Football season is fast approaching and there are already preseason polls as to who will be the NCAA national champion. However, we are thinking about a different kind of Number 1.  We are told that there are more than 5,000 registered charitable organizations in central Ohio.  Many of them, obviously, are worthy of our monetary gifts. The hard part for us, especially in uncertain times, is which ones do we choose to support?

We have always liked the personal story of a highly respected church financial consultant who visited First Community Church a few years ago. He said his pattern of giving was determined when he was a child. His father was a coal miner and each Friday night he came home with his weekly pay, in cash. Times were very hard and every dollar of income was stretched to the maximum.

His dad would empty his pay envelope onto the kitchen table. Then his mom would take 10% of the total and put it into a mason jar, to be taken to church on Sunday and put into the offering basket. This family never gave just enough to the church so as not to feel guilty, or because that amount was what most folks were doing.

Our consultant friend, having grown up in that atmosphere, said he has never had to wrestle with his own giving decisions. He does not pay “dues.” He returns to God a portion of the life and the blessings he has received and when he leaves this life for the next, he will leave an additional legacy because, while he supports his local church now, it was built by his predecessors who in their legacies made sure he would have a church in which to grow and build his faith after they had passed on.

We believe this is a simple tale well suited for the warm, hazy, lazy days of August. We hope you agree. Enjoy the blessings of summer.

Donald Jameson
Director of Foundation Development

It is July already. If you have been putting off summer fun things you have been looking forward to doing until you get “caught up with your work,” you had better shift gears now or you will suddenly find it is September and as far as we know there is no “Restart at Beginning” button for summer.

While you are resting in the shade, sipping lemonade, you might contemplate your will and a bequest to First Community Foundation. (Uh, oh, there he goes again!) No, it is just that maybe now you have a bit more time to think about the future. The Foundation is always planning for the future – of the church, and a bequest is such an inexpensive and simple way to indicate that you really

do care what First Community Church looks like 10 and 20 and 30 years

from now.

Awhile back, we met with a couple who were updating their will. Her concern was that perhaps their kids would need to receive every cent of their estate. He responded that if 90% or 95% of their estate was not enough for their heirs, another 5% or 10% wouldn’t make that much difference. He also wanted to leave his children the message that their folks considered charitable giving important and a return to God of blessings received, not paying dues. That makes sense to us.

So, we hope in September you can look back at this summer with very pleasant memories, photos and videos, and maybe even a new document in your safe deposit box. If you need us this summer, we will be taking some vacation time to establish rapport with some large mouth bass, but we will not be closed.

Enjoy!
Donald Jameson

Director of Foundation Development

With so many organizations who seek charitable gifts receiving negative responses to their 2010 requests for funding, it is heartening to be able to report that First Community Foundation is able to say “yes” in many cases. Your continuing support and careful management of the Foundation’s funds by its Board of Trustees enable us to successfully navigate through some very rough seas. Below are grants we have made so far in 2010.

$53,000 from Foundation undesignated funds as the Foundation’s annual gift to help support the Church’s 2010 annual operating expenses.

$ 4,115  from the First Community Church Endowment Fund to make repairs to the South Campus heating system.    

$19,500 from the First Community Church Endowment Fund for renovation of the North Campus lighting system in Grace Hall.

$ 4,178 from the Louise Myers K-5 Fund for new program materials for that department.

$ 5,500 from the First Community Church Endowment Fund for new French doors in the fireplace area at the North Campus. 

$ 9,000 from the Early Childhood Fund to provide scholarships for children to the Mary Evans Child Development Center and the Preschool.

$ 5,000 from the Lorena C. Hawley Memorial  Endowment Fund for the “Rebuilding Together – New Orleans” Project.

$8,000 from the Anne Powell Riley Fund and the Akita Summer Camp Scholarship Fund to provide assistance for 2010 summer camp scholarships.

$3,350 from an anonymous donor to provide for the salary of one camp counselor.

$23,500 from the First Community Church Endowment Fund to replace wireless microphone equipment used at worship services, in accordance with new Federal Communications Commission requirements.

Together, we can make a difference!

Donald Jameson

Director of Foundation Development

A brief play in one act.

Time:          The Present

Location:     Their Living Room

Martha: George, I have been reading about the Foundation in its current newsletter. Those folks certainly provide a lot of financial assistance for the church’s special needs.

George: You’re right Dear. We are blessed to have that kind of help available, especially in times like these.

Martha: George, we have talked for years about including the Foundation in our estate plans, or will, since we love our church but probably will never be able to make a large cash gift. How is that coming along?

George: I have given it a lot of thought, but I have been very busy, you know.

Martha: Really? The golf courses are not open for the season yet. Why don’t we contact our attorney tomorrow?

George: Can’t do it tomorrow. Tuesday is my haircut day.

Martha: I understand, dear. I have a beauty salon appointment tomorrow morning, which is exhausting, so I won’t be able to fix you dinner tomorrow night, or maybe even Wednesday night.

George: OK, I get the message. I will make the call tomorrow.

Martha: Thank you Sweetie. You are such a go-getter!

The End: Curtain falls to thunderous applause from the audience.

Donald Jameson

Director of Foundation Development

"A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human life when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will never sit."
Elton Trueblood

More than 50 million retirees will receive a $250 government stimulus payment in May. Also, quite a few folks have noticed a small increase in their pay checks as a result of other stimulus programs.

We know most of those payments will be used to provide for the care and feeding of families and individuals, but if you would like to make a gift to First Community Foundation, it would be warmly received. Each year the Foundation plays an important role in the life of our church. Our recent support of the Centennial Celebration is an example of the financial assistance the Foundation makes available for those special Church programs and needs.

It is amazing how checks for $25 or other amounts slipped into our commemorative envelopes add up. And, your gift does not have to be undesignated and used for purposes unknown to you. You can designate a church program that has special meaning to you.

For example, the fund that has supported the very special Soli Deo Gloria worship services has been depleted. That service will continue but other funds will need to be used. Another illustration would be the marvelous work Julie Osborn does in helping older church members of modest means. Each year she receives a grant of $10,000 to assist her in her work, but in times like these she could easily use twice that amount.

Camp Akita and our other youth programs are always seeking new ways to better serve the children and youth in our congregation and community who are growing up in what must sometime seem to them as frightening times.

So, if you would feel especially good about helping support a special church project or program close to your heart, let us hear from you. Every gift is most welcome.

Copyright 2009

Don Jameson
Director of Foundation Development