Empowering Individuals

Empowering Individuals

“Today is a critical time for stewardship in the church.” True today and true at nearly any time in the church’s history. The word ‘stewardship’ typically leads the average parishioner to think of the offering plate passing by on a Sunday morning. But comprehensive Christian stewardship is about much more than that.  The Foundation is here to help you get creative in your giving. We hope to challenge you to think about stewardship as something that goes beyond our usual understanding of the term. We hope to challenge you to think about stewardship as a lifestyle rather than a check in the offering plate.

“Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above.” –James 1:17

 

 
 

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Getting Started

Getting Started

We expect our church to be here long after our brief time on earth is over.  However, our giving too often focuses solely on the here and now, not on tomorrow. Think for a moment about the people who preceded you in your church.  If not for their vision and commitment to the future, your church probably would not exist. Now think for a moment about the people who will come after you.  What can you do to ensure that your church will be there for future generations of Christian disciples and disciple-makers? Schedule a one-on-one consultation with us so we can help you begin your journey in finding a way to leave a legacy for your church and future disciples.

How to Help Your Church

How to Help Your Church

The Foundation assists individuals with their estate and gift planning at no cost and with no obligation on the part of the individual to make a charitable gift. Individuals spend their lives creating income, accumulating assets, and preserving these assets through retirement. Planned gifts represents the final decision by the individual as to how they wish to have their lifetime accumulations utilized for the benefit of others.

Some individuals know exactly how they wish to have their estates distributed and have made those wishes known through a properly drafted Last Will and Testament or other legal document. Others are less sure of exactly what it is they wish to have happen or how to best accomplish their wishes. While we always recommend individuals visit with their attorney, accountant or other planning professional, the Foundation can often help individuals in the early planning stages and in the area of gift planning.  A few of the topics we help individuals consider include starting a Charitable Gift Annuity, opening a Named Endowment Fund to honor an individual, or considering a Donor-Advised Fund to benefit your church, favorite ministry or other non-profit. We are happy to meet with you to discuss in further details how a little planning can make a big impact. 

Gifts From the Heart

Gifts From the Heart

In keeping with our mission to support the ministries of the Church through the development of gifts and the stewardship of resources entrusted to the Foundation in support of God's work, the Foundation created the Gifts From the Heart Endowment Fund in 2001. In addition to named funds that would memorialize individuals and families, Gifts From the Heart focuses on the following endowments:

Missions:  

This endowment encourages putting faith and love into action through engagement in our world with the hope that it opens hearts, opens minds, and opens doors; it provides support of mission trips and other involvement that promotes local, global, and national engagement.

Youth and Camping:

This endowment encourages, searches out, and supports camping and new and unique church youth programs which will attract more youth to the church, provide a strong foundation upon which our youth build their lives, and encourage youth to become leaders in their churches and communities.

Pastoral Education and Support: 

This endowment assures that pastors can participate in continuing education studies to further benefit the pastor and the congregation.

New Start/New Faith Community:

New Start/New Faith Community congregations incur significant start-up costs, and they look to their Church “family” for financial assistance in their early, formative years. This endowment helps to assure that young congregations have every opportunity to succeed in bringing God’s love into their members’ lives.

Greatest Needs:

 This endowment aggressively seeks opportunities to provide help where needed; where it makes a difference in lives; where it gives hope; where it helps a church to grow; wherever we can be of service.

Five Hearts Society

Five Hearts Society

The "Five Hearts Society" consists of donors who wish to commit $5,000 within a five-year period in support of any, or a combination, of the Gifts From The Heart five endowment funds. Individuals and churches are eligible for membership in the "Five Hearts Society."

Below is a list of the current members of the Five Hearts Society. We would like to say thank you to these individuals for their generosity and blessings to others.

Five Hearts Society Members

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Rev. Dr. Alva H. Clark, Omaha
Shirley F. Crump, Omaha
Kim & Tom Dinsdale, Grand Island
Randy Fleming, Springfield
Rev. Leonard F. Hartwig, Lincoln
Jim & Elda Heller, Lincoln
Rev. Dr. Janice Japp & Dr. Edward Mantler, Omaha
Rev. Dr. Marvin Koelling, Windsor, CO
Alice Kruse, Blair
Edwin J. & Cora Loutzenheiser, Jr., Hastings
Rev. John & Ruby Minert, Lincoln
Mary Moore, Tekamah
Dr. Gwendolyn Newkirk, Lincoln
Dave & Lori Pankonin, Louisville
Stephen & Sue Shull, Ogallala
Dwight & Bette Trumble, Springfield
Rev. Richard H. & Lois R. Urbach, Golden, MO
Keith & Retha Wycoff, Lexington

Leaving a Legacy

Leaving a Legacy

We are pleased that you have interest in learning about the many benefits of gift plans. If you have any questions about the best way for you to benefit through a planned gift, please call. A member of our Planned Giving Team will be very pleased to help you.

Leaving a Legacy Guidebook

Planning Your Legacy Workbook

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