Give Online

Thank you for your prayers and participation in our mission of nurturing lives for following Christ. You can now practice generosity and support our mission financially by giving online through our partners PlanningCenter and Stripe. You can give to Good Shepherd via your bank account or credit card. Just hit Give below to start the process.

You can also choose to give directly to our “Give Through the Roof” capital campaign by clicking below.

GIVE

2025 Estimate of Giving

Good Shepherd members can now make Estimates of Giving privately online by using the link below. Thank you for participating in nurturing lives for following Christ.

Make your estimate here.

Stewardship

Paying It Forward - Part Four

by David Mickley

Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they should be found trustworthy. 1 Corinthians 4

What have we learned in our series?

  • A gift to our churches ELCA ENDOWMENT FUND POOLED TRUST may be one of your best ways to “Pay It Forward”
  • We have many choices when it comes to methods of planned giving.
  • We should be prayerful in our decisions.
  • We should seek assistance from legal and financial professionals to make sure that all of the angles are covered.

In this last installment we suggest remembering our church with a bequest through life insurance.

Life insurance that is not needed by family members can be designated for our Building & Repair Fund and other charities. It is easy to change your beneficiary by obtaining a change of beneficiary form and designating “LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD, SEMINOLE, FL” as your primary beneficiary.

If you are carrying an active life insurance policy that you no longer need, consider donating it outright to the church. You will receive current tax benefits, and the church can put the proceeds from the policy to work right away or you can continue tax-deductible premium payments via annual gifts to the church if you prefer.

Bequest Through Retirement Funds

Retirement assets are easily designated to the church via a change of beneficiary form obtained from your plans trustee. You can name the church to receive 100 percent or a portion of your retirement account upon your death.

Taxation

Retirement assets have never had taxes paid on them, so they are subject to income taxes when you withdraw them. If you die before withdrawing them, your heirs must pay the income taxes on the assets at their own respective tax rates. If you have a taxable estate, the assets will also be subject to inheritance taxes. However, assets left to a charity receive tax favored treatment.

Bequest Through a Trust

Please consider one of the following different forms of trusts.

  • Charitable remainder trust – An irrevocable trust that allows you to donate assets to charity while receiving income for life or a set period, with the remaining assets going to your chosen charity(ies) after that period.
  • Charitable lead trust – an irrevocable trust that provides income to a charity for a set period, with the remaining assets then going to designated beneficiaries, often family members.
  • Revocable Living trust – A revocable living trust is a legal document allowing you to manage and control your assets during your lifetime, while also providing a plan for their distribution after your death or incapacity, and it can be changed or terminated at any time.

Your attorney or financial advisor can discuss if any of these instruments may work for your individual situation. Additionally, feel free to speak to a member of our finance committee if you need assistance. They are: Pastor Keith, David Mickley, Brett Sengbusch, Gus Dueben, Marilou Nemeth & David Supplee.

Your legacy gift will ensure the continuation of God’s work for years and years to come.


Paying It Forward - Part Three

by David Mickley

The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenty; but the thoughts of everyone who is hasty only to poverty. Proverbs 21:5

In the last two articles (1, 2) we discussed our stewardship responsibilities, the importance of our ELCA Endowment Pooled Trust and ways that you can plan a gift. Here are some ways for you to take action.

  • Pray for guidance as you decide on your bequest.
  • Obtain legal and financial advice so as to assure that your gift will be carried out and that you and your estate can gain maximum advantage. Remember there can be living benefits for you as well if proper planning is done.
  • Speak to a member of our finance committee if you need assistance. They are: Pastor Keith, David Mickley, Brett Sengbusch, Gus Dueben, Marilou Nemeth and David Supplee.

The following may be helpful when you meet with your attorney to make a bequest through your will:

"I give, devise and bequeath to LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD, SEMINOLE, FL __% of my estate to be used in carrying out the church's objectives and purposes."

Giving a lifetime income to a loved one in a will:

" I give, devise and bequeath to LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD, SEMINOLE, FL, the sum of $_______________(or property) subject to the following:
„_____________________shall pay a monthly life income or life annuity to _______________________for as long as (he or she) shall live.‟
„_____________________shall pay an amount equal to the gift annuity rate recommended by the American Council on Gift Annuities for the person(s) named as beneficiary(ies) who has attained age_________at my death. Should the said______________________________die before my estate is distributed, the amount designated to provide this income will go to LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD, SEMINOLE, FL absolutely and shall be used by the church council leadership to carry out the church's objectives and purposes.‟

Naming a residual beneficiary:

"All the residue of my estate, including real and personal property I give, devise, and bequeath to LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD, SEMINOLE, FL.‟

If you wish to let the church know your intentions, we can honor you and express gratitude while you are still around to enjoy it!

More information to follow next month……


Paying It Forward - Part Two

by David Mickley

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts. Haggai 2:8

Last month we discussed the importance of our endowment fund and our needs to consider passing assets to the fund via wills or bequests. This area of estate planning is known as planned giving. A secular definition might be “A set of ways a donor can leave money/assets to a nonprofit at his/her death; or a way to invest money so that the donor receives benefits during his/her life and then bequeaths the remaining funds to the nonprofit.” Let’s explore these methods further.

There are four types of bequests/gifts:

  1. A percentage of the estate. Distribution of assets can be arranged on a percentage basis. The bequests then remain in the same proportion to each other, despite fluctuations in the value of the estate. You could choose to tithe from your estate to the fund.

  2. A fixed amount of money or a designated property. You name the fund to receive a specified amount of money, a collection, a home or parcel of land from your estate, or other assets from the estate.

  3. A double-purpose bequest. A life income to a relative (such as a spouse) or other loved one can be assured while leaving a gift to the fund. This is accomplished by establishing a charitable remainder trust, a gift annuity, or other life-income gift in the will.

  4. A residual bequest. Whatever property remains in one’s estate after specific bequests have been fulfilled is known as the residue. Any parishioner can leave the residue of his/her estate to the trust. This includes those who name the trust for a specific amount of money or a designated property. They too can leave all or parts of the residue of their estate after all other bequests have been satisfied.

More information will follow next month…


Paying It Forward - Part One

by David Mickley

“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35

Recently Good Shepherd received $410,000 in the form of a bequest from the estate of Howard and Gloria Gerlach – members of Good Shepherd who have now passed. Our church council has seen fit to use this gift as a way to plan for the future of our congregation in a way we have never been able to do before.

An account has been opened with The ELCA Endowment Fund. This will give us the opportunity for growth of principle & future income to help fund our mission. We have been blessed with a very exciting opportunity that would not be possible if the Gerlach’s had not planned ahead to “pay it forward”.

We are our children’s and grandchildren’s forebears. As stewards of the blessing that God has bestowed upon us we have an obligation to make wise and thoughtful plans for our assets and to consider our responsibilities as forebears. This is where planned giving comes in.

Planned giving is a ministry to the people of this congregation to guide and educate them in ways of giving so they become free to give of their accumulated assets. Such giving will support the ministry of the church and the important work of other charities.

It is a known fact that less than half of Americans have a valid will when they die. Of Lutherans who have valid wills, few remember their church as beneficiaries of their estate. Most people with valid wills consider only their immediate families, academic institutions, or regional or national charitable institutions. A far greater number of people could consider and would consider remembering their churches in their wills, if only they are asked. Consider yourself asked. Our children’s futures are calling. More information will follow next month…