Regular and Planned Giving
The Enduring Mission Fund
Like the other charities you give to, Enduring Mission invites donations to sustain and grow our life and work. To honour others, to celebrate milestone events, or in thanksgiving for God’s goodness, individuals or groups can give at any time to St. Marys Presbyterian Church – Enduring Mission and receive a tax receipt.
Much of the money invested with the Enduring Mission Fund remains to earn interest. These earnings enable necessary capital projects to be undertaken such as work on our stained glass windows, manse roof, cottage upkeep, re-pointing of stonework, etc. The interest earnings have enabled the formation of “The Legacy Ministry Team” which provides financial support to worthy causes. Most recently monies helped launch a “Kindness Cupboard” at the Library (items those in need can access during all Library hours).
Gifts of financial support ensure the long-term viability of St. Marys and its ministry. Donations can be made in several ways:
Regular Giving
Like the other charities you give to, Enduring Mission invites donations to sustain and grow our life and work. To honour others, to celebrate milestone events, or in thanksgiving for God’s goodness, individuals or groups can give at any time to St. Marys Presbyterian Church – Enduring Mission and receive a tax receipt.
Numbered envelopes are issued upon request to donate weekly and to spontaneous church activities and projects. Donations are tracked and a tax receipt is issued at the year-end to the envelope owner.
Automatic bank withdrawals help congregations to maintain a regular, dependable flow of contributions and provide church members with a convenient way of providing ongoing, faithful support for their church. The Pre-Authorized Remittance (PAR) program allows individuals to give to their congregation or the PCC through monthly automatic debit payments. Decide on an annual commitment and eliminate the need to track missing weeks or worry about holiday absences.
Online donations can also be made at any time by logging in to Canada Helps and searching for St. Marys Presbyterian Church Donations made on line go directly to our general budget account and the donor receives a charitable donation receipt immediately.
For further information on any of these options, please email or call the Church Office at 519.284.2620.
Planned Giving
Planned Gifts are an effective way to leave a legacy at St.Marys and often have significant tax benefits associated with them, which can lower the cost of the gift. Publicly traded securities, life insurance, life beneficiary gifts (RRSPs and RRIFs) and estate planning are just some of the available options. Talk to your financial adviser or search the Canada Revenue Agency website for more information.
The Stewardship and Planned Giving staff at The Presbyterian Church in Canada national office are available to help you turn your philanthropic wishes into reality.
To learn how a bequest, gift of stock, gift annuity or other planned gift can leave a lasting legacy to your church, please contact the national office by email or call 1-800-619-7301, or mail to The Presbyterian Church in Canada, 50 Wynford Drive, Toronto, Ontario M3C 1J7.
Please seek professional advice: The Presbyterian Church in Canada strongly recommends that you seek professional advice so that your legacy gift is tailored to your circumstances.
The Enduring Mission Fund provides an opportunity to honour the memory of a loved one, and in so doing, to enrich the life of the congregation. The funds are used for special purposes at the discretion of Session. The fund has been used to send children to Christian camps, help fund youth mission trips, subsidize adult Christian conference fees, building improvements, staffing and more.
Legacy Gift in Action
May McCall was a long-time member of St. Marys Presbyterian Church. Shortly after retiring from the Registrar’s Office in Windsor, she and her husband ‘Mac’ returned to St. Marys, where her mother lived, and May became part of our congregation.
Like many members, she had her favourite seat in the church and could be found sitting in the back pew just to the right as you entered the sanctuary.
It was a pew she shared with other “regulars.” May would often comment to those sitting nearby that she was “going to do something to take care of the deficit” which the church had carried over from year to year for the past while. May passed away following an extended battle with cancer. Imagine our surprise when we received a call from Sun Life Insurance, notifying us that a “May McCall” had taken out a life insurance policy, to St. Marys Presbyterian Church was named as the beneficiary!
The policy paid out $20,000 to the church and did exactly what May had hoped to do—it paid off the deficit! Thank you, May! In addition, we later found out that May had in her will planning bequested 10% of her estate to the Enduring Mission Fund of St. Marys Presbyterian Church. Such gifts ensure the ongoing ministry and mission of this congregation.
