The members of Kessler Park UMC have established the Kessler Park United Methodist Permanent Endowment Fund as a trust for tomorrow, so that today’s Church can be sure there will be a United Methodist Church serving Kessler Park in whatever way tomorrow’s world calls for that service to be rendered.
Those who give to this fund are doing so to give thanks to God for blessings bestowed, to express their devotion to Christ and to his Church, and to honor loved ones whose lives have served as inspiration.
Future generations will realize that the trust they have inherited from those who have walked before carries with it the charge to serve God in this place in such a way that God’s kingdom may come upon the earth.
Here are some common questions and answers about the Permanent Endowment Fund at Kessler Park United Methodist Church:
What is the Endowment Fund?
It is a permanent endowment strictly for Kessler Park UMC set up to receive and maintain a fund or funds of real or personal property or both. These funds are perpetual, and only the earnings from them may be used. The endowment will be composed of three funds:
ENDOWMENT RESERVE FUND: Distributions from the Endowment Reserve Fund may be used for any purpose to further the work of the church.
BUILDING REPLACEMENT RESERVE FUND: Distributions from the Building Replacement Reserve fund will be used only to help pay for major capital expenditures and significant improvement projects related to the buildings and real property of the church.
SOCIAL OUTREACH AND SERVICE FUND: Distributions from the Social Outreach and Service Fund will be used only to further the Church’s mission of supporting individual and collective service to the larger community.
What is the Purpose of the Fund?
First, to provide our church with a strong material base in the years ahead to insure Methodist leadership in the heart of the Kessler Park community and the City of Dallas, Texas.
Second, to provide an opportunity for the membership of Kessler Park UMC to support this pillar of Texas Methodism, even after their lifetime, as God has prospered them and their families.
What is the Legal Name of the Fund?
The Kessler Park United Methodist Church Permanent Endowment Fund.
Who is Responsible For the Fund?
The fund is governed by the Kessler Park UMC Permanent Endowment Fund Committee which consists of: the chairperson of the Church Council; the chairperson of the Finance Committee; the chairperson of the Board of Trustees; the Pastor; and three ex-officio members as selected from time to time by the Church Conference upon recommendation by the Nomination Committee.
What Type of Gift Should I Give?
Anything of value can build the permanent endowment. Some of the many ways to name the Fund as a beneficiary are:
the simple and direct gift of money or property of value;
a residuary gift in which the donor leaves to the Fund all or part of what remains after specific provision for family and/or friends have been met;
making the Fund a contingent beneficiary in your will in the event of a common disaster and there is no one else to whom you would like to leave your estate;
a gift in trust which provides for members of the family, or others, in their lifetime and keeps the estate intact for later use in the fund;
through life insurance naming the Fund as beneficiary (or contingent beneficiary) for all or part of an insurance policy
How are the Earnings of The Endowment Fund to be Used?
They will be used to insure the continued ministry of the Church by providing financial assistance to the Church’s programs, missions, operations and facilities.
Will My Gift Be Kept Confidential?
Yes. All gifts or donations to the Fund will be trusted as a confidential business transaction.
Does the Endowment Fund Replace All The Other Funds?
No, it certainly does not replace other designated funds. Such funds as the Catalyst Ministries Pledges, Ministry and Education funds, Mission and Outreach Funds, Children and Youth funds, Music and Building and Grounds funds and several other funds will continue to receive gifts. The Endowment Fund does not take care of today’s needs. It is a permanent gift which is designed to enrich the future life of our church.
Is the Annual Budget of the Church Still Important?
The budget of our church is all-important and is the responsibility of the congregation every year – to provide for the everyday bills, salaries, and programs for the membership. The endowment fund only enriches the congregations of the future.
Why Should I Give to the Fund?
1. In Gratitude – for those giving only because they are grateful to their church and want to invest in its future.
2. In Appreciation Of – for those individuals or groups who want to honor a named living person.
3. In Memoriam – for those who wish to make a gift in memory of a named deceased loved one.
4. Bequests – for those who have (a) named the Fund as a beneficiary in their wills and (b) have placed a copy of that portion of their will or codicil with the Fund’s representative. The bequest will then be recorded as a gift in the year that the will is probated and the grant delivered to the Fund.
What sort of will should a Christian leave?
A will is a written declaration controlling the disposition of property at death. It is the only instrument that then speaks with authority to control the accumulation of a lifetime.
When a Christian writes a will it should be more than a catalog of possessions, rather a declaration of faith in the cause you believe in — and provision for that which you love. No person can tell you the will of God regarding the final disposition of your property. Only by prayerfully seeking God’s leadership can you know what God wants you to do.