l plan), or life insurance policy, you can designate the church as beneficiary of all or partial amounts.  Your estate could receive a charitable deduction for the value of the bequest.

Another way is to purchase a life insurance policy and name the church as beneficiary.  In this case, your premiums are tax-deductible as a charitable contribution and upon your death, the insurance proceeds go to the charity.

You can also transfer ownership of an investment (for example, land, a mutual fund, or stock) to the church.  You may be able to reduce or eliminate capital gains and estate taxation through this type of gift, as well.

In this example, I wish to show how easy it is to give to UiF and it won’t really affect your family.

If your home alone is worth $300,000 and you have 3 children, each child would receive $100,000 from the sale of the home.  If you have named UiF as beneficiary of 10% of your home, each child would receive $90,000.  Would that $10,000 deduction make a difference in your child’s life?  Probably not, but a $30,000 gift to Uif would make a difference to UiF.  It would allow us to expand programming and grow in our mission.

Bob and I came to UiF from MLC that chose to not join the consolidation.  They have struggled the past 10 years having to resort to a part-time pastor and selling their parking lot.  They certainly aren’t doing a lot of mission work, they are just trying to maintain their building.  This is why we left.  They are now looking at closing.  We have personally made estate giving to UiF a priority in our wills and trusts.  We would like to see our legacy become something fruitful and visionary.  I would hate to leave monies that are used to pay utility bills for a dwindling congregation.  We ask that you join us in your estate giving to UiF. 

The Thrivent web site has a lot of information on this as well as brochures from the stewardship committee which are available in Narthex.  If you have questions, please see a member of finance or stewardship committee.  Or you may contact Shirley Canchola our Thrivent contact person.

Diane Doyle

If you love me, feed my lambs, feed my sheep.

When Jesus said that to Peter, he was asking him to take care of the church. Stewardship to me is the same. As members of the church and of this congregation, we are asked to feed the lambs and feed the sheep. United in Faith is a flock of sheep, a herd of lambs. From our littlest lamb to our most mature sheep they need to be tended, we must take care of our flock.

There are many parts of our flock that as stewards and shepherds we need to tend. At United in Faith we tend our young with the talents of our Sunday school staff of volunteers. Our youth group is tended by our pastor and a host of parent leaders as they find their own way to increase their faith in confirmation. Our Celebration Choir and music ministry tends our flock with their leadership by providing our faithful with a variety of inspirational sounds that uplifts our worship. Our Food pantry tends our greater community by providing resources that may not be available anywhere else. Our scout leaders tend their flocks of brownies, girl and boy scouts while providing them the learning opportunities as well as leadership development. Our Golden Diners tend our flock by providing a meal and friendship to many that appreciate that they are not forgotten. Our Alanon and Survivors of incest groups appreciate the time and space that United in Faith provides so that they can minister those in need.

My family has greatly benefited from all of the ministries that United in Fath offers over the years. From our time with our previous congreagation, Nebo, our children, Bethany, Jacob and Ruth participated in Sunday School, Confirmation and youth group ministry. They helped during vacation bible school with so many others that volunteer their talents and time. My wife Lyn and daughter Bethany brought their talents to their flocks of Sunday school children. We have participated in countless services and assisting ministers and readers. I have participated in several different ministry committees sharing talents while listening and leading. Our Faith has sustained us in our times of need and our faith has helped us help others in their times of need.

Stewardship is tending our flock. We have in our faith, provided for our flock and been tended by our shepherds. Many of our ministries require more than just talents and shepherds. As members of our flock we all need to help our flock proceed in its ministries. Presently our nations economy has affected everyone. Although we have a new president, things that have changed over the past few years will not be undone over night. Our flock needs more than just your talents to continue its ministries. Please consider increasing your weekly offering or by some other means tend our lambs. The Lord has provided for all of us in many different ways. Please help tend our flock moreover feed our sheep.

Matthew Gawlik