Opportunities for Giving
Letter from the Pastor(s)
What a gift we have in First Presbyterian Church of Freehold! God has allowed us the opportunity to be a part of His great plan to grow the kingdom of heaven and to pass on our faith to people present and people yet to come. It has been that way for over 170 years. Every generation has seized its opportunity to pass on the faith to the generation to come. We are most definitely recipients of a great inheritance.
But the truth is, what we have is not only an inheritance from our forbearers, it is also a loan from our children. That is to say "we have something to pay back". We give to God, but we also give to the generation to come.
The Bible calls us to be good stewards not only of the funds we are holding today, but of the resources that will outlive us. Thus, in addition to outright gifts, we invite you to explore ways you can give even after you die. You will want to ensure that your family members are going to be in good financial condition. We hope you also want to ensure that your Christian family is cared for as well. Please consider naming the church in your will, donating stock or setting up a trust fund for the church. You are part of a ministry that has been a light to the world for many years. Through your gifts, that light can continue to shine bright into the future.
In Christ,
Cindy and David Bowman
Giving to the First Presbyterian Church
We have the opportunity for financial stewardship on three levels:
Annual gifts to support the mission and operation of the church
Special gifts and pledges to support major capital projects, specific mission programs, and our Endowment and Memorial Funds
Planned Gifts which include wills and bequests, life insurance, real estate, and various tax-advantaged planned giving trusts, which provide income to the donor.
What is Stewardship?
Stewardship is about making choices, as individuals and in community. It is more than giving money to the church. Stewardship is about being faithful disciples, caring for and managing all that God has given us.
Stewardship is not just one part of Christian discipleship; it involves every aspect of life in all the stages of life.
Stewardship is the grateful response to God's grace and goodness. It requires a consideration of how our choices affect us and others, of how we can be good caretakers of the created world, and of how we can best serve God as Disciples of Christ.
What is generous giving?
When we think of generosity, we might look at the size of the gift or the nobility of the cause. But Jesus measured generosity by a radically new standard: the condition of the giver’s heart. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21).
So, giving is more than an obligation for followers of Christ; it is an exciting opportunity to lay up treasure that will last for all eternity. “The Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive' " (Acts 20:35b).
The Christian Motivation for Giving.
The Bible gives a number of reasons why Christian should give their money, including apostolic command “But just as you excel in everything; in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us; see that you also excel in this grace of giving.( 2 Corinthians 8:7 NIV) and the promise of reward “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
(Luke 12:33 NIV). But above all else, Christians give because it is a natural response to the gospel of God’s grace. Because God has given us his Son, it is only fitting that we should offer ourselves as sacrifices to him “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1), and specifically in part by giving our money “I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:8-9NIV). We do not give fearfully in order to receive God’s grace, but joyfully because we have already received God’s grace.
Planned gifts have been described as the last great act of stewardship. The primary benefit comes from the satisfaction that in a manner large or small your legacy will stand for future generations of God’s work. You will also be able to plan financial security for your family and ensure significant tax (gift, estate, income) savings.