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May 2000
Q: What is the one thing all of our church buildings have in common? Q: How can we afford the constantly rising costs of this up-keep? This is a big question. For some of our congregations building up-keep is, or can be, a big price tag item. In many of our congregations the cost of building up-keep can exceed pastoral and other staff costs. Building up-keep often drains the giving of members from mission and ministry. The costs of building up-keep will continue to increase. This increase will place a greater and greater burden upon the members of our congregations.Some of our congregations have employed the doctrine of "deferred up-keep." By deferring, putting off to a later time, the up-keep costs the number of items needing attention grows year after year. One day down the road the "deferred up-keep" catches up. The costs of all the things we put off becomes staggering. A quick calculation of the costs for building up-keep and renovation for the congregations of our Presbytery in the last 10 years is well over $ 2,000,000. Thankfully, the members and friends of our congregations have been able to contribute to those costs. However, that is $ 2,000,000 which was not available to ministry and mission projects. For a few of our congregations a portion of the costs for building up-keep and renovation has been paid for through endowments. An endowment can come through a significant one time gift from a member or friend of the congregation; from a bequest of a member or friend of the congregation; or through a special funding effort. The endowment is generally invested and the interest income used for special purposes, such as building up-keep or renovation.The use of endowment income to absorb the up-keep or renovation costs enables the current giving of members to be used for mission and ministry. Every congregation, regardless of size, can establish an endowment fund for building up-keep and renovation. One of the easiest ways of beginning to fund an endowment for building up-keep or renovation is to include your congregation as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy and/or in your will upon your death. I have served a congregation where many years ago people who loved their congregation made such provisions. That congregation has been blessed many times over by such gifts. When we die our financial support of our congregation need not die with us. I encourage you to make contact with our area representative for the Presbyterian Foundation, Tom Golightly, for assistance in establishing an endowment fund for the up-keep and renovation of your church building. A "WILLS EMPHASIS" plan by the Session is an easy place to begin. You can make contact with Tom by calling
him at 412-241-8123, Yours in service to Christ and the Church, Back to May News Page
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| Last Updated: June 18, 2002 | |||
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