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As 2023 comes to its end this month, Minister of Stewardship & Finance Karen McArthur provides important year-end financial details to consider.

1. In order to qualify as a 2023 contribution for your tax records, your gift must be dated in 2023 and either received or postmarked by December 31. Gifts postmarked in January will show on your 2024 statement.
2. When you give in late December or January, it is helpful if you note whether you are giving toward your 2023 or 2024 pledge of gift.
3. Making a gift as a Required Minimum Distribution from an IRA can reduce your taxes as well.  If you do so, please email Karen McArthur so that we can watch for the check in the mail.  This check must clear your bank before December 29, so please initiate the RMD by early December..
4. Some people give gifts to First Church via a Donor-Advised Fund, also known as a Charitable Gift Fund that they have set up. This can have significant income tax advantages for some.
5. If you would like to make a stock gift to the church, please email Karen McArthur with the approximate date, amount and type of stock so that we can post the gift to your contribution statement.
6. In mid-January, First Church will email contribution statements to all who have contributed so that they have the tax documentation needed for their contributions. Please save this with your tax documents!

We are grateful for all of your many contributions to the ministry we do together.

• We have received pledges and gifts of 94% of our 2023 goal of $705,000.  You can track our collective progress on our website. You can review your own contributions by accessing your household record in our database by clicking on “Manage my Family Info” at the bottom of the login for our church directory, which you will find as a Quick Link on the Members & Friends page of our website.
• We continue to receive Pledges and Gifts for 2024, toward our goal of $726,000. You can add your pledge or watch our progress toward that goal on our Stewardship page or e-mailing Karen McArthur. If you have not yet made a pledge, members of our Stewardship Committee will be reaching out to you as we prepare for our Annual Meeting in January.
• Online contributions set up through our pledge page automatically end each December, and must be set up again for the next year.  Recurring online contributions made through our give page may either have an end date or be ongoing. We will review recurring gifts next week and notify you if it appears there is an unintended overlap!

Again, thank you for your generous contributions. Happy New Year! May 2024 ground us in God’s peace as we work together for justice.