Dear Messiah,

We will be having the Bi-annual meeting of the congregation on Sunday June 2, 2024. This letter is to notify you of two items on the agenda of that meeting.

New Gift Acceptance Policy

Your Church Leadership Team (CLT) recently approved a new Gift Acceptance Policy as a Continuing Resolution of the congregation. Prior to this approval, Messiah did not have a written gift acceptance policy. This policy will guide the CLT about future gifts and donations to Messiah should any such gifts come into question. You can review Messiah's Gift Acceptance Policy by opening the attachment to this email, or viewing it from Messiah's website. You may also receive a copy from the church office upon request. We will briefly discuss the Gift Acceptance Policy at the semi-annual meeting and allow time for member input and questions.

View the new Gift Acceptance Policy here »

Amendment to Endowment Fund Resolution

Another item on the agenda of the congregational meeting on June 2 will be discussion and vote on an amendment to Messiah's Mission Endowment Fund Resolution. A bit of history might help to understand why the CLT is asking the congregation to approve this amendment.

The congregation approved the Mission Endowment Fund Resolution in June of 2005. Since then gifts and growth to the Endowment fund exceed $600,000. This principal of the Endowment Fund is to stay invested and produce income, which will then be used by the congregation for different ministries. Currently over $30,000 per year is being produced by the Endowment Fund to provide ministry funding.

Part of the Endowment Fund Resolution states that all undesignated gifts to Messiah through bequests (given at death through one's will), Messiah being named as beneficiary of an IRA or life insurance policy, or other planned gifts will default into the Endowment Fund. This means when someone leaves a gift to Messiah Lutheran Church in their will or names Messiah as the beneficiary of their IRA, those funds go automatically into the Endowment Fund.

The CLT is asking the congregation to amend that provision of the Endowment Fund Resolution, so that the default of future undesignated planned gifts to Messiah will be used according to the guidelines of the Gift Acceptance Policy. The Gift Acceptance Policy gives discretion to the CLT on how to use undesignated gifts.

If members or friends of Messiah want their gifts to be given to the Endowment Fund, they can do that by specifying their intent. This would be a designated gift.

View the proposed Endowment Fund Resolution Amendment here »

View the existing Endowment Fund Resolution here »

Please see the attachment of the proposed amendment to the Endowment Fund Resolution.

I welcome any questions you might have about the new Gift Acceptance Policy or the proposed amendment of the Endowment Fund Resolution.

Doug Ruecker

Messiah Financial Secretary - phone 360-903-4416