Faith Infusion

Stewardship Update

As believers in the miracle of Christ, we affirm that God is responsible for our lives. We acknowledge that Jesus Christ is our savior and path to eternal life. We’ve committed to using our time, our abilities, and our resources to preserve God’s kingdom and make disciples of his people.

Now the question before us is this. What percentage of our income should we give to serve God’s purposes? The answer isn’t the same for everyone. However, God promises that our generosity will be rewarded in unimaginable ways. “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” Malachi 3:10

How far can we step out with Jesus? Whether by moving up toward tithing, giving a tithe, or reaching beyond the tithe, our response will affect countless numbers of adults and young people through our ministries of worship, fellowship, evangelism, mission projects, and education.
The right response will emerge from our hearts through prayerful conversation with our maker.

How do I make a pledge? Click on this link , enter your commitment, and send electronically or download the email form and mail to Katie Caples at Armstrong Chapel, 5125 Drake Road, Cincinnati, OH 45243.

Email pledges are handled confidentially. Access to this mailbox is limited to accounting personnel.

What is a tithe? A tithe represents one tenth of your disposable income. Tithing has been practiced by Christians for centuries. Abraham gave one of the earliest recorded offerings in the Bible. After returning from rescuing his kidnapped nephew, Lot, and winning a great victory over Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham offered a tithe of the bounty he had obtained in the battle. In doing so, he honored God and grew in his own faith.

How will my contribution be used by the Church? Your contribution will help support a large variety of worship, education, fellowship, and mission ministries, administrative support staff, pastoral services, and maintenance of our facilities. At least 20% of every dollar we receive will go to a wide range of local, U.S., and international mission projects. The vitality of next year’s ministries is based solely on the collective generosity of Armstrong Chapel’s members and friends.

How do I fulfill my pledge through the donation of stock?

Call Armstrong Chapel’s Financial Administrator, John Kester at 561-4220 to discuss the transfer details beforehand since each transaction is unique. For the church to sell the stock, the name of its owner will be necessary. A brief telephone conversation can ensure that your gift is credited properly.

The date on which the church is notified of the transfer is not the contribution date. The date on which the stock is legally transferred to Armstrong Chapel is the effective date of the contribution for your federal income tax purposes.

The value of the stock gift for IRS purposes and the amount of credit to your Armstrong Chapel pledge is the mean value of the stock on the day of transfer. You can obtain this amount from your stock broker.

You will receive a letter from Armstrong:

acknowledging the gift of xxx number of shares of yyy stock,
stating the day of transfer,
that it was applied to the operating budget, and
that "No goods or services were received..."

Stock is a non-cash gift, equal in the eyes of the IRS to the gift of a car, etc. and it is your, the donor's, responsibility to obtain the value of the non-cash gift.

How do I ensure that my contributions for this year and 2008 are tax deductible in the year I want them to be?

For tax purposes, the IRS requires that charitable deductions must be delivered in the year in which they are claimed. Therefore 2007 pledge contributions need to be at the church by Monday, December 31 if you claim them for 2007. (If you bring it that day, be sure to hand your contribution to a staff member.)

The ONLY exception to this is a check which is dated, mailed and postmarked prior to the end of the year. In that case, the postmark constitutes the delivery date. Two examples:

(A) A check is dated Dec. 31, 2007, but is put in the offering plate on Jan. 6,

2008. The IRS will allow the deduction in 2008, not in 2007, since it was delivered to the church in 2008.

(B) A check is written, mailed and postmarked on Dec. 31, 2007. The church receives the check on Jan. 3, 2008. This check is deductible in 2007 since the postmark represents the delivery date.

For Armstrong Chapel purposes, a donation given in 2007 can be applied to your 2007 pledge if you need it to be and so designate. Also you may pay your 2008 pledge in 2007 and claim it on your 2007 taxes. Please clearly indicate on your check or envelope to which year your donations are to be applied.

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