Endowment Gifts Now
Or in the Future
We are a generous congregation. Our active, energetic, concerned congregation is always looking for ways to help more people, improve our facilities or even change the world and the environment in which we live. We believe the answer lies in relying on the guidance of God’s Spirit, faithful leadership, a passionate congregation and the financial commitment to support our missions and chosen initiatives. This is where our endowments come in and where the support of the congregation is key.
A gift to the Endowment Funds of First Congregational Church is an expression of your and your family’s values and commitment to Christian Stewardship. It is a way of saying these are the causes that matter most and providing for them is important to you. Gifts while you are living and gifts from your estate to FCC Boulder strengthen our Endowment Funds, sustain God’s mission through the ministry of the church, and provide a lasting legacy and powerful response to God’s generosity.
Why Give?
To be able to include First Congregational Church, via the Endowment Fund in my will, is not only a privilege but also an opportunity to recognize the service of our staff and congregants, encourage program continuation and to support the growth of our church.
– Ed Hall
Giving As a Symbol of Our Faith
We are cognizant of the financial support of past church members, whose gifts ensured our church would be here when we needed a hopeful vision for the future and a path to action. We give to the church as a symbol of our faith in the work we do together to create a world where the Beloved Community becomes reality.
– Nicole Speer & Jeremy Reynolds Family
Give a gift that makes a lasting difference into the future and enables First Congregational Church to remain a vibrant congregation in the city of Boulder by including the church in your will or by giving a gift while you live. You can become part of the Miss Jessie Legacy Circle by including a bequest or a living gift to First Congregational United Church of Christ, Boulder in your estate planning.
Where to Give
Our Endowment Funds support the church’s mission of service and social action, help maintain our beautiful facilities and magnificent organ, fund a lectureship, support ministries of music and art, and enable new initiatives.
Supports the congregation’s ministries of service and compassion and provides grants to non-profit organizations that are in keeping with the church’s covenants.
Capital Needs: provides for the maintenance and the management of our magnificent facilities, so that our buildings continue to be a vital resource not only for the congregation’s use, but also for the wider community.
Founded in honor of Rev. Bruce MacKenzie, Senior Minister, 1970-1997, and his wife Jeanette, to support prominent guest speakers in theology for a weekend of lectures and seminars.
Supports the congregation’s vibrant ministries of congregational and choral singing and instrumental music.
Founded in honor of Rev. Martie McMane, Senior Minister, 2000-2016 to support our Arts Ministry, which provides opportunities at the intersection of creativity and spirituality, including hosting art exhibits for the community.
Supports an annual organ concert in honor of Jane Sawyer, Director of Music, 1997-2012, and provides funds to maintain our sanctuary and chapel organs.
Voss Children’s Camp Fund is not to take the place of our Church’s ongoing funding of programming directed towards children, but a scholarship fund (full or partial) to help families cover the cost of sending their children to summer camps.
Supports the dreams, visions, and experiments of our church life. Not officially an Endowment Fund, there are no limits to the amounts that can be spent annually for New Initiatives, but like our other Funds, the balance is invested to grow.
How to Give: Give While You Live or Make a Bequest
Gifts while living build the endowments and give immediate returns to the church. Legacy or planned gifts are planned during the donor’s lifetime but not realized by the church until the donor’s death. There are many other ways to plan a gift. There are gifts that pay you income during your lifetime and gifts that help reduce or avoid income and estate taxes. How you make your gift is important, but more important is the impact your planned gift will have on the causes that matter most to you.
You can turn underperforming or non-income producing assets (cash, stock, CDs, savings bonds, etc.) into a gift to First Congregational UCC, Boulder that provides income to you or you and a loved one. (One example of several available options is a Gift Annuity.) Your UCF Charitable Gift Annuity will return fixed payments for life and provide tax benefits, too.
You can work with your financial Advisor regarding Required Minimum Distrubtions.
Naming First Congregational UCC, Boulder as the beneficiary or one of the beneficiaries of a qualified retirement plan such as an IRA, 401(k), or 403(b) plan will accomplish a charitable goal while realizing a significant tax savings.
When you donate appreciated stocks, bonds, or mutual fund shares instead of cash, the benefit the church receives exceeds the cost of the original securities purchased. You’ll get a charitable deduction for the full amount of your gift and avoid the impact of the capital gains taxes on the appreciated securities.
Personal property, such as antiques, collectibles, musical instruments, works of art or vehicles, can be donated to us today or even after your lifetime through your estate. If the property is related to our mission, it’s usually fully tax deductible based on its fair market value. In some cases, your gift of personal property can be used to fund a life income gift, such as a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust.
Name First Congregational UCC, Boulder church as the beneficiary of an existing life insurance policy; donate an existing, paid-up life insurance policy you no longer need; or purchase a new life insurance policy and name First Congregational UCC, Boulder as the owner and beneficiary.
Through a provision in your written and executed Will or living trust, you can make a planned gift (or an outright gift) to First Congregational UCC, Boulder in the form of cash, securities, real estate or personal property. There are many types of bequests. Consult with your attorney to choose the one that best fits your needs and intentions.
WHOM SHOULD I CONTACT?
endowment@firstcong.net
Endowment Committee Members
Libby Black
Dean R. Fowler, Ph.D.
Tom Lounsbury
Eric Nickell
Jay Rouke
Louisa Young
Rev. Chris Braudaway-Bauman