The Session strongly encourages you to participate and give your thoughts and ideas on evangelism and church membership. Help plan ways this congregation can reach the "unchurched" in our community. Every one of us probably knows a person who would benefit from active commitment to Jesus Christ. We can learn together how to reach that person!

September 13

third graders!

Joshua Borchert

August Income and Expenses:

Operating Income $ 31,643.16

Operating Expenses 26,498.97

Balance $ 5,144.19

Year-to-date through August

Operating Income $225,240.18

Operating Expenses 207,773.11

Balance $ 17,467.07

September 13 following the worship service. The purpose of the meeting is to elect a Nominating Committee.

Promise Keepers

Nine men from our congregation (including John Poling) are planning to attend this event! Please keep them in your prayers as they make this spiritual journey together.

Good News on Prayer

David Sallee, Campus Minister

9:00 PM

Vine & Branches

In-Betweeners

Join this fellowship group of "empty nesters" for lunch out on the third Sunday of the month. (Meet at the After-Worship Coffee Hour on September 20.)

Desert Cruisers

This group of retired people (singles and couples) will begin their fall luncheon meetings on September 28 at 12:00 PM. September’s program will be an "Antique Show." Bring an antique to "show and tell"! Everyone is welcome to join this group for a time of fellowship, potluck lunch and program. Please bring a dish to share and your own table service. For information call Frances and Carl Shuster at 522-2504.

Watch for the Brownies!

Brownie Troop #379 will be hosted at our church on the second & fourth Sunday afternoons each month.

 Presbyterian Women

"Women’s Color Typing: Colors Which Flatter"

Guest speaker: Carolyn Breck

Fashion consultant and founder of New Images,

Carolyn has taught many classes in El Paso on "Looking Terrific". She is a member at First Presbyterian Church in El Paso where she sings in the choir and serves on the Preschool Board of Directors.

* * *

at 10:30 AM

Join the group finishing our sewing projects (rolling bandages and hemming sheets) for overseas missions. Bring a sack lunch and enjoy the fellowship.

*Coordinating Team will meet at 9:30.

PW Mission Opportunities: Serving Overseas Hospitals in Africa?

On Sunday, September 13 at the After-Worship Fellowship, come look at the wonderful display of items that have already been made!

There will also be sign-up sheets available for mini-courses in 1998-1999 and church cookbooks will be on sale.

Study Opportunities

*Circle II, 1st Monday, 2:00 PM

Meeting in homes.

Coordinator: Mary Downing

*Morning Circle, 1st Tuesday, 9:30 AM

Meeting in homes.

Coordinators: CharlotteMcKinney and

Emma Walker

Study: "The Message of The Prophet Jeremiah"

*Circles I & III, 1st Wednesday,

10:00 AM, Good Samaritan Village.

Coordinators: Miriam Walstad and

Evelyn Horst

Study: "The Message of The Prophet Jeremiah"

*Guild II, 1st Friday, 9:00 AM

Meeting church parlor

Coordinator: Jacque Parks

*Grace Circle, 2nd Tuesday, 9:30 AM

Meeting in the church library

(childcare provided).

Coordinator: Alice Cooper

Study: "The Jesus I Never Knew" 

*Mary-Martha Circle, 2nd Tuesday, 9:30 AM

Meeting in the church parlor

Coordinators: Mary Beckett and

Lillie Fitzhugh

Study: False Assumptions

FOUNDATION, INC.

EXAMPLE OF REAL ESTATE DONATION

Last month we informed you that our church has established a tax exempt foundation under IRS Code 501 (c) (3). The foundation is called First Presbyterian Church of Las Cruces Foundation, Inc. - hereinafter, call the "foundation!" We told you that you can use it to contribute appreciated property and provide yourself with a double tax credit. This month we want to show you the possible tax savings involved in donating a piece of investment real estate (house, apartment, commercial building or land) that has appreciated while you have held it.

First, why would you consider such a donation? One likely reason is that you want to sell it and don’t want to see much or all of the "profit" go to taxes. You would rather keep those profits yourself or benefit the church from your tax savings or both. You can receive a double tax advantage. You are allowed a deduction for the full current market price of the property and you do not have to pay capital gains tax on the increased value. This is not the same case if the property were sold.

Let’s look at a simple example: Assume you have an investment property with a current fair market value of $50,000 that it originally cost $30,000 and that you have depreciated it by $20,000 for tax purposes. This would leave you with a capital gain of $20,000 and a possible recapture of $20,000.

Example 2. Using the same above assumptions, you gift the property to the foundation. The foundation sells the property and the church (through the foundation) receives $50,000 instead of $38,200. At the same time you DO NOT pay the capital gains tax or the recapture tax and you also receive a $50,000 tax credit.

This is what we mean by a double tax credit! Pretty exciting, isn’t it?! What if your yearly pledge were $5,000 per year and you gifted the foundation the property and then instructed the foundation to pay the church $5,000 per year for the next 10 years. The money would grow in the foundation so that there would be a residual remaining in the foundation at the end and your pledge would have been taken care of for 10 years plus you would have paid it with pre-tax dollars. Wow!

Now let us give an example of using appreciated stock. First, let’s assume you hold xzy corporation stock worth $5,000 and you purchased it several years ago for almost nothing (it could be a bond or mutual fund also). Let’s further assume that your pledge for the year to the church is $5,000.

Example 3. You sell your stock for $5,000 (or maybe a little of it each month) and give it to the church for your pledge. In doing so you will receive the normal gift deduction to the church. However, you will be responsible for paying the capital gains tax of 20% on your appreciated stock. That means you will pay approximately $1,000 in taxes and your total outlay will be $6,000 (before the gift tax credit).

Example 4. You "gift" the same $5,000 stock directly to the foundation. You might further direct the foundation to pay out 1/12 of the total each month to the church toward your pledge. This can easily be accomplished. In this example the total gift by you is the same $5,000.00 as in example 1. However, you do not have to pay any capital gains tax. Your out-of-pocket expense was $5,000, not $6,000, and you still receive the gift tax credit. Of course, it is the hope of the church that you might share some of the savings with the foundation. This is a win/win situation.

You can see how exciting this gets! Next month we will focus on gifts involving real estate and give more examples for saving money. If you have further questions, call Kathy Tucker, financial secretary, at the church office or talk to one of the foundation directors: Lyn Ames, Joel Tomlin or Jim Parks. All inquiries and gifts will remain confidential. And, please do check with your financial or tax professional.

Remember to let them know that the foundation does qualify under IRS code 501(c) (3).

  Sierra Blanca Presbytery

Church in Deming

Doing Ministry in Far Places

The Priscilla Presbyterian Bible School graduated 11 students as missionaries and 29 as church musicians last June. The administrator, Senorita Ruth Madera, is recovering from a stroke, and Senorita Yolanda Barrera, a music teacher and assistant administrator, has been appointed to replace her. Senorita Imelda Novelo continues as director of the school.

Bob and Donna Waguespack wrote in May about the high level of pollution from forest fires that is a threat to people’s health in Mexico City. Please keep the Waguespack family in your prayers for good health and effectiveness in their missionary work.

Ron and Donna Pontier and their children need prayers as they take up new residence in Nairobi, Kenya serving with African Inland Mission.

John, Gwen and Heather Haspels are resuming their work among the Suri of western Ethiopia and need prayers for health and traveling mercies.

Joel and Barbara Trudell are living in Nairobi and were not hurt in the terrorist bombing. The blast did shake the Summer Institute of Linguistics office windows three miles away but no one was injured. The Trudells ask for prayer for the many innocent people who were injured, the U.S. embassy staff, and all who lost loved ones and valuable property.

Donna Evans, serving in Indonesia, asks that we pray for the Ledo people, since the economic crisis has caused severe hardship. She asks that we pray that leaders will make wise decisions and that people will seek and find God. Donna also asks for prayer for good progress on revising and type-setting Scriptures.

Congregational News

Deaths:

Hanford Fairchild on August 20

Herbert Goodloe on August 26

Please keep these families in your prayers.

Staff News

* Presbytery meeting in Deming on September 25-26

SECURITY ISSUES!

It is important that anyone leaving any building on our property be sure that the door is shut tight and locked behind you.

Thanks for helping!

Sunday School at 9:00 A.M.

FOR ADULTS

"The Jesus I Never Knew"

Video study series in Jones 110. Based on the new classic book by Philip Yancey, this course offers a perspective on the life of Christ and his work - ultimately, a chance to discover who he was and why he came.

Leader: Marsha Topley

Book (optional): $13.00

Participant book (required): $7.00

"Hebrews: Glimpsing the Glory"

The theme of Hebrews is the absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ as revealer and as mediator of God’s grace. Come and explore these themes in this class.

Leader: Dick Dale

"Fighting the Good Fight"

Teacher: Laurie Blackmer (September)

"Core Belief: Why Jesus Christ Matters"

Teacher: Gary Gemoets (October)

"Connecting: A Study of Relationships"

Mid-schoolers are encouraged to join their friends in learning to build stronger relationships with family and peers.

FOR ELEMENTARY CHILDREN

The journey of faith on Disciples’ Avenue, our multiple sensory approach to learning, continues! This fall children will explore God’s covenant with his people through Noah and Abraham in the Temple, Cinema, Drama Theatre, Art Gallery and Marketplace. Meet in Watkins Hall at 9:00 for music and opening worship together!

Book cost: $34.00 (entire year)

This unique course takes basic themes of the Old and New Testaments and follows them from Genesis through Revelation. With this thematic approach, a person can learn the people, events and books of the Bible in perspective and appreciate in a deeper way how God has worked with his people throughout the centuries. This is an excellent beginning for new Bible students as well as a great follow-up to last year’s Kerygma classes.

The teacher, The Rev. Al Kissling, is an ordained minister in the PC(USA) and is semi-retired after serving 18 years at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Hendersonville, N.C. A scholar in biblical studies who studied at Union Seminary in Virginia, Princeton Theological Seminary, and at Union in New York City,

Al has taught Kerygma Bible classes for 12 years - and still brings a refreshing excitement to the course! He and his wife, Beth, have recently moved to Las Cruces and have been worshipping with our congregation.

Book cost: $5.50

The Book of Order begins with the firm acknowledgment that Christ alone is the Head of the Church. Embedded in the preliminary principles of the PC(USA) is a brief section entitled "The Great Ends of the Church." Nearly a century old, this basic "mission statement" of the General Assembly, its governing bodies, and its congregations, has the capacity to shape faith and action in every expression of our church life. The six Great Ends provides guides for thinking about church life that moves beyond expediency or mere catering to fleeting fads. Pastor John Poling will be the teacher. Everyone is encouraged to attend!

at Melgaards’ home, 1612 Imperial Ridge

Each week’s session begins with a brief time of singing and praise.

The Rev. Ozzie Lutz leads an exciting study of this important gospel account of the life of Jesus. Ozzie is a retired minister in the PC(USA) who has served parishes for many years. He and his wife, Deede, reside at University Terrace and are active in our congregation.

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Last update 2002-07-29 09:46:41