The Joy of Giving

 Information about Our Churches
Finances And Giving

Our church is financially dependent on God's provisions. These provisions primarily come through the generous and faithful gifts of the people who care about the ministry of this church.

Our church's annual operating budget is approved each January by a combined effort of the Eldership and the Stewardship Board, a team of seven members that assist with overseeing the proper use of our church's finances. This yearly budget is presented at the annual congregational meeting scheduled at the end of January.

Over 10% of our annual budget and offerings goes to support Christian mission work in our community, country and world (for a partial list of missionaries and Christian organizations we support, go to our website at roacfspokane.org.

Individual Giving statements are available upon request and as well as monthly operating statements. Year-end final giving statements are made available to all who make contributions. Questions about your giving records can be answered by contacting the church office.

Designated gifts are welcome in our church. Special gifts can be designated for approved building projects, capital improvements, benevolence needs, missions and ministries within our church. We ask the designated giving be over and above peoples regular giving so as not to hurt our general giving that takes care of our staff, missionaries, and ministries. Please remember that the church has the final decision on how funds are eventually used, but we will attempt to honor designations when ever possible.

A special benevolence offering is taken periodically at our Sunday morning service. These funds are used by the Elder team to help people within our church family who are facing short-term financial challenges. A designated amount can be given monthly for our churches Benevolent Fund, which would supplement our regular budget amount.

Our church also offers Crown Financial Ministries Bible studies and classes each year. We also have financial budget coaches available for those facing financial difficulties. For more information, contact the church office.

How to Give! 

• Give cheerfully - 2 Cor 9:7
• Give generously - I Tim 6:17-19
• Give systematically - Prov 3:9-10
• Give reverently - Matt 2:11
• Give proportionally - 1 Cor 16:2
• Give faithfully - 1 Cor 16:2
• Give joyfully - 2 Cor 8:2
• Give willingly - 2 Cor 8:12
• Give regularly - 1 Cor 16:2
• Give expectantly - 2 Cor 9:6-11
• Give eternally - Mt 6:19-20, 1 Tim 6:19
• Give extravagantly - Mk 12:41-44
• Give thoughtfully - Hag 1:3-11

Ways to Give!

Cash & Checks - Cash and checks are the most common way donations are received by the church. Our church records all gifts and sends out giving statements at the end of the year or sooner, if requested, to ensure we are properly recording any gifts you have given.

Year-end Gifts - Some individuals like to make special year-end gifts to support our ministry. Because all gifts to the church are subject to IRS deadlines, please remember that all year-end gifts must be received in the church office before midnight on December 31, or must be postmarked before the end of December to be deducted in the present tax year. Any gifts received after December 31 and not postmarked in December will be included in the next tax year. The date written on a check will not determine in which tax year a gift is included. Only the actual date of receipt by the church or the postmark will establish the correct tax year for the IRS.

Envelopes - These envelopes are available in the foyer information rack. Any gifts received by the church in these giving envelopes will be tracked as other gifts but proper names and designation must be on the envelope. 

Stock & Mutual Funds - It is possible to transfer stocks and mutual funds directly to the church. If this is done with securities that have been held for more than one year, the giver will be able to deduct the full fair market value of the securities and avoid paying any capital gain tax. If, however, the securities are sold first and then the proceeds are given to the church, the giver will still have to pay capital gain taxes to the I.R.S. A little planning in this area can help you take full advantage of the tax benefits allowed by the government. Please call the church office for information on how to begin this process of transfer from your account to the church's account for the best tax advantage.

Personal Property (Gifts-in-kind) Over the years, the church has been given automobiles, computers, office furniture, furniture/furnishings, and more. We gratefully accept all gifts-in-kind that we can truly use, or we try to direct givers to other ministries that have specific needs. Gifts-in-kind can be a little more complicated due to I.R.S. regulations, but we will be happy to help you with the process. Please contact the church office to discuss any possible gift-in-kind donations. We will then determine if and how we can use the items and if you need assistance in having the items picked up or if you'll drop them off yourself.

Real Estate - In general, gifts of real estate have the same tax benefits as giving appreciated securities. If the property has been held for more than one year, the giver can typically take an income tax deduction for the full fair market value and avoid capital gain tax on the appreciated portion of the property. It is also possible that other benefits can include savings in estate taxes and avoiding probate. Again please call the church office for information on how to transfer real estate from your account to the church's account for the best tax advantage.

Life Insurance - Churches can benefit from life insurance policies. If the original purpose for a life insurance policy no longer exists, you can make the church the owner and beneficiary of the policy and receive a tax deduction. The deduction can be taken immediately and the amount of the contribution is typically the replacement value or cost basis of the policy.

Gift Annuities - Charitable gift annuities can be set up where the giver receives an immediate tax deduction on irrevocable gifts to the church, but will also receive fixed income payments from their gift for the rest of their life. Please call the church office for more details or assistance.

Wills, Bequests & Estate Planning - A charitable gift can be given to the church through your will or other estate plans. Such a gift can be used to honor the Lord from the financial increase He has given you during your lifetime (Prov 3:9,10) and can benefit your church in wonderful ways. This type of gift can also be helpful to appropriately avoid estate taxes. If you choose to include the church in your will or estate plan, please let your attorney know the church's name and address. Further, please communicate to your attorney that the church is a 501(c) (3) organization incorporated in the state of Washington and that our tax identification number is available upon request. If you have already included the church in your will, please let us know so that we can say "thank you." Don't forget that qualified retirement plans will be considered part of your estate at death, but if handled correctly they can also be deductible from the estate as charitable gifts. If you would like assistance from our church or denomination with estate planning, call the church and we will help get you in touch with people who can help.

Final Thoughts - Many of the ways to give mentioned above can be very effective if utilized correctly. If you do not know a qualified Christian tax professional, financial planner, tax attorney or estate planner, to help with your financial plans & charitable giving goals, please contact the church office and we will help you locate someone that can help you.