Support Incarnation

What is stewardship?

Financial stewardship is a necessary part of a balanced spiritual life. Like any spiritual discipline, it is meant to knit us more closely to God, to turn our hearts, to change our lives, indeed to transform our very selves. When we pledge a portion of our income to the church, we are making a conscious choice about spending our money in ways that reflect our faith and values. Pledging is a matter of saying, “Yes Lord, I will do this.” Then it becomes a matter of following through. “Yes Lord, I do make this offering.” As each of us gives, we reap the benefits of generosity and faith. To put it simply, we grow closer to God.

From a practical standpoint, pledges are necessary for the church to prepare a budget. A pledge is not a moral or legal obligation. It is simply an estimate of giving; a statement of intent about how much money you plan to give to Incarnation over a specific calendar year. Receiving your pledge allows our Vestry to plan wisely for the use of our resources in support of the work God has called us to do. While open plate offerings and other sources of income are important to the parish, your pledge lets the Vestry plan more accurately for the ministry we can accomplish together.

When considering how much to pledge, it may be helpful to think of the many reasons people give:

• I give because I am supposed to give. — a sense of duty
• I give to pay my own way. — a sense of fairness
• I give to return a portion of my blessings and express my love for God. — a sense of gratitude
• I give to keep church ministries free and available to all. — a sense of generosity

Taken together, these visions of stewardship create a spectrum. There is no secret as to how you move along this progression. However, when you push yourself to another level, you will find your faithfulness expanding as well. No matter how big or small your pledge, please know that every pledge makes a difference – in the life of the giver and in the life of the church.

For 150 years, grateful members of Incarnation have remembered their parish in their wills. Because of these bequests, we have been able to maintain our landmark buildings and support our music and outreach programs. Legacies may be designated for specific uses, such as “Major Building Projects” or “Special Music Events.” If large enough, they can become permanent named funds within the church endowment.

The official name of the church for legacy purposes is “Rector, Churchwardens and Vestrymen of the Church of the Incarnation in New York City.”

If you have further questions about bequests, contact the Rev. Adrian Dannhauser. You may also pick up a copy of Incarnation’s “Planning for the Future” booklet in the Parish House.

You can use your credit card to make a financial offering to Incarnation. These gifts are included in the quarterly pledge statements generated and mailed by the church.

Here are a few of the benefits to online giving:

• It helps simplify life.
• It allows you to give consistently, even when you’re not in church.
• It allows you to focus on the service when you are in church.
• It’s a step of faith—deciding in advance to give faithfully toward the spread of God’s kingdom through the mission and ministries of Incarnation.

You can optimize your taxes by utilizing non-cash giving methods to fulfill your pledge or as a one-time gift:

• Securities (Stocks & Mutual Funds): Appreciated securities owned for more than one year can be donated to Incarnation and deducted for income tax purposes at full fair market value on the date of the transfer, with no significant capital gain tax liability.
• IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs): If you are age 70½ or older, you can direct a tax-free distribution directly from your traditional IRA to Incarnation. This counts toward your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) if you are subject to one, allowing you to give generously without increasing your taxable adjusted gross income.
• Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) Grants: If you manage a donor-advised fund, you can recommend a grant to Incarnation. This allows you to easily fulfill your annual pledge or make a special contribution using funds that have already received a tax deduction.

Contact the Rev. Adrian Dannhauser for more information.