Hints for contributing a letter

Council debates application for gay pride parade…
Statistics show increase in abortions in health region…
More couples choose cohabitation over marriage…

These are examples of headlines that could run in any newspaper across our country.

They are headlines that as Christian, we know address not only media items, but matters of morality — matters of faith.

But could we do more than merely respond to those media items with a shake of the head or perhaps a quick comment to a family member? I’d like to challenge us to do so.

As the editor of a small daily newspaper, I am the one who sorts through the letters to the editor, prepares them for print and sees them placed on the layout.

My community, like every other Canadian city or town, has social issues that we struggle to address.

But I almost never get letters on these issues from Christians. And when I do, they are often combative, long and difficult to mold to the space we have in a newspaper.I would love to see this change — to see our positions being shared as part of the public forum.

Here are some hints for contributing a letter:• Read the newspaper’s guidelines for submissions to the editor and follow them.

• Keep your message simple. It is not likely you will be writing the definitive statement on a heated issue like gay marriage or abortion. But you can make an important contribution with a well crafted, carefully thought out statement.

• Use a kind, respectful tone. It is easy to feel outraged and to write with a quality of anger. But I have found a letter that seems to be lashing out is easily disregarded by opponents and less-convinced observers.

• Don’t assume the newspaper will not welcome your letter because it is from an Evangelical or Christian perspective. I get calls from people who make this assumption on a regular basis. Some of them are downright rude. Most editors want to run strong letters from a variety of viewpoints.

• Pray that God will guide you as you write and give you the strength and courage to speak out in this way.

There are, thankfully, some Christians who step forward to interact with my newspaper. There is one local pastor who regularly writes a column that is accessible, full of down-to-earth examples and has a clear sense of grace. And when a young columnist wrote a column about how life can feel hopeless at times, one wonderful Christian woman sent him an email inviting him to church.
These cases keep me encouraged.

It’s not easy to step forward and open ourselves — and our faith — up to scrutiny and criticism. But I believe we have an important truth to share with others in our communities in our newspapers. Don’t fear picking up a pen or sending off an e-mail.

Heather Persson is the Managing Editor of the Prince Albert Daily Herald in Saskatchewan.

Giving more can cost less than you think

The following article has been adapted with permission from the February 2006 Canadian National Christian Foundation (CNCF) monthly e-Newsletter.

One of the simplest ways of supporting ministries and charities while we live is to give gifts of cash or investments. Although this may be an easy way to give your tithe or other gifts, there are definitely efficient and effective ways of accomplishing this; some of which may be new to you. Following are some suggestions about which you may wish to speak with your financial advisor.

Giving Cash Gifts
For the purpose of receiving a tax credit, a donor may make a cash gift of up to 75% of the donor’s annual income. The resulting tax credit may reduce federal and provincial tax by as much as $500 for each $1,000 donation. The tax credit may be used against tax payable in the year of the donation, or in any of the following five years. In the year of death and in the year preceding death, the gift may be up to 100% of the donor’s income. An estate may also apply to recover tax paid in the year preceding death.

Giving Non-Cash Gifts
A public foundation can receive non-cash donations, including shares of both private and public corporations. Gifts of publicly traded shares made to a public foundation result in a significantly better tax credit than would the same gift if made to a private foundation. Gifts of shares of private companies made to private foundations are so legally complex that they rarely make sense; however, the same shares can be given to a public foundation with much less complexity.

When non-cash gifts are given to a public foundation, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) deems that the donor has disposed of the property at the time of the donation. The donor may have a capital gain on the property if its value at the time of donation exceeds its value at the time the donor acquired it. Normally, 50% of the capital gain must be treated as taxable income, even if the donation was given to a private foundation. However, if publicly traded shares are donated to a public foundation then only 25% of the capital gain will be treated as taxable income.

By way of example, assume a donor (with a marginal tax rate of 50%) has publicly-traded shares with a fair market value of $50,000 and an original cost of $10,000. The donor will have a taxable capital gain of $40,000 upon either the donation or sale of the shares. However, the gain subject to tax will be less if the shares are donated to a public foundation than if the shares are sold and the cash proceeds are donated.

In the case of the sale of the shares, 50% of the capital gain will be taxable to the donor ($20,000*). In the case of donation of the shares to a public foundation, 25% of the capital gain is taxable to the donor ($10,000*). Taxation on the sale therefore at his/her 50% marginal tax rate will cost the donor $10,000*. Taxation on the donation of the shares will cost only $5,000, yielding a savings of $5,000*. The $5,000 tax advantage would not arise if the shares were donated directly to a private foundation.

The Canadian National Christian Foundation as well as The Free Methodist Foundation in Canada are both public foundations that can accept gifts of shares and provide donors with the tax savings as outlined above. For more information about the donation of shares or other planned giving options, please contact the Stewardship Ministries and the Free Methodist Foundation at http://www.fmc-canada.org/ or the Canadian National Christian Foundation at www.cncf.ca.

If you are looking for a Christian financial advisor, you can contact the Canadian National Christian Foundation. Through their Advisors with Purpose program they can connect you with an advisor in your area.

*actual amount depends upon tax bracket and province of residence.

Joanne Bell, Stewardship Director for The Free Methodist Church in Canada.

Our Mission equals God's Mission

Do you know what the stated dream/goal/vision of The Free Methodist Church in Canada is? It’s “To See a Healthy Church within the Reach of All Canadians and Beyond.” We’ve been using that tiny little sentence for many years now. It’s on our website. It’s on some of our stationery and letterhead. It’s referred to in the talks that we in the National Leadership Team give in local churches. I’m even thinking of having Cindy Gibson cross stitch it into a laptop cover for my iBook.

Have you ever stopped to consider the significance of that sentence? In a lot of organizations a mission statement like that is merely the product of reading one too many business books on the power of vision statements. Vision statements can be the result of a General Conference “make-work” project, a marketing campaign, or a bit of branding. Sentences like that are often easily forgotten. But it seems that God has something more important in mind with our little sentence. As a result I think we should have something more important in mind too. Here is what we are noticing, in all the departments at the Ministry Centre, that led us to believe that God has every intention of helping move us toward our goal/dream/vision…

We have an unprecedented number of new pastors on track toward ordination. This has been going on for two years. At this point it’s too early to tell if it’s a just a blip or a trend. Either way MEGaP(the group that oversees our pastors) has never been so busy. This year and next they will be at their limit interviewing and guiding these new pastors. This size of group is all on a scale that we haven’t seen in recent memory or perhaps ever in Canadian history. So, what does God have in mind for this group of men and women? What are they all being trained to do? What new vision and abilities will they be bringing to the table?

We are seeing a developing ability to respond to the diversity of Canada. Thanks to the openness of existing churches and the planting of new kinds of churches, Canadians from all walks of life, from all income levels, and from all parts of the globe are finding a home among us. This is not the result of some well planned strategic movements drafted at the Ministry Centre (although we do work for this kind of stuff). These people, projects, and plants are working from a vision that God gave them — a vision that is in complete harmony with that little sentence. If this trend of openness and effective cultural response continues it will change the face of our denomination. Imagine a General Conference in the future where all the cultures of Canada are represented. When we wrote that sentence this was a dream few dared believe in. If this keeps up, in a few years it could be a reality.

We are seeing deeper, more personal, and lasting connections to projects and people beyond Canada’s borders. Churches have increased their giving of money, time, and energy to overseas projects. What increased role is God preparing us to play in the wider world?

Whether we expected it or believed it ourselves, God is working with us to accomplish what we wrote down in that tiny little sentence. His response to us has been so overwhelming that it begs a new response from us. In response to God we are going to need: bigger dreams (we need to have something inspiring for all those new pastors to do), increased prayer support (join others across the country as the Bishop leads us in fasting and prayer), more courageous giving (last year we had less than half of what was needed by our new churches), and to live fearlessly devoted lives as we participate in God’s mission to Canada. If God was able to accomplish all he has in recent history with a sentence and the openness of our hearts… imagine what he could do with the rest of us!

Jared Siebert is the Director of Growth Ministries for The Free Methodist Church in Canada. For more information on church planting initiatives visitwww.lifecycleproject.org