A New Year Brings New Charitable Gifting Opportunities

Remember all of the excitement you experienced at the end of last year? As we joyfully celebrated the birth of our Savior, we also provided our congregations and favorite charities with financial support and other kinds of charitable support at levels that substantially exceeded other times of the year. In fact, the final two months of the year typically exceed all other months when it comes to charitable giving.

This annual “explosion” of giving is important as the increased levels of gifting become a blessing to the recipients. In many circumstances it helps to make up for financial shortfalls created by lower levels of charitable giving earlier in the year.

But what about the remainder of the year? Are the other months of the year any less important to the ministry being carried out in the congregations, schools, and Recognized Service Organizations (RSOs) of the Michigan District? The answer is, “of course not.” Yet, we witness the pattern of year end giving far exceeding other periods of time during the year on a very consistent basis.

To get a donor’s perspective on this, I recently asked a donor to the Michigan District as to why they thought levels of giving decreased at the beginning of a new year. They quickly responded, “That’s when Christmas credit card bills must be paid.” No doubt this is true and very well may contribute to the new year decline.

The beginning of a new year can, and should, be a time to discuss, and ultimately make, charitable gifting plans for the entire year. It is a time to implement a giving strategy for the year and determine the levels of financial support you will provide your congregation and favorite charities.

In addition to your church, the Michigan District has numerous outstanding RSOs to include in your charitable gifting plan. These organizations impact our faith and secular communities in many important ways including helping children and families, serving the aging, educating special children, providing mission opportunities, reaching the unchurched, and preparing our next generation of professional church workers just to mention a few. For information on contacting a Michigan District RSO, please contact the Development Office at the Michigan District.

The Michigan District itself is currently in the midst of a very exciting 125th Anniversary Thank Offering which provides multiple giving opportunities for donors. The Future Is Now campaign is in full swing raising supplemental funds needed to plant new mission congregations in the Michigan District and provide scholarships to students from Michigan District congregations being trained to be Professional Church Workers at a Concordia University or one of our two seminaries.

Through early planning and strategic giving throughout the year, we can have an impact on our congregations’ or Michigan District RSOs ability to provide ministry and to carry out the Great Commission – a responsibility we all share. Please carefully consider how you can have such an impact in 2008 and beyond through your acts of generosity and faithfulness.

For more information on the 125th Anniversary Thank Offering of the Michigan District, to request a speaker for your church or group, or make a personal contribution, please contact the Development Office at 888.225.2111 or ray.zavada@michigandistrict.org.

Ray Zavada, M.A.
Vice President of Development
Michigan District, LCMS

The Future Is Now Information