Stewardship & Special Gifts
According to the Presbyterian Church (USA) Stewardship is “the grateful response to God’s grace and goodness.”
Those who display a spirit of generous giving can teach this grateful response to others.
Ways to Give at The Kirk
Stewardship Pledge
Special Collections
Endowment Fund
“Debt-Free 23” Pledge
It is a privilege to make a joyful commitment of one’s time, talent and finances in order to support God’s work and spread God’s word.
Being part of a church congregation gives each of us this opportunity.
Why We Give
The Spirituality of Giving
Stewardship is a part of our discipleship giving and is an outward expression of our inward faith. Christian stewards are motivated to share their time, gifts, and finances not so much to meet a church budget but as a visible way to live out our faith. See Stewardship biblical verses.
Participate in the Work of God
Faith in God through Christ fills us with a sense of gratitude and a desire to participate in the work of God. When our hearts are grateful, we seek to be faithful to God in every aspect of our lives.
Learn about Ways to Give
Scroll down to make an online pledge.
Select an option below to learn more:
Have Questions about Contribution Statements?
Contact: Ellen Chambers, Kirk Finance Manager
EChambers@kirkofkildaire.org
Collections & Special Offerings
Pennies for Hunger: A Children Giving Opportunity
Pennies for Hunger is a way for children to act on what they have learned from Jesus–to help the poor. Children can collect money, perhaps in a jar, and bring it to the Kirk on the first Sunday of each month. During the Time with Children, the children bring it forward. Offerings received support programs providing food to those in need. The money goes to help hungry people all over the world.
The Kirk encourages persons and families to set aside 2 cents per meal per person and then bring their collected monies to worship on the first Sunday of each month.
Ongoing Food Collection
The Kirk collects non-perishable food throughout the year to stock our on-site Food Pantry. Donations may be left in the cart beside the elevator that is outside the office.
March Madness Food Drive
During March, the congregation is encouraged to bring food to donate to their favorite team box. Weekly team “winners” are announced. All food is donated to the Food Bank of NC.
Pastor’s Benevolence Fund
This fund is used to help church and community members who are struggling with food, rent, medicine and other basic needs. Through your generous giving, the Pastors have the resources to help those who come to the Kirk in their time of need. We ask you to give to this fund by writing “Pastor’s Benevolence Fund” on your check or on an envelope, and all loose offerings also go to this fund. Thanks to your giving, we have been able help those who are struggling and represent to them the care and love of Jesus Christ.
Peach on the Porch
This annual fundraiser (usually in July) involves peach ice cream served on the patio after worship to raise funds to support various mission activities.
The Presbyterian Women’s Thank Offering
This offering is typically collected in the fall of each year and funds projects such as agricultural development, child care, community organization, criminal justice, drug counseling, economic justice, elderly care, employment training, homelessness, literacy, violence and women’s concerns. At least 40 percent of this offering supports health ministries throughout the world. The remaining 60 percent funds new creative ideas for mission.
The Presbyterian Women’s Birthday Offering
This offering is usually collected in the spring of each year and funds up to five projects that are not included in ongoing General Assembly mission support, such as agricultural development, child care, community organization, criminal justice, drug counseling, economic justice, elderly care, employment training, homelessness, literacy, violence and women’s concerns.
Solar Panel Project
A joint project of the Building & Grounds and EarthCare Ministry Teams, the solar panel project is currently soliciting funds to support the installation of these panels in 2022.
An informational meeting was held on Sunday, March 27, 2022. To see a recording of the meeting, please click on the link below. Additional information is available using the “NC Solar Now” button or by emailing the Kirk team at SolarTeam@kirkofkildaire.org.
To make a donation, click the button below, select “Capital Improvements” and put “Solar Project” in the notes field.
Endowment Fund & Special Ways to Give
For those aged 70½ or older, as of Dec. 2015, it is once again possible to make tax-favored charitable gifts from traditional and Roth IRA accounts. The law retroactively extended the charitable IRA rollover for 2015 and makes this provision permanent for future years.
A total of up to $100,000 can be transferred directly from Traditional IRAs or Roth IRAs to one or more qualified charities, such as Kirk of Kildaire Presbyterian Church, free from federal income tax each year. There may also be state income tax savings. Amounts given in this way count toward required IRA minimum withdrawal amounts for the year of the gift.
To make such gifts, it is important to not withdraw funds prior to a gift, but have the gift amount distributed directly from an IRA to one or more qualified charities. For those with check writing privileges on their accounts, this may be the most efficient way to make gifts directly from an IRA.
Check with us, your IRA administrator or your tax advisor for more information.
Instructions for Donating Stock
Stock can be donated to Kirk of Kildaire Presbyterian Church by The Kirk’s Finance Manager (information below).
It is advisable and more secure to transfer securities electronically. If your stock is being held by a broker, we will provide you and your broker with the account information you need to initiate the transfer to the Kirk.
If it is not possible to transfer stock electronically, contact the Finance Manager for the appropriate forms that you will need to complete.
Year-end deadlines to receive credit:
December 15th of the current year
Transfer of stock by paper must be completed.
December 20th of the current year
Transfer of stock by electronic method must be completed.
Very Important
In order to receive the appropriate credit for your stock donation, you must notify us that your donation is coming.
Notify us shortly before or immediately after you drop off or submit transfer of stock documents. Contact:
Ellen Chambers
Kirk Finance Manager
EChambers@kirkofkildaire.org
You will need to provide the following information:
- The donor’s name
- The date you delivered the documents to the church office (or transferred electronically)
- The purpose of your contribution (e.g. annual pledge, mission, youth, etc.)
The value of the stock contribution is determined by averaging the high and low price on the date you leave the certificate at the Kirk, i.e. the date you relinquish control. The results of the stock contribution will appear on your next quarterly contribution statement from the Kirk.
While pledging helps the church carry on its operations from day to day and week to week during the year, the Kirk of Kildaire encourages its members and friends to also give serious consideration to how they can maintain the church’s ministry over an extended period of time. The pastors and members of the Endowment Fund Committee are always happy to discuss the full range of possibilities for giving to ‘The Kirk’.
Gifts can be made with:
- cash
- securities
- real estate
- personal property
Or can be planned as deferred gifts through:
- bequests
- trusts
- retirement
- insurance plan beneficiary designations.
Many of these gift types are tax deductible for all or part of the gift.
To learn more about the Kirk of Kildaire Endowment Fund and ways to contribute, contact:
Larry Nielsen
Committee Chair
lnielsen409@gmail.com
919-523-8587 or call the church office.
Outright Gifts and Lifetime Gifts
Outright gifts are made directly to the Kirk now with cash or other property. An endowment gift can be made during your lifetime, or can be planned as a legacy gift. To plan a gift which will benefit the Kirk during your lifetime, consider a current gift to the Endowment Fund, or a charitable lead trust.
Planned or Deferred Gifts
There are many ways to plan for a future gift to the Kirk, ranging from a bequest, a charitable remainder trust, or by naming the Kirk as the beneficiary of a retirement account, including an IRA, insurance policy or other types of assets.
Bequests and trusts require the assistance of a professional advisor. Before making plans for a significant gift, please be sure to consult your financial advisor and/or attorney concerning your overall estate plan.
Gifts to the Kirk are subject to acceptance by the church, based on its ability to use the gift as intended, and to administer the gift within the mission and guidelines of the church.
Endowment Gifts
These are gifts to one of the Kirk permanently endowed funds. The gift principal remains in the Endowment Fund in perpetuity and the income is used for the programs supported by the funds.
Bequests
Bequests can be made to the Kirk in your will, or more simply, in a codicil to your will. A codicil may be added without changing the rest of the will.
Real Estate Gifts
Please see a pastor or a member of the Endowment Committee for information on ways to make gifts of real estate to the Kirk.
Life Insurance Gifts or Beneficiary Designations
You may make the Kirk of Kildaire, Presbyterian, owner and beneficiary of a paid up, donated policy. You may also designate ‘The Kirk’ as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, either as full beneficiary, percentage beneficiary or contingent beneficiary.
Retirement Plan Beneficiary Designations
You may designate Kirk of Kildaire, Presbyterian, as the beneficiary of an IRA or qualified retirement plan. The Kirk may be full beneficiary, a percentage beneficiary, or a contingent beneficiary.
Charitable Remainder Trusts
Assets placed into trust – either a charitable remainder unitrust or a charitable remainder annuity trust – are part charitable gift and part life income. Kirk of Kildaire, Presbyterian, can be named beneficiary of the trust. You or the income recipient you designate will receive regular payments from the trust. When the trust terminates, the remaining trust assets become available for the work of the Kirk.
Charitable Lead Trusts
Sizable assets placed into trust provide income for Kirk of Kildaire, Presbyterian, for a predetermined period of years. As the conclusion of that time, the trust assets are then passed on to a non-charitable beneficiary (often children or grandchildren) according to your plan. The charitable portion of this gift would qualify for a tax deduction.
About the Endowment Fund
Just as annual stewardship giving is a chance to return to God a portion of our annual income, contributions to the endowment fund share the accumulated gifts God has provided us as an ongoing support for the Kirk’s ministries.
Christian stewardship is an awareness that everything we have is a gift from God.
It implies a responsibility to make productive use of all God’s gifts to humankind – time, talents, and material possessions.
The Session of the Kirk, on behalf of the congregation, has affirmed that stewardship is concerned not only with current income and its use, but equally with accumulated, inherited and appreciated resources.
It is the belief and commitment of the Session, therefore , that the mission of this church should be expanded by providing opportunities for members to support the benevolent, educational, mission and worship activities of the whole church through special gifts and planned giving.
Specifically, the church desires to enlarge the scope of the congregation’s work and influence by:
- initiating, supporting and maintaining worthy community projects,
- participating more fully in the many avenues for service to God and to humankind offered by our denomination; including religious fellowship, worship and education;
- expanding its witness to Jesus Christ; and
- engaging in programs designed to attend to the needs and wants of the elderly, sick, poor, young, and handicapped, whether physically or mentally.
Endowment funds are used to help support the ministries, missions, activities, and vision of the Kirk.
Gifts received into the Endowment Fund may be either designated or un-designated and either temporary or permanent. Donors may designate such contributions for any purpose or cause that is generally consistent with the purposes and mission of the Kirk and that is approved by the Session of the Kirk.
Distribution Documents are shown available for download below this fold out section.
General “Undesignated” Endowment Fund
This fund is used for any activity or program which falls within the Endowment Fund use parameters. This fund accepts contributions in any amount and because it provides the most flexibility to do God’s work, contributors are encouraged to give to the general funds. Contributions to the General Endowment Fund may be made in any amount.
Named Designated Endowment Fund
This fund may be established with a minimum contribution of $10,000. The donor can establish this permanent fund in his/her own name or the name of a loved one, with any purpose consistent with the Kirk’s mission or function. Up to 5% of the principal balance of the fund is allocated to support the fund’s purpose.
Designated Endowment Funds
The Session establishes designated funds for specific purposes to support the ministry and mission of the Kirk. There is no minimum balance for these funds. Up to 5% of the principal balance of the fund is allocated annually to support the fund’s purpose. The following funds have been established:
- Capital Improvement/Maintenance Endowment – to be used for major improvement maintenance or replacement of church property. The Building and Grounds ministry team will recommend to the Session the use of these funds.
- General Missions Endowment – to be used to support local, national or international mission ministry. The Mission ministry team will recommend to the Session the use of these funds.
- Scholarship Endowment – to be used for financial assistance by members of the Kirk for camps, conferences, and education. The Christian Education ministry team will recommend to the Session the use of these funds.
- Worship/Music Endowment – to be used for the support of Worship and Music ministry at the Kirk. The Worship ministry team will recommend to the Session the use of these funds.
- CE Children – to be used for the support of Christian Education initiatives for children. The CE Children ministry team will recommend to the Session the use of these funds.
Special Fund
A Special Fund is meant to be temporary and can eventually be used up. The minimum to establish a Special Fund is $2,500. The Endowment Committee may allocate up to 10% of the principal balance annually to support the fund’s purpose; or will allocate the funds according to the percentage specified in the donation, if different. The fund is maintained as long as there are ongoing contributions and/or earnings to keep the balance above $1,000. If the balance drops below $1,000, the fund can be merged with another similar purpose fund.
All contributions to the KOK Endowment fund are invested in the New Covenant Balanced Growth mutual fund. The Presbyterian Foundation, through New Covenant Trust company, serves as the social witness service provider, creating the social screens that support our core values.
Learn more about Mission Responsibility Through Investment on the next tab.
The Session is responsible for the use of endowment funds as part of its overall mission and budgetary responsibilities.
The Endowment Committee, as set out in the Articles Establishing the Endowment Fund (contact the Endowment committee if you would like this document), is responsible for management and administration (including, but not limited to investments) of these funds. They take their stewardship of these funds very seriously.
The use of funds and investment performance are regularly reviewed. Decisions on the specific use of endowment funds in a given year are reviewed and approved, first by the Endowment Committee and then by the Session.
The Kirk has established The Covenant Circle to celebrate and encourage those who contribute to The Endowment Fund through a gift or by making the covenant to remember the Fund in their will or through a charitable remainder trust.
Each year members of The Covenant Circle are invited to a special luncheon and program
- to thank and recognize them
- to hear how Endowment Funds are being used
- to enjoy a relaxed information social occasion
If you are interested in joining The Covenant Circle, please complete the Kirk Covenant Circle Membership form (download available below) and place it in the worship offering plate or send it to the church office.
Key Documents referenced in the sections above (PDF’s open in a new window):
Request Information about the Endowment Fund
Make an Online "Debt-Free in 23" Pledge or ADD to your previous Pledge
As members of a young church, the congregants at Kirk of Kildaire have repeatedly chosen to take on debt so that we can enlarge our mission station (our physical plant). Those bold and faithful decisions have enabled us to worship together, educate our children and ourselves, and promote the Lord’s work across the street and around the world.
Our beautiful new Education Building is one of the fruits of these efforts, but payments on our debt use up about twenty percent of our income each year and prevent us from doing other things we’d all like to do.
It is within our power to eliminate our debt by 2023.
Make an Online Stewardship Pledge for 2023: Be the Light Unto the World
Presbyterians are encouraged to pledge a tithe (10th of their income) during Stewardship, which occurs in the fall of the year. The pledge is then paid the following calendar year. Pledges are also gladly accepted outside of the Stewardship period. NOTE: Look for an auto-response email acknowledging that we received your pledge. Please let us know if you don’t get one so we can track down your pledge! If you give electronically, please make sure to set up or update your pledge through your bank or through our on-line giving platform. Submitting a pledge does not update banking information.
2023 Estimate of Giving – Annual Operating Budget
This year’s Stewardship Team has been guided by the following Bible verses:
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12
Matthew 5:14-16 tells us “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
In gratitude to God and to assure that the Kirk’s work in this world moves forward, I/We would like to share my/our blessings with others and offer thanks through giving to the Kirk’s 2023 Operating Campaign.