|
A Campaign to Raise $20 million by 2010 to fund Church Development |
Council works with more than 300 congregations and mission units, 4 presbyteries, and with Toronto Conference itself to promote the development of the United Church. It is responsible for gathering the knowledge and some of the finances needed for this development. Its work helps congregations realize their dreams.
In its first fundraising push in over 50 years, Council has pledged to raise $20 million by 2010 to respond to these needs. The campaign is called Seven Years of Plenty after the Bible's story about making sure there's enough to go around in lean times. It declares that it is our church's task to respond in gratitude to God's generosity and to lead in the building of a society that shares the generosity with all.
Campaign priorities include:
- 23 development projects are in the works
- Capital improvements and 'camperships' for youth camping ministries
- Continued commitment of Council to the social action on which it was founded in 1892
There are many ways to get involved in building these congregational dreams. Council has developed a suite of giving opportunities:
- The General Fund
Giving to Council's General Fund allows us to allocate funds to projects of highest priority.
- The Relief Fund
For over a century, the Relief Fund has shared in the costs for retrofitting church property for social ministry - to provide food, shelter, clothing and emergency help to those who have need. The Relief Fund will continue to provide assistance through a partnership grant with the Toronto Christian Resource Centre in Regent Park. All funds raised for The Relief Fund from 2007 to 2013 will be allocated to meet priority needs of the Toronto Christian Resource Centre's redevelopment project in Regent Park. Click here for more information.
- Camping Opportunities Fund
- The Pass it on! Campaign
- Named & Family Funds
Whether major gifts are received through bequests or as planned gifts from living donors, they can be used to establish funds with particular objectives and can be named according to the donors' wishes. Such funds now provide steady income to camping programs, poverty relief and church building. Named funds can be established with a gift of $10,000 or a pledge to bring the fund balance to $10,000 within three years.
- Donor Advised Funds
Major gifts are sometimes received from donors who wish to create for Council a pool of income for a particular project or alternatively, an ongoing source of income for established Council initiatives or for other ministries within the church or work sponsored by other registered Canadian charities. It is possible to establish such funds in such a way as to enable the donors' annual participation in the designation of recipient ministries and/or charities.
- Designated Funds
Gifts can be made to Council contributing to established funds or creating new funds which benefit particular ministries. Currently Council manages such resources for the Massey Centre, the Toronto Christian Resource Centre, Camp Big Canoe, Ryde Lake Camp, Lake Scugog Camp and several other ministries within Toronto Conference.
Click here for Seven Years of Plenty brochure
|
