The Next 200

In 2031, First United Methodist Church will celebrate its 200th anniversary as faithful Methodists serving God in downtown Little Rock.  A crucial part of remaining faithful to that call in the next 200 years is a strong Perpetual Endowment Fund.

The Perpetual Endowment Fund, along with other endowments that have been established for First Church, is invested and managed by the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas.  The yearly income from this fund is allocated by the Board of Trustees for non-operating expenditures, primarily building maintenance and improvements.

Our church has a beautiful and historic building; however, it is expensive to operate and maintain.  The Board of Trustees has carefully studied the ongoing operating and maintenance needs of our facility and has determined that our Perpetual Endowment Fund needs to grow to the level of at least $7.5 million in order to better support the ongoing maintenance of the building. 

The goal of The Next 200 Campaign is to raise the principal of the Perpetual Endowment fund to $7.5 million by our 200th anniversary in 2031.  We began our efforts in 2020, and have already made significant progress toward our goal.  

A strong Perpetual Endowment Fund means that our yearly tithes and offerings can be used to support the ministries of the church, knowing that the needs of our facility will be covered by income from this fund.

Every member of First Church can be a part of THE NEXT 200 campaign, celebrating our 200 years of ministry in downtown Little Rock and looking forward to the next 200.  

Contact the Director of Finance and Administration, Sonja Taylor Larkowski (stlarkowski@fumclr.org).

Giving Guide

A Guide: How to Give and What to Give.

As you prayerfully consider leaving a bequest or making a current gift to endowed Faith Funds at First Church, please consider the Biblical guide to tithe (10%) while we are living, and consider applying it to your giving after death. Here are some facts and information about planning your giving so that you take your financial support to another level.

Bequest or Estate Gift: Making simple changes to your will allows you to make a gift to the Perpetual Endowment Fund upon your death. The bequest can be a specific dollar amount, a specific property or asset, or a set percentage of your estate. You may also name FUMC to receive the residue of your estate—the portion left after the expenses of administering your estate have been paid and all other bequests have been distributed. A simple form confirming your intent to make a bequest and the estimated amount will count as your pledge toward our $7.5 million goal. 

Life Income Gift: Setting up a trust or a gift annuity will allow you to make a deferred gift to FUMC while receiving annual income.  Upon your death, the remainder becomes a gift bequest to FUMC.

Gifts of current assets: You may give cash, stocks, bonds, real estate, insurance policies, and other assets to make a current gift to the Perpetual Endowment Fund. 

The Birthday Club: Join the Birthday Club by making a gift to the Perpetual Endowment Fund each year on your birthday. You can give a dollar for every year of your age. You can also honor friends and family members on their birthdays with a gift to the Birthday Club.

Planned Giving Facts

IS GOD’S WILL IN YOUR WILL?

First Church has a long and great history of members choosing to leave a bequest to the church in their wills. These gifts can either create new named funds or add to “Faith Fund” endowments which are permanently invested. Active members generally make annual giving to the church a priority while living. Few people, however, think about what their last gift will be, and no one knows when he or she will die. However, through leaving a bequest, one can make a “First Promise” for his or her “Last Gift.” And the last gift, if made to a permanently endowed fund, will assure a stream of income, an annual gift to First Church, in perpetuity.

A Guide for How to Give and What to Give:

As you prayerfully consider leaving a bequest or making a current gift to endowed Faith Funds at First Church, please consider the Biblical guide to tithe (10%) while we are living, and consider applying it to your giving after death. Here are some facts and information about planning your giving so that you take your financial support to another level.

•  Gifting assets outright – options include cash, stocks, bonds, real estate, insurance policies, and certain other assets to make a current gift to benefit any of the existing FUMC endowments. Or you may choose to create a new endowment fund in your name or that of a loved one, for the support of ministries and programs that fit the mission of FUMC.

•  Creating a life income gift to the church is a creative way to make a deferred gift while living, but benefit from additional annual income. This type of gift is in the form of a trust or gift annuity. Upon your death, the remainder of the property becomes a gift bequest to FUMC.

•  Making a bequest through simple changes to your will allows you to make a gift upon your death to an existing endowment, or to create a named endowment with a specific purpose. The bequest can be a specific dollar amount, a specific property or asset, a percentage of your estate, or by naming FUMC to receive the residue of your estate – the portion left after the expenses of administering your estate have been paid and all other bequests have been distributed.

Management and Oversight of Endowed Faith Funds:

The Trustees, the Perpetual Endowment Fund Steering Committee, the Senior Pastor, and the Director of Finance and Administration monitor the investment of these funds, which are entrusted to the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas for management.

Non-Endowed Faith Funds:

Members may choose to make gifts, either memorial or honoraria, to any of several Faith Funds which are not endowed. They are maintained separately from the annual budget and provide additional funds for specific purposes.

1.  Landscaping and Beautification Fund:  these funds underwrite a careful plan to create and maintain a vital and attractive campus environment for First Church as a point of pride for members as well as for the downtown Little Rock community.

2.  Stained Glass Windows Preservation Fund:  the magnificent, historic stained glass windows which grace the sanctuary and chapel of First Church are more than 100 years old. Recently the south windows of the sanctuary underwent a detailed and expensive restoration to preserve them for the future. Funds are needed so that the other windows can undergo similar a restoration process.

3.  College Scholarship Fund:   It is very helpful when members of First Church
can apply for scholarship support while in college, graduate school, or seminary. Currently there are very limited funds for this great need.

4.  John Woodruff Fellowship for Social Change: After the death of beloved
church member John Woodruff, an endowed fund was established in his name to support an internship program to foster social change.  The fund is not yet large enough to fund an intern each year, so this separate, non-endowed fund will allow this vital program to take place even as gifts to the endowment are requested.

5.  Annual Lecture Program:  Funds in the name of the late Dr. Aubrey Walton, that helped cover the costs of an annual lecture series. It is hoped that someday a bequest will create a new, named lecture fund. In the meantime, gifts can be directed to this non-endowed fund to launch a vita, informative, and inspiring annual lecture program.

FAITH FUNDS AS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY TO GIVE MEMORIALS OR HONORARIA, BIRTHDAY, ANNIVERSARY, AND MOTHER’S AND FATHER’S DAY GIFTS:

As a way to simplify their lives and reduce consumerism, some members choose to let family members know that gifts to any of the Faith Funds are welcomed in their names, rather than purchased gifts. Notification of these gifts are sent as appropriate.

Recognition for those who leave bequests or make planned gifts: Through the First Promise Bequest Society, members allow their names to be recognized in order to serve as a witness to encourage others to consider making a bequest. Names of members, both living and dead, who have made such bequests or promised them, are listed elsewhere on the website, in the planned giving brochure, and are displayed in the church.

How to learn more about planned giving:

It is easy to schedule a meeting with our Finance Manager, Sonja Taylor-Larkowski. Just email her at stlarkowski@fumclr.org or call her at 501-372-2256. If appropriate, the resources and staff of the United Methodist Foundation of Arkansas (UMFA) are available at no charge to members wishing to discuss making a planned gift. In addition, a “Provide and Protect” seminar is offered by UMFA and FUMC periodically at the church, at which members receive a complimentary copy of the book by that title. The UMFA website offers a form to simplify the will-planning process. Click here to link to that website www.umfa.org.

Foundation Faith Funds

Most Foundation Faith Funds are permanently invested endowment funds given by members as an act of faith in the future of First United Methodist Church. There are a number of endowed funds that have been established by action of the Board of Trustees or by individual members. Through the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas, the principal of all FUMC endowed funds is invested to produce annual income. Although gifts are encouraged to any of the individual endowments or to create new endowed funds, there is a particular focus on building the two perpetual endowment funds established by the Board of Trustees:

(1) The Perpetual Endowment Fund: distributions from this fund are typically used to fund non-operating budget expenditures such as capital improvements, as approved by the Board of Trustees.

(2) The Child Development Center Endowment Trust Fund: distributions from this perpetual fund are used for projects recommended by the CDC Council and approved by the Board of Trustees.

A gift to one of these Faith Funds is a wonderful way to honor or to memorialize a loved one, for birthdays, anniversaries, Mother’s and Father’s Days.

Bequest Society

First Promise Bequest Society

A number of First Church members have promised to include a bequest to First Church in their wills. Several others have also taken this step, but prefer to remain anonymous. Please talk with our Director of Finance and Administration if you have left a bequest or if you would like to discuss making such a gift.