Giving to Duluth First United Methodist Church

Giving shows God is Lord of our lives. When we give, we simply offer him a portion of the abundance He has already given to us. Giving is an expression of our thankfulness and praise to God. It comes from a heart of worship that recognizes everything we have and give already belongs to the Lord.

 

When we put our hope in God's provision, we can rest assured that He will provide for our needs. Our giving is a reminder of the blessings God gives us and gave to us through Jesus Christ.

 

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap, for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Luke 6:38 (NRSV)

Opportunities for Giving at Duluth First United Methodist Church


  • ONLINE GIVING

    For our best life, God calls us to tithe (give 10%). Most of us are not there yet. But we are growing one step each year toward that goal. Try giving 1% more of your income to God each year until you're giving 10% (tithing). Live abundantly! (John 10:10)


    Online giving provides the flexibility for our members to give how they want to, regardless of day or time. You’ll be able to give your tithe and offerings in several different ways. We have links where you can give:

    • Click on General Fund to make a gift to the General Giving Fund. Recurring giving is available for this option.
    • Click on Building Fund to make a gift to Duluth First UMC’s Building Fund. Recurring giving is available for this option.
    • Click on Long-Term Facilities Maintenance to make a gift to the Long-Term Facilities Maintenance Fund. Recurring giving is available for this option.
    • Click on Memorial Gift to make a gift to Duluth First UMC in memory of a loved one.
    • Click on Miscellaneous Gift to make a gift to a specific ministry in the church.
    • Click on Christmas Gift to make a gift to this year's Christmas Gift Fund, where you can make your gift to the Stair Chair, Long-Term Facilities Maintenance, or both.

    You can also give using the ShelbyNext Giving mobile giving app (see below). Part of the flexibility we are giving you is the payment method you use to give. You can also give with a credit or debit card with any of the giving mediums mentioned above.

    Online giving helps all of us better develop a habit of giving regularly, and to be better stewards by affording you the opportunity to give on a regular basis. You will be able to set up recurring giving to both the General Giving Fund and the Building Fund. How many of you pay bills online? This is much the same, but it’s not just paying a bill.

     

    Pray about how God is calling you to give and be a faithful and obedient steward in our mission of making disciples. Giving is truly a worship experience, and online giving can enrich that experience. Without it, we may miss out on an significant way of becoming more like Christ, both as individuals and as members of His Church.


    We love the opportunity to be faithful in our tithe and offerings to God, who loves a cheerful giver.

    For more information about the use of credit cards, debit cards, or to get more information about ACH withdrawal, please contact Jan Jones, Financial Assistant, by e-mail at jjones@duluthumc.org or call 770-476-3776, ext. 113.

  • Giving to the Church and Best Practices for Giving

    We are thankful for your gifts to the church and we welcome them in many ways. Below are some of the ways you can give:
     
    Preferred (safe):

    • Recurring online gift. Click on ONLINE GIVING and follow the prompts to set up recurring giving. This allows you to give automatically a specific amount at whatever interval you choose - once a week, once a month, once a year, whatever works best for you. If you are growing one step each year toward the tithe (10%), as many of us are, all you have to do is change the amount once each year to reflect that growth, and it’s done!
    • Giving online, whether in-person or remote. Click on the QR code printed in the order of worship if worshiping in-person, or click the link on the screen if you are worshiping online.
    • Through the church website anytime: duluthumc. org, go the the ONLINE GIVING page (bank account or credit card).
    • Check in-person.
    • Cash in-person.

    Not preferred (less safe):

    • Check or cash sent through the mail.
    • Using the bill pay service through your bank (this ends up being a paper check that is sent through the  mail).

    While the church welcomes any gift, we have found the most safe and efficient ways to give are in-person or online through the church website and we recommend recurring giving. We would recommend NOT sending gifts through the mail at this time as we have had a few issues receiving gifts through the mail. Additionally, if you are using your bank’s bill pay service to send your gifts, they are likely sending your gift by check through the mail.

  • 2023 STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN:

    "Good People Doing Things for Other People"

    Fall is here! The leaves are changing, the temperatures are dropping, and hot chocolate is on the stove. I love this time of year. I love the crisp morning air and the mild afternoons. I can feel God’s presence in the cool breezes, the bright sunshine, and the glorious colors on the trees.  It’s yet another reminder to me that God is at work in the world. Thank you, Lord, for letting me experience your awesome creation.

     

    Speaking of trees, I recently saw a tiny excerpt of an interview with Penelope Wilton, the British actress that some of you might recognize as Mrs. Crawley from Downton Abbey as well as numerous other movies and TV shows. In the interview, she says, “A society grows great when old men plant trees, the shade of which they know they’ll never sit in.  Good people do things for other people. That’s it. The end.” When I stop and think about her words, I realize that she is really talking about the great commandment. In other words, love God and love your neighbor. That’s it. The end.

     

    A few weeks ago, Pastor Tippens preached on 1 John 3:16-24 in which the scripture tells us to, “love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.” Several things from his sermon stuck with me that week, and one item in particular seems to reinforce Penelope Wilton’s advice. Pastor Tippens said, “Love speaks beautifully, as in 1 Corinthians 13, but love also ‘gets things done’.” I think that’s what Penelope Wilton was saying. Loving God and loving your neighbor is more than just a good idea. As Christians, it’s our way of life. It’s the way we conduct ourselves on a daily basis. It encompasses everything we do as we go about our lives. Good people doing things for other people.

     

    The various missions and ministries of Duluth First United Methodist Church are good examples of how ‘loving our neighbor’ plays out every day. Our church is in the business of spreading the Gospel and making disciples of Jesus Christ. Sometimes we do that with words, but many times we do that with our actions. Happy Sacks, Hugs for Soldiers, Prayer Quilts, Youth Group, Yarn Arts Ministry (YAM), and Community Outreach are but a few examples of how we – the Church – get things done by loving God and loving our neighbors. These missions and ministries are only possible because we give of ourselves. Sometimes we give our time, but other times we give our money.  And, let’s be honest, it takes both.

     

    This is the time of year when we start to think about our giving plans for 2023.  It’s time to Grow One Step in our giving as we work towards the tithe, or giving 10% of our income to God. In the coming weeks, we’ll be hearing more about this in the Sunday services. Various members of our congregation and church staff will be talking about the importance of growing God’s kingdom by giving to the church. Loving our neighbors is part of the great commandment, and we can’t do that effectively without your help.  Please prayerfully consider growing one step in 2023. If you gave 3% of your income this year, try 4% next year. If you gave 8% in 2022, give 9% in 2023. Giving of ourselves for others is what we, as Christians, do. It’s who we are. We all carry the light of Christ inside us. I hope it shines brightly wherever you go. Good people do things for other people. Love God, and love your neighbor. That’s it. The end.

     

    In His service,

    Bryan Johnson

    Duluth First UMC Stewardship Chair


    If you are ready to make your Estimate of Giving to the 2023 Stewardship Campaign, you can do it online by clicking on 2023 ESTIMATE OF GIVING.


    Click on GROW ONE STEP to download copies of the 2023 Grow One Step charts.

  • "CROSSING THE FINISH LINE" 2022-2028 CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

    On Sunday, February 6th, we kicked off the Crossing the Finish Line 2022-2028 Capital Campaign. This is an exciting time for our church. With the pledges from this campaign, we have the very real possibility of paying off the mortgage and being debt free for the first time in decades.

     

    Duluth First United Methodist Church, the church family, and the community have been profoundly blessed by the building of the Family Life Center, especially in the areas of faith, hope, and love.  Some examples are:

    • FAITH: Youth Group, Children’s Ministries, Scouting, Contemporary Worship Services, Sunday School classes, Bible studies, Prayers and Squares Prayer Quilt Ministry;
    • HOPE:  Happy Sacks, Grief Share, Stephen Ministry, food drives for Hands of Christ Duluth Co-op;
    • LOVE: Wednesday Night Dinners, Hugs for Soldiers, Yarn Arts Ministry, support for Seneca Street UMC in Buffalo, NY.

    There are many more ministries that we have participated in which would not have been possible without the Family Life Center.  It is an integral part of our service to God, this church, and this community.

     

    The outstanding mortgage is $1.3M with monthly payments of $20,000.  We will pay this debt off with this Capital Campaign which will see us Crossing the Finish Line. Imagine how much more we will be able to grow our ministries with the mortgage paid off.  What a celebration that will be! Isn’t it exciting to be a part of this endeavor?


    You can still make your pledge online by clicking on Crossing the Finish Line Online Pledge Form, or download a paper form by clicking on Crossing the Finish Line Paper Pledge Form.

     

    Please pray for our Church, our Church family, and this Campaign. Prayerfully consider the amount of your pledge, and let us join together in Crossing the Finish Line.

     

    Ann Fleming

    Campaign Chairperson

  • TEXT GIVING IS AVAILABLE

    In today’s digital age, virtually any action can be done on your smartphone, and giving to your church is no different. Giving is the lifeblood of church. Our giving is the sole support of all the ministries of our church. We are excited to announce that there is a new, additional method available to those wishing to make online financial gifts to Duluth First UMC. ShelbyNext Giving (formerly known as SimpleGive), the service we use for making online gifts to our church, is now offering a text-to-give option for making financial gifts. This service lets members give to our church easily and securely with their cell phones. If you are interested in utilizing this new way of making financial gifts to the church, please follow the directions below.

    HOW TO SET UP TEXT GIVING:

    (Click on TEXT GIVING INSTRUCTIONS if you wish to print out a set of instructions.)

    • Text the word GIVE to the church’s text giving number 1-770-343-3608.
    • If it’s your first time, you’ll be prompted to click a link directing you to the online giving page to complete a one-time registration.
    • Click “SIGN IN” then “REGISTER FOR AN ACCOUNT” at the bottom of the page.
    • Complete contact information then click “REGISTER.”
    • Enter the SECURE PIN that the system texts you.
    • Select the fund, enter the donation amount, and payment information before completing your gift. Click SAVE PAYMENT to keep your payment information securely saved for future gifts.

    HOW TO USE TEXT GIVING:

    • To text a donation after the one-time registration, you can give immediately without having to re-enter any of your information.
    • Simply text the desired amount and the fund keyword (see below) to the church’s text giving number (1-770-343-3608). Example: text “250 GF” for $250.00 to the General Fund.

    OTHER TEXT COMMANDS:

    • EDIT – Make changes to your giving account and update contact information and/or update payment information.
    • REFUND – Refund your last gift. You must text “REFUND” within 15minutes to refund the gift. If you realize the mistake after 15 minutes, please contact Jan Jones, Financial Assistant, at 770-473-3776, ext. 113, or by e-mail at jjones@duluthumc.org.
    • KEYWORD –Keywords are the fund names that the church has set up for text giving. They are: GF – General Fund, BF-Building Fund, MG-Memorial Gift, LTFM-Long Term Facilities Maintenance, Other – all other gifts.

    If you have any questions about text-to-give or other giving options available to you, please contact Jan Jones, Financial Assistant, by e-mail at jjones@duluthumc.org.