Tithes & Offerings
Since late 2006, many retirees have taken advantage of new legislation that permits rollover gifts to qualified charities from individual retirement accounts (IRAs). If you are over age 70 1/2, you can roll over any amount up to $100,000 in 2007 directly to charity without paying federal income tax on the distribution. The gift qualifies for your IRA required minimum distribution and could substantially lower your taxes.
Consider these compelling reasons for making an IRA rollover gift this year:
A SIMPLE, EASY GIFT. If your IRA has grown substantially over the years, you may have more income than you need. The IRA rollover gift is a simple and easy way to make a gift to FPCO without increasing your taxale income. Simply contact your IRA custodian and request that an amount be transferred directly to FPCO.
GIVE BEYOND THE FEDERAL LIMIT. Perhaps you have already made cash gifts to charity this year up to the federal limit of 50% of adjusted gross income. If you have the desire and capacity to give even more this year, an IRA rollover gift allows you to transfer additional funds from your IRA without exceeding the Federal limits. You can give more without paying any more in tax!
MAKE A MAJOR GIFT. Your IRA may be the largest asset in your estate, and you may not need the full amount of your required distribution. And perhaps you've wanted to make a major gift to FPCO (Operating Funds or Immeasurably More campaign). By making an IRA rollover gift of up to $100,000, you can realize a charitable dream through FPCO and reduce your taxable income!
PROTECT ASSETS FOR YOU HEIRS. Retirement plan accounts are one of the most highly taxed assets that a person can leave their heirs - sometimes taxed as much as 70 percent. Many donors prefer to leverage retirement assets for their charitable giving and pass other, more tax efficient assets to loved ones.
Have you ever thought about what it takes to build a vibrant church? First and foremost, it isn’t anything that we do, but a work of God’s Spirit. God bestows His gifts, His blessings, and His presence—which enables a church to experience life and vitality. But that doesn’t let us off the hook entirely. . .
Healthy, strong, and effective churches have several things in common. One, the people are prayerful and responsive to the leading of God’s Spirit. They are “tuned in” to God, and willing to get caught up in the work God is doing. Two, the people are willing to do what it takes to make a difference in their community . . . and the world. Three, community-life takes on new dimensions—as people learn to love more deeply, serve together in teams, and share all aspects of life together.
We are asking our members to give so much more than their money. Bottom line: we are asking the members of First Presbyterian Church to invest themselves fully in what God is doing here. Yes, that means giving financial gifts to God’s work through this church. But it also means giving other parts of ourselves to God as an act of spiritual worship . . . things that are precious to us . . . like our time, our passions, and our unique giftedness.
Like so much in life, what we get out of something has a direct correlation to what we put into it. We are challenging you to devote yourself completely to God. We are asking you to “buy into” what God is doing through First Presbyterian Church of Orlando.
There are many ways that you can contribute your financial resources to FPCO. Here are some of the most common ways people give:
Tithes: As you strive to be a faithful and obedient steward of all that God has entrusted to you, consider following the Biblical mandate of giving 10 percent of your income to God’s work. You can give your tithe as a part of your Sunday morning worship, or through the mail (Attention: Finance Office).
Offerings: Sometimes you are overwhelmed with gratitude toward God and desire to express that through giving. Sometimes you are moved to meet a need that has been brought to your attention. You may designate a special offering to any ministry at FPCO.
Immeasurably More Campaign: FPCO is currently in the middle of a capital campaign with several goals: to pay off the church’s long-term debt, to tithe 10% of all funds received through the campaign to selected mission partners, which frees up funds to pursue 10 key vision initiatives. Contributions to this campaign are always welcome.
eGiving: For your convenience, FPCO has made provisions for you to contribute to the church electronically. You can set-up automatic payments each month from either your bank account or credit card. You can print the necessary authorizations forms and send or bring to our Finance Office. You may also conduct your transaction online using the church’s secure vendor by selecting the last link.
Credit Card Authorization Form
Automatic Payments Authorization Form
Online Giving Transaction
Memorial Gifts: Often, people wish to make a gift to the church in lieu of flowers, or to honor the memory of a loved one. FPCO has selected six ministries which you may wish to support with your memorial gifts.
Heart of the City Foundation: You may wish to establish a endowment within the Heart of the City Foundation that will perpetuate your family’s legacy, as well as the ministry of First Presbyterian Church. Endowments can be established for college or seminary scholarships, building maintenance, on-campus missions, and special mission projects.
Estate Planning Resources: Please consider including First Presbyterian Church or the Heart of the City Foundation in your estate plan. Through good estate planning, you can enjoy certain tax benefits during your lifetime, as well as making a significant gift to the church upon your death.