GIVING FAQ

 

CAN I DESIGNATE MY GIFT TO A SPECIFIC MINISTRY?

All of the ministries of FPC are supported by your gifts to our general fund and allocated through our annual budgeting process. From time to time, we may provide ministry-specific giving opportunities. Below you will find a list of funds and descriptions you can choose to allocate your donation to:

  • Yearly Pledged Giving: These pledges are used in our budget process and are what we rely on during the year to support our mission partners and to pay employee salaries and the church’s bills. You would pick this option during the year if you wanted to make a contribution toward your pledge.

  • General Donation: Often used by a visitor, someone who has not made a pledge, or just when one is moved by the Holy Spirit to give generally to the church. 

  • Messiah: An annual beloved music Christmas sing-a-long concert. People use this option to donate directly to this program because these donations help offset the costs required to put on this amazing Advent experience. This option is only offered seasonally.

  • Christmas Joy Offering: Part of these donations are given to the Presbytery to support their mission partners and the other part of the donations are split between seminary students who are under FPC’s care while they attend their program.  The church currently oversee and care for 6 students. This option is only listed seasonally.

  • Toy Store: This option is for donating toward a few massive purchases of toys, books, etc. for FPC’s annual Toy Store in December. Families from our mission partners are invited to the Toy Store event to purchase items at an approximate 80% discount for their children’s Christmas gifts.  This option is only listed seasonally.

  • Easter Project: The Easter Project (EP) is a mission trip our High School Ministry (Praxis) students go on each year during their spring break to help build homes in Tijuana. This is an expensive mission and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the youth that go on this trip. The students participate in fundraising events for the trip and many of our congregants feel called to financially support this program even if they do not have a child attending the trip.

  • Benevolence Donation: This is a year-round program FPC has to help our congregants who may find themselves in a difficult situation and need temporary help that requires some sort of financial assistance.  An example of this may be purchasing a bus pass if someone’s car broke down, helping with a utility bill, or buying groceries because a medical bill threw off the budget. It is a blessing for the church to help our congregants when they are in a short-term crisis and have no where else to turn.

ARE THERE FEES INVOLVED WITH ONLINE GIVING?

There are transaction fees with online giving, the giver has the option to accept those fees or pass them onto the church. For your regular church giving, we ask that you only use direct giving from your bank account (ACH) for which fees are much lower than credit card fees. Credit cards will be accepted for certain special giving opportunities and events.

WILL I RECEIVE A GIVING STATEMENT?

We send contribution statements a few times during the year and a full-year statement by mid-January of the following year. Active congregants with an online account may view their own giving history through their ShelbyNext account also.

WHAT IF I WOULD LIKE TO CLAIM DONATIONS ON MY TAXES?

Donations received by December 15th are guaranteed to be counted within the current tax year.

CAN I SET UP RECURRING GIFTS ONLINE?

Absolutely! You may establish and manage your recurring gifts through your ShelbyNext account or through the main giving page.

I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, WHO CAN I TALK TO?

Please contact Stephanie Coy, our church Administrator, and she will be happy to answer your questions and even to help you set up your online account. She can be reached at stephaniec@spokanefpc.org or 747-1058 x244.