Mount Olivet Lutheran Church

Information may not be reliable

Cathedral of the Pines Camp
Mount Olivet Conference & Retreat Center
Mount Olivet Careview and Mount Olivet Homes
Mount Olivet Day Services

Download this week's Minneapolis service
Podcasts available Monday mornings

Followed by Faith Alive with Pastor Terry Morehouse

Thanksgiving Worship Services ~ November 25, 2010

Minneapolis Campus: 9, 10, 11am and 12 noon

Thinking With . . . Pastor Mike Zacher

It was wonderful to visit with so many members at our Stewardship dinners. There were wonderful conversations between generations of members. I was touched by the "from the heart" presentations of our pastors, all the table settings, meal preparations by volunteers and organizations and service by our youth. Thanks too for the new pledge cards and the Faith Talk for Families books and many profoundly memorable conversations. One of the interesting themes that came up was the reality that it is more important than ever to make careful choices about how to spend, save and share our resources. We cannot simply "make it the same" as last year; an increase of 3% simply keeps up with the cost of living. I so appreciated hearing that many have chosen to increase their support above that 3% level, THANK YOU.
Some asked about how and when to best make gifts to church. As we consider gifts for the remainder of the year, those given now can generate tax deductions for 2010. To delay or reduce gifts may result in more taxes being due April 15. With the proposed changes in federal tax laws, gifts this year may never save us more. If we are subject to the alternative minimum tax (AMT), it may be of interest to learn that gifts to church and charity help reduce the amount of both the regular income tax and the AMT.
Deciding What to Give:
Cash: Checks, electronic funds transfer. May reduce state income taxes as well.
Securities: Gifts of stocks, bonds, and mutual fund shares that are worth more than they cost. If you have investments that are worth less than they cost, consider selling them and using the cash proceeds to make a gift to church or charity. The deduction for the gift and the loss may total more than the current value of the investment. This creates a loss that you may be able to deduct from other taxable income as well as a deduction for the cash gift given.
Gifts from retirement plans: If you are over 70 ½ and are required to withdraw from an IRA or other qualified retirement account, you may want to consider making a gift to your church.
Gifts from other sources: A business, employer, family foundation, and donor-advised fund may provide other ways to maximize your gifts to church this year.
These are tough times for many families. A lot of folks are out of work. My 20 years in business often challenged us. When Carole and I were both unemployed, it was a tough time for us. Through it we always made sure that our pledge to the church was met. With limited income, we managed on less so our church did not go without. Even when the year ahead looked very uncertain we increased our gift. I remember one year when we were both out of work, in the midst of our unemployment, one of our own children was also out of work and needed financial help to provide for their children…we didn’t know where it was coming from. Carole and I prayed, believed, trusted, and found a way--for us, faith in God’s abundance is important, and we want to leave that faith legacy for our children and grandchildren.
We trust and always make the commitment to church first, believing that God will provide. The question before all of us is: what will be the legacy that we leave to the generations that follows us? Does it speak of the abundance of God’s goodness to us? Does it witness to the generosity that grew out of our faith? No matter what, we have not been disappointed; God’s abundance has always sustained us.