Raising funds for a missions trip (CC)

[PeacefulChaos]

Hey all,

Well, I've asked questions about missions trips, etc, in the past and I'm just trying to decide the best way to go about saving for the next one. DH is probably going to Ecuador in July. I am not sure of the cost yet, we'll probably find out sometime in January, by the end of the month at the latest.

At the moment, I'm going to guess maybe $1200? Hopefully not too much more than that. :)

I told DH I want to just pay for it out of our tax refund. A lot of times, we pay big chunks of bills, etc, with our tax refund, and by doing this we would reduce the amount of bills we could pay by a big chunk, but I really don't think that's important. There will always be bills. But missions is extremely important to me so I'd rather use the money for that.

Here's the thing: I'm tossing around the idea in my head of not tithing on the tax refund (which we ALWAYS have done, pay tithes on the refund) and instead putting that money towards the trip. I'm not sure yet exactly how I feel about it. DH isn't either. I don't want to be doing the wrong thing, and I'm not trying to shortchange the church or God, I'm just having some trouble trying to figure it out. If the money goes toward the trip, then it is NOT going into the storehouse, which is where we feel it should go. At the same time, it IS still going toward doing God's work, so... Idk. Most likely I'll still pay the tithe and the missions trip separately. Just wondering what others' opinions are (particularly those who feel as we do, that the 10% tithe goes into the storehouse - aka church).

One of the other things I'm trying to decide is whether we should bother sending out letters. DH and I both went on trips last year and got maybe $100 from letters. Not very substantial, and feels like a waste of time. Plus, I feel bad sending out a letter when we just sent some out 2x last year. My question about that is, what if people would give the money if we did send letters? I'm trying to stay away from the letters but is there a way to let people know that he's going without asking for money? That way if they WANTED to give money they still could, but we wouldn't be asking them outright?

Lastly, say we do get some money sent by someone - my original thought is just to pay the entire cost of the trip up front, when we get our refund. I told DH that if he'd prefer, I can put the $ in savings and pay it as the due dates come, but I don't see the point. So if people do send money, would it be ok then for that to be what he would use as spending $ while there? I don't personally see anything wrong with it, but I didn't know if that would be something people would frown upon or feel used by.

TIA! :bigear:

[milovany]

Here's the thing: I'm tossing around the idea in my head of not tithing on the tax refund (which we ALWAYS have done, pay tithes on the refund) and instead putting that money towards the trip. I'm not sure yet exactly how I feel about it. DH isn't either. I don't want to be doing the wrong thing, and I'm not trying to shortchange the church or God, I'm just having some trouble trying to figure it out. :bigear:

 

I wanted to address this part. Do you get more back (due to child credits and what-not*) than you paid in in taxes? If so, tithing on this amount makes sense. If not (if you paid in the same as or more than your refund amount), and if you tithe on your gross income (not net) then you're double tithing if that makes sense. You tithed the first time you got this money in a paycheck, then you loaned the government some of your money in the form of taxes, and now they're give this money -- that you've already tithed on -- back to you.

 

Does this make sense? Basically, if you paid in more than you're receiving back, and if you tithed already on the gross amount of your pay, then if you tithe your refund, you're "double tithing" on that money. So, I would think it would be just fine in your convictions to use that money for something else (maybe especially a mission trip).

 

*This happens with us. We get back more than we paid in due to the child tax credit and having so many kids in our family.

Edited December 28, 2011 by milovaný

[Scuff]

I'm not sure what yyou mean by "storehouse/church". If you mean the church body, than it is going to the church with your trip, since you are church building or serving in some capacity. If you mean that the tithe should go to the actual church building to pay for mortgage and lights, than you probably want to tithe seperately.

 

I don't think you should ask for money. If you want to send out a "this is what we're doing" letter, that's fine. But don't ask for money. Support letters are for full-time missionaries or teenagers who have no other income to fund this. You have the money and can even pay ahead on your bills. Seems a little inappropriate to ask others to pay for a trip. If people choose to send you $, I don't see a problem with spending it. I'd probably see if someone else on the trip needed it or if it could go towards helping the people in the country you are going to.

[PeacefulChaos]

I wanted to address this part. Do you get more back (due to child credits and what-not*) than you paid in in taxes? If so, tithing on this amount makes sense. If not (if you paid in the same as or more than your refund amount), and if you tithe on your gross income (not net) then you're double tithing if that makes sense. You tithed the first time you got this money in a paycheck, then you loaned the government some of your money in the form of taxes, and now they're give this money -- that you've already tithed on -- back to you.

 

Does this make sense? Basically, if you paid in more than you're receiving back, and if you tithed already on the gross amount of your pay, then if you tithe your refund, you're "double tithing" on that money. So, I would think it would be just fine in your convictions to use that money for something else (maybe especially a mission trip).

 

*This happens with us. We get back more than we paid in due to the child tax credit and having so many kids in our family.

Yes. This is why we're probably not going to forsake the tithes to go towards the trip instead. :)

 

I'm not sure what yyou mean by "storehouse/church". If you mean the church body, than it is going to the church with your trip, since you are church building or serving in some capacity. If you mean that the tithe should go to the actual church building to pay for mortgage and lights, than you probably want to tithe seperately.

 

I don't think you should ask for money. If you want to send out a "this is what we're doing" letter, that's fine. But don't ask for money. Support letters are for full-time missionaries or teenagers who have no other income to fund this. You have the money and can even pay ahead on your bills. Seems a little inappropriate to ask others to pay for a trip. If people choose to send you $, I don't see a problem with spending it. I'd probably see if someone else on the trip needed it or if it could go towards helping the people in the country you are going to.

 

Well, I've always been taught and believed that 'the storehouse' is where we are being spiritually 'fed', if that makes any sense. So our church, to go into the general fund.

I don't really want to do a letter at all. Just seems like a waste of ink, paper, and postage to me! :lol: It would be nice to get money for the trip - we actually would not have the money for it, were it not for the refund. This will be the first year that we'll be paying for a trip instead of paying off debts. But I'm totally ok with that, especially considering that it is really the only possible way to get the $ to be able to go. :)

[TranquilMind]

Hey all,

Well, I've asked questions about missions trips, etc, in the past and I'm just trying to decide the best way to go about saving for the next one. DH is probably going to Ecuador in July. I am not sure of the cost yet, we'll probably find out sometime in January, by the end of the month at the latest.

At the moment, I'm going to guess maybe $1200? Hopefully not too much more than that. :)

I told DH I want to just pay for it out of our tax refund. A lot of times, we pay big chunks of bills, etc, with our tax refund, and by doing this we would reduce the amount of bills we could pay by a big chunk, but I really don't think that's important. There will always be bills. But missions is extremely important to me so I'd rather use the money for that.

Here's the thing: I'm tossing around the idea in my head of not tithing on the tax refund (which we ALWAYS have done, pay tithes on the refund) and instead putting that money towards the trip. I'm not sure yet exactly how I feel about it. DH isn't either. I don't want to be doing the wrong thing, and I'm not trying to shortchange the church or God, I'm just having some trouble trying to figure it out. If the money goes toward the trip, then it is NOT going into the storehouse, which is where we feel it should go. At the same time, it IS still going toward doing God's work, so... Idk. Most likely I'll still pay the tithe and the missions trip separately. Just wondering what others' opinions are (particularly those who feel as we do, that the 10% tithe goes into the storehouse - aka church).

One of the other things I'm trying to decide is whether we should bother sending out letters. DH and I both went on trips last year and got maybe $100 from letters. Not very substantial, and feels like a waste of time. Plus, I feel bad sending out a letter when we just sent some out 2x last year. My question about that is, what if people would give the money if we did send letters? I'm trying to stay away from the letters but is there a way to let people know that he's going without asking for money? That way if they WANTED to give money they still could, but we wouldn't be asking them outright?

Lastly, say we do get some money sent by someone - my original thought is just to pay the entire cost of the trip up front, when we get our refund. I told DH that if he'd prefer, I can put the $ in savings and pay it as the due dates come, but I don't see the point. So if people do send money, would it be ok then for that to be what he would use as spending $ while there? I don't personally see anything wrong with it, but I didn't know if that would be something people would frown upon or feel used by.

TIA! :bigear:

Kara, you are not tithing on the tax refund, you are giving offerings. You ALREADY TITHED on your income last year, I'm presuming. You don't need to tithe again, unless you choose to give, which is your prerogative, of course. This isn't income to you; it is what the government withheld erroneously (or you chose to have higher withholdings, as some people do - I choose to have get no refund and more money during the year).

 

So spend it how you like; you have still tithed on that money.

 

As a side note, I like your idea of paying for the trip and just trusting God that it will work out. I detest those letters asking for money. If God is sending you, God will see that you have what you need.

 

I never ever give in response to fundraising letters; but we give quite a bit where the Lord leads us to do so. He directs us to a lot of people with needs.

 

Just my two cents, and I think we did a big thread on this earlier this year.

[milovany]

Kara, you are not tithing on the tax refund, you are giving offerings. You ALREADY TITHED on your income last year, I'm presuming.

 

I mentioned this above, but she replied -- as with our family, they get back more than they pay in (because of the child tax credit), so that's "income" that has not been tithed yet.

[BakersDozen]

Lastly, say we do get some money sent by someone - my original thought is just to pay the entire cost of the trip up front, when we get our refund. I told DH that if he'd prefer, I can put the $ in savings and pay it as the due dates come, but I don't see the point. So if people do send money, would it be ok then for that to be what he would use as spending $ while there? I don't personally see anything wrong with it, but I didn't know if that would be something people would frown upon or feel used by.

If someone I knew was able to pay for a mission trip up front and asked/accepted money from me (especially to use as spending $) I would be really angry. I'm all for supporting missionaries full time and even some short-term mission trips but only in situations where the person is actually unable to support their efforts solely on their own. If God has blessed you financially in such a way that you are able to pay for a mission trip in full then I would not ask anyone for $; pay for the trip and consider yourself fortunate. :)

[PeacefulChaos]

Kara, you are not tithing on the tax refund, you are giving offerings. You ALREADY TITHED on your income last year, I'm presuming. You don't need to tithe again, unless you choose to give, which is your prerogative, of course. This isn't income to you; it is what the government withheld erroneously (or you chose to have higher withholdings, as some people do - I choose to have get no refund and more money during the year).

 

So spend it how you like; you have still tithed on that money.

 

As a side note, I like your idea of paying for the trip and just trusting God that it will work out. I detest those letters asking for money. If God is sending you, God will see that you have what you need.

 

I never ever give in response to fundraising letters; but we give quite a bit where the Lord leads us to do so. He directs us to a lot of people with needs.

 

Just my two cents, and I think we did a big thread on this earlier this year.

Yeah, we did. I think I started that one, too. :)

Actually, I was never comfortable with the 'letter' thing, it was just what everyone in the church (trip leaders, etc) always told us to do. That discussion we had earlier this year confirmed in me what I had always felt. I know I felt uncomfortable with the letters.

[PeacefulChaos]

If someone I knew was able to pay for a mission trip up front and asked/accepted money from me (especially to use as spending $) I would be really angry. I'm all for supporting missionaries full time and even some short-term mission trips but only in situations where the person is actually unable to support their efforts solely on their own. If God has blessed you financially in such a way that you are able to pay for a mission trip in full then I would not ask anyone for $; pay for the trip and consider yourself fortunate. :)

 

So do we then send it back?

We wouldn't ask for money, I'm just thinking what if a close family member just sends something just for whatever?

Then he could bring his lovely wife and kids home some little souvenirs. :lol: :D

[amey311]

So do we then send it back?

We wouldn't ask for money, I'm just thinking what if a close family member just sends something just for whatever?

Then he could bring his lovely wife and kids home some little souvenirs. :lol: :D

 

Are there other people from your church going on the mission as well? Could those funds go to helping pay for their basic expenses?

 

Not that I donate to missions, but I think if i did, i'd rather that money went toward helping the basic expenses for another missionary (plane fare, housing/food while abroad, etc) or for the mission location (buying supplies for the people being served) rather than souvenirs.