Trinity Lutheran Church of Pleasant Valley
A congregation of the ELCA
Supporting Trinity Through Financial Giving
There are a number of ways you can support our ministry through your financial contributions.
General Fund
The easiest way to give is to support our General Fund. Regular offerings go into the General Fund. Any contributions we receive that are not earmarked for another fund or for benevolence automatically become part of the General Fund.
This fund is used to support the day-to-day ministries of the congregation. Paying the bills and salaries, buying supplies for worship, and supporting our regular ministries—all of this happens through the General Fund.
10% of contributions to the General Fund are given as a tithe to the Synod to support the ministry of the Church in Southeast Pennsylvania and the world.
Memorial & Honor Fund
When most people think of the Memorial & Honor Fund, they think of funerals. However, this fund is there for anytime you want to honor a person or event through financial contributions. Donations may be made to honor someone on their birth, at their baptism, when they graduation, on their wedding day, when they retire, for an anniversary, or in their memory at the time of their death.
“Memorials may be given to mark significant life events, not just in memory of a loved one who’s died.”
Memorials are used in a variety of ways. Often physical objects are purchased that improve our space. The Congregational Council works to make sure the funds are used in a way that truly honors the person in whose name they were given.
Capital Fund
This fund is used to make capital improvements. Any permanent improvement costing over $500 is likely to be made through the Capital Fund.
Supporting the Capital Fund allows us to improve and repair our facilities.
McConnell Fund
The Anna S. McConnell Fund is a special fund setup in honor of its namesake. The Fund has three particular purposes:
1. Camp Grants: The Fund is used to support members who are attending a Christian-based outdoor ministry.
2. High Education Grants: The Fund is used to support members who are working toward obtaining a GED, their first bachelor’s degree, or a technical certification.
3. Congregational Enrichment Grants: The Fund is used to support members who are attending events that will better equip them for ministry.
By supporting the McConnell Fund, you support these ministries.
Thrivent Choice Dollars
If you are a member of Thrivent, you may designate your Choice Dollars® to Trinity.
We use Thrivent Choice Dollars for unbudgeted activities and ministries that support the community, giving us flexibility to engage in new ministries and meet the unexpected needs of our neighbors.
Endowment Fund
The Endowment Fund is perhaps our most important fund. The monies in this Fund are invested to support the future of our ministry. The larger this fund becomes, the more we are able to do consistently from year to year.
For those who are donating to our Endowment Fund, one important thing to remember is that this is not just money we sit on for a rainy day; this is not grain we are storing up in bigger and bigger barns. No matter how the markets are doing, we will always use a minimum of 3% of our total endowment annually to support the ministries of Trinity.
Planned Giving
Often the best way to support the Endowment Fund is through planned giving. Wills, bequests, annuities, and living trusts are all examples of planned giving.
To learn more about planned giving, contact the Congregation Office and we’ll set you up with a professional gift planner through the ELCA.
Simply Giving
Interested in providing your regular giving automatically and electronically?
Talk to the Financial Secretary about setting up automatic payments.