Regions provide unique forms of ministry | | Your Christmas offering goes directly to your region to support all kinds of ministry. While the list below is not exhaustive and may not include all the work of all the regions, here is just a taste of what some regions are doing.
- Pastoral support in transitions (all)
- Reconciliation grants (Canada, Greater Kansas City, Oregon/SW Idaho, and others)
- Sharing news from across the region and the general Church (all)
- Support for the Disciples Center for Public Witness in Washington DC (Capital Area Region)
- Support of ecumenical initiatives (Greater Kansas City, Canada)
- Support of Green Chalice (Kentucky)
- Support of the Disciples Public Presence Facebook and other grass roots efforts (Upper Midwest)
- Supporting new churches based on social entrepreneurial projects (MidAmerica)
- Tech grants (several)
- Theology training (Southwest)
- Virtual prayers (North Carolina, Canada)
- Virtual training for anti-racism (MidAmerica, Southwest, Alabama/NW Florida, Oregon/SW Idaho, and others)
- Organized cookbook fundraiser (Kansas)
- Weekly virtual women’s meeting to talk over “praises, potholes, and prayers” (Kansas)
Here's a recent story of regional partnerships in Kansas to build up congregations.
The Christmas offering is received in most congregations Dec. 20. | | And this just in from our Canadian Disciples
| | Yearbook reporting gets a new look this winter
New in 2020 for the January – March 2021 reporting period: Alex – Data for Disciples. Gone are the paper forms mailed in January to congregations. Gone is the clunky online form to fill in attendance data averages for the whole year.
This online reporting system is free to congregations and offers features not available in previous modes of yearbook data collection.
1. Congregations can enter attendance and giving data weekly, along with notes, so they can track trends in real time. This info is entered via a web portal, so you can do it from any device that has an internet connection. Even in a year like 2020, there are interesting trends to see. Perhaps your online attendance spiked the week you hosted a special musician. Perhaps your giving peaked just after an email appeal. | | Year-end tax strategies for U.S. givers
As Dec. 31 approaches, taxpayers are organizing their finances to prepare for filing their income taxes. This year, Congress passed the CARES Act to provide taxpayers economic relief during the pandemic. This relief may increase your ability to support church and other charitable causes, helping others through this difficult time.
The three key tax-wise strategies for charitable giving include:
- Persons over the age of 70 ½ may still use qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) for their charitable giving, despite Congress ‘permanently’ raising the age for RMDs to 72 and suspending RMDs for 2020. For eligible seniors, this is often the most tax-effective way to give.
- Donating appreciated stock can save the capital gains tax, allowing donors to reduce the net cost of their giving.
- Non-itemizers can take a tax deduction for up to $300 of cash charitable contributions (called an “above the line” deduction) in 2020.
The CARES Act temporarily increased the limit for cash contributions from 60 percent to 100 percent of adjusted gross income.
Senior donors eligible to make qualified charitable distributions should be aware that, if using an “IRA Checkbook”, those gifts must be deposited by the charity no later than Dec. 31 in order to count as a current year gift. Distributions made through your IRA administrator do not have this same requirement.
The Christian Church Foundation is here to help with your questions. Call us at 800-668-8016. Please also consult with your investment, legal, or tax advisers. | | Disciples Peace Fellowship accepting intern applications Disciples Peace Fellowship is now accepting applications for our 2021 Peace Interns! This 12-week, paid internship allows young adults to live out the Gospel imperative for peace and justice by working with camps and conferences, partnering with Disciples Justice ministries, teaming up with ecumenical and interfaith peace movements, and advocating for peace for justice.
Information about this life-changing summer internship, the application process and all online application materials can be found at DisciplesPeace.org/Apply All applications and references must be completed and submitted by Jan. 31, 2021.
If you have any questions about the internship or the application process, please do not hesitate to contact DPF's Mission Director, Rev. Brian Frederick-Gray, at MissionDirector@DisciplesPeace.org. | | | | Higher Education and Leadership Ministries announces scholarships
HELM is excited to announce that the application period for students to apply for the Leadership Fellows Program, PhD Scholarships and Seminarians Grants will run from January 1 to March 31, 2021.
| | | | Virtual learning opportunity
The Christian Church in Kansas is opening up their March 2021 Art of Church Communication series to the wider Church. The virtual nature of this five-week session works to your advantage since you don't have to travel to Kansas to participate!
Enrollment numbers need to be met (10 participants) and there is a $30 fee for each class. | | In Memoriam
Bob Friedly
Other News
| | | |  | Kwanzaa materials ready
Disciples Home Missions is offering new and archived resources for Kwanzaa. The celebration honors African heritage in African-American culture, and is observed from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a feast and gift-giving. | | | | Is a "rolling budget" right for your church?
The Center for Faith and Giving observes that December, for many congregations, is the month budget building takes place. It always seems to be a mix of science and quantum physics combined with prognostication, finger crossing, and of course, faith. In the end, after a bit of calculator smoke, financial teams arrive at a forecast for the coming year. When the balance is struck, there is fiscal responsibility and creative imagination in perfect tension.
But in these uncertain times, maybe a "rolling budget" would serve your congregation better. Find out more | | | | More opportunities to put ministry into action
- Implement these ideas for virtual advocacy visits to legislators in the Advocacy Toolkit
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