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Stewardship
& Giving at BPC
What
is "stewardship"?
Broadly defined, stewardship is the acceptance of responsibility
for resources. Each year, BPC's Stewardship Committee undertakes
a stewardship drive to obtain the financial and other resources
required for us to operate and to continue to serve those both within
and outside our membership. At BPC, good stewardship means sharing
not just our financial resources, but also our time and talents.
Why
do people give financially to BPC?
For some, financial giving is an expression of commitment to community.
For others, it represents a recognition that all we have is provided
by God, and that it is appropriate to "give back" in God's service.
What
about tithing?
Tithing dates back to the Old Testament and is defined as giving
back 10% of total income. At BPC, we believe that good stewardship
of family resources calls for tithing to a variety of "good works,"
not just to BPC. Therefore, we suggest as a guideline tithing 5%
to BPC and 5% to those other good works.
Stewardship
Events in the Life of the Church
In November, we are called to respond to God's promise of faithfulness
with our own, by recommitting ourselves to our partnership in God's
ongoing work, through living out our Mission
Statement. Pledge cards are mailed to members and made available
in the pews. These pledges enable BPC's diverse ministries to serve
the BPC family, the local community and our global extended family.
We are asked to prayerfully consider how we can make BPC's Mission
possible in the year ahead, and pledge cards are returned on designated
Sundays in November, when, as a Christian community, we recommit
to our shared vision of the Gospel's call to change people's lives
forever.
Other
Opportunities to Contribute Financially
Additional special opportunities to "give back" financially include:
the Christmas Joy Offering in December, the One Great Hour of Sharing
Offering at Easter time, the Peacemaking Offering in October, and
the Pentecost Offering in May.
BPC
Operating Budget
The elected Session of BPC establishes annually an operating budget,
fixing both income and expense guidelines. This budget reflects
input from all church committees and members of the staff. The budget
projects "income" from all sources (pledges, loose offerings and
facilities rental), and "expenses" to fund BPC's many internal programs
as well as its commitments to mission projects around the world.
The budget is presented to the entire congregation in February of
each year at the Congregational Dinner, and the congregation must
approve the expense relating to pastor salaries before it goes into
effect. For detailed budget information for the year 2006 and the
Operating Budget for 2007, please see our 2006
Annual Report.
Endowment:
The Gift of a Lifetime
BPC's Endowment Ministry provides annual funding to BPC ministries
and to Christian causes beyond the walls of BPC, through the ongoing
contributions to the Endowment Fund. These funds are invested and
managed professionally by the Presbyterian Foundation, which reports
to the Endowment Committee bi-annually on the funds' performance.
The Endowment Committee annually puts out a call for funding requests,
which are reviewed by both the Endowment Committee and Session.
Approximately 5% of the Endowment Fund is used to award these grants.
If you are interested
in giving to the Endowment Fund or in establishing a lifetime legacy,
or if you need assistance with your charitable gift planning, contact
any Endowment Committee member. All discussions are held in the
strictest confidence. In most situations, donations during and after
your lifetime have positive income tax benefits. We also have several
respected estate planning attorneys who can assist you with your
planning needs for wills, trust and bequests. Trust and investment
services can also be provided by the Presbyterian Foundation.
For more
information, contact Rob Baumann, Elder to Endowment, at 310-709-4237
or robertlbaumann@yahoo.com, or any of the following members of
the Endowment Committee: Peter Best, Phil Friedman, Jack Gregory,
Brad De Konig, KJ Laessig, JP Lomonaco, or Tom Oliver.
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