In addition to contributing to the general operating expenses through your regular offering, there are many other ways to financially support God’s Work at First Lutheran.
Restricted Giving
Restricted funds are monies set aside for a particular purpose, as a result of designated giving. They are permanently restricted to that purpose and cannot be used for general operating expenses.
Special Offerings
Throughout the year, there are numerous opportunities to contribute to specific projects and initiatives which support our neighbors in our local community and around the world. Some of these opportunities, such as Christmas Baskets recur on an annual basis, while others are in reaction to more immediate needs, including support for Lutheran World Relief’s disaster response funds.
There are many other flexible ways to contribute to the future of First Lutheran, such as:
Estate Planning & Bequests
Retirement Assets
Donor Advised Funds (DAF)
Qualified Charitable Deductions (QCD)
Charitable Gift Annuities
Charitable Remainder Trusts
Charitable Lead Trusts
Pooled Income Fund
Employer Gift Matching
Stock Transfers
Real Estate Donations
Memorial Gifts
If you are interested in more information about these alternative ways to give, please contact ELCA Regional Gift Planner.
Proportional Giving
The Holy Spirit can strengthen our trust in God and our belief that there is enough, which opens opportunities for our generosity everywhere. We are called by a most-generous God to share the time, talents and financial resources God entrusts to us. And scripture calls us to give in proportion to the blessings which have received.
“God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.”
2 Corinthians 9:8
The proportion to give most often cited in the Bible is a “tithe.” The word “tithe” came into our language from an Old English word, teogatha, meaning “tenth.” Giving a tenth was the expectation God set for God’s people, the ancient Israelites.
“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house.”
Malachi 3:10