LegacyThe Gift of Home

Contents

LEGACY

Our history

A season of growth

THE NEXT CHAPTER

A new home

Giving strategies

Legacy

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LegacyOne generation shall commend your works to another,

and shall declare your mighty acts.

PSALM 145:4

Our historyGreen Lake Presbyterian Church has a rich and beautiful spiritual tradition—a strong legacy approaching 80 years of continuous, faithful gospel proclamation. We have contributed to the welfare of the city, planted churches, sent missionaries, and discipled the nations. God has been gracious and his people have been faithful.

Integral to this kingdom work have been multiple generations who have lived and given beyond themselves. They possessed the foresight to not only inherit the gifts of the past, but to build upon and expand those foundations for the future. Of course, this too is from the Lord. As the psalmist declares,

One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. Psalm 145:4

In 1960, to meet the needs of a burgeoning community, a group of thoughtful, visionary people bought a plot of land on the southwest corner of Seattle’s Green Lake neighborhood and built the facility we now enjoy. It was a gift—a legacy—that has enabled decades of fruitful gospel ministry.

So, the question is this: What story will we tell? What mighty acts will we declare to future generations?

We find ourselves at a pivotal time in the life of our community. God’s kindness continues, and once again Green Lake has grown spiritually and numerically. We must now consider how we will steward that grace.

This is Legacy...

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A season of growth

God calls his people to not only consider their own needs, but also the needs of their neighbors. Scripture exhorts us to

Seek the welfare of the city… and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. Jeremiah 29:7

In the last five years, Green Lake has matured from one service of 175 people to three services of nearly 450 people and counting. A growing segment of this number is children. Since 2009, approximately 125 children have been born at Green Lake, nearly 1.25 a month.

As a result of this growth, like any expanding family, we have exhausted the usefulness of our “starter” home. We lack adequate worship and fellowship facilities, rooms for children and adult education, as well as sufficient meeting and office spaces. Not only have these constraints made “everyday” living difficult, but they’ve also prohibited essential ministry initiatives vital to fulfilling our mission and core values.

Seattle is the fastest-growing big city in America. Nearly 21,000 people—57 per day—moved into the city between July 1, 2015, and July 1, 2016. Our neighbors have come to influence industry, shape culture, and enjoy the riches of the Northwest’s natural landscapes.

Within this beauty and goodness, however, is staggering gospel need. Seattle represents the 9th-largest unchurched and 4th-largest dechurched population in the country. Similar research suggests 50% of Seattleites self-identify as post-Christian, possessing no Christian memory or influence.

Despite these alarming statistics, we are confident the gospel addresses all human need. The heart is restless until it rests in God. What if our home became their home? A place of welcome, hospitality, and rest amid life’s chaos. Historically, churches have served this function: a unique blessing of communal life, pastoral activity, missionary work, local focus, educational function, and economic importance. As one noted pastor commented, “A church building should be a community center with worship space.”

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The Next ChapterSeek the welfare of the city...and pray to the Lord

on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

JEREMIAH 29:7

A new homeWe now face a similar opportunity as that of previous generations. We can build a home not only suitable for our needs but for the life of the city as well.

A new home where the gospel becomes incarnate through a new legacy of mission, people, and ministry.

We believe we’ve found such a place. Located 1.8 miles from our current facility, Trinity United United Methodist Church is a 90 year-old, historic building situated in the heart of Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. The building itself is over 35,000 sq ft, seats upwards of 350, and boasts 27 classrooms, a full gym, as well as many additional amenities suited for our growing congregation.

This will allow us to expand our ministry reach. The facility currently houses a robust ministry to people experiencing homelessness, including a weekly soup kitchen and a nightly men’s warming shelter. We could have space for additional

partnerships with the city, local schools, and arts endeavors, as well as income-generating relationships with private preschools, schools, counseling centers, and summer camps.

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We anticipate a purchase price of approximately $6.1M and believe we will need to commit an additional $2.4M for immediate and long-term renovations.

In order to fund this project, we must raise $2M in gifts or pledges to be paid over the next three years.

Our 2015 Seeds Initiative taught us the joy and privilege of generosity. The gospel teaches us that we serve a generous God who has fully given himself to us at the great expense of his Son. The Apostle Paul reminds us that biblical generosity is not the result of coercion or manipulation, but grace (1 Cor. 8 and 9). When we understand the great grace we received in Jesus, it changes the fundamental structure of our hearts—everything is different, including how we understand our money and possessions.

The ultimate goal of Legacy is not a new building; that’s merely a by-product of the true goal: our hearts. A legacy is learning to

live and give beyond ourselves. Our hope is that God will use this season to cultivate hearts that love the gospel and desire to establish the work of the kingdom in our city.

Having a financial plan is the best way to exercise biblical stewardship. God wants more than just our 10%, and having a plan for our money helps us view all of our spending—whether it’s a mortgage payment or a vacation—as kingdom spending.

By recording and submitting our commitments, we encourage each other as we watch the effects of the gospel and God’s call to generosity on our brothers and sisters.

In thinking about our families’ financial contribution to the legacy of our congregation, we pay homage to those who gave sacrificially to provide us with the building we call home today.

Financing

Legacy fundraising ($2M)

In the late 70’s, after making the final payment on the church building, the congregation celebrated

as Pastor Stephen Leonard and Church Treasurer Bruce Beatty burned the mortgage.

Green Lake’s founding generation invested in the Kingdom by funding the construction of the building. These bond certificates represent individual commitments in amounts small

and large. God provided, and the debts were paid.

Sale of Green Lake properties ($4.9M)

Loan ($2M)

Savings ($350K)

$9.25MPurchase &

renovation cost

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Legacy CommitmentName

Address

Phone #

Email

3-year pledge total

Legacy gift $

I/we plan to give accordingly:

(1) One-time gift of: $ (3) Annual gifts of: $ (12) Quarterly gifts of: $ (36) Monthly gifts of: $ (156) Weekly gifts of: $ Other:

I/we plan to give 10% or more of our total commitment on First Fruits Sunday (11/18/18)

Legacy commitments are a statement of intent to give above and beyond our regular tithes/offerings. This commitment can be revised by contacting the Church Office. First Fruits gifts are a part of the 3-year total. If giving by check, please mark “Legacy Campaign” in memo field.

Thinking through how to increase in generosity can be challenging. The best path to increased giving is the spiritual path, where you set your heart on things above. Financial priorities then take shape from the spiritual priorities. Our level of giving should affect our lifestyle, not the other way around.

Often, giving in this way can mean giving up something in one area so that you can give more of yourself in another. The three keys to effectiveness in Lifestyle Stewardship are:

• Reassess lifestyle • Rearrange priorities • Reallocate resources

Many Christians have been amazed at their ability to give a larger gift to their church after thinking this way. The following steps are offered to help you in this regard:

1. Practice priority budgeting

Many individuals and families will choose to rearrange their priorities and give up something in their current budget in order to give more to the church. This may mean postponing a planned expenditure such as a new car, vacation, home remodeling, or other major purchase.

2. Redirect present expenditures

Often, families have significant short-term expenditures for special needs (college tuition, loan payments, etc). Consider directing this allocated money generously after these expenses go away.

3. Increase giving with increased income

Some people receive periodic increases in salary or bonuses from their employers. Instead of increasing in lifestyle to fit this increase of income, consider committing to include these salary increases in your giving.

4. Commit unexpected cash

Ask God to show you a way you could increase your giving. Sometimes the answers come unexpectedly.

5. Sacrifice your extra time

Some people have time and/or skills they would be willing to use generously. Whether working a part-time job to donate the money, or using your skills to bless the church in other ways, this can be a creative way to increase in generosity.

6. Donate through appreciated assets

Gifts of appreciated assets—typically, investment securities or real estate—can be very advantageous to both the donor and to the church.

7. Include a provision in your will

While such gifts do not provide immediate financial benefit to the church, they are marvelous gifts of faith commitment to carry on the work of the church for future generations. For more information on how to make a Legacy Gift, contact the church office.

3-year Gift Total Monthly Weekly

$200,000 $5,555 $1,282

$175,000 $4,861 $1,122

$150,000 $4,167 $962

$125,000 $3,472 $801

$100,000 $2,778 $641

$75,000 $2,083 $480

$50,000 $1,389 $321

$35,000 $972 $224

$25,000 $694 $160

$20,000 $555 $128

$18,000 $500 $115

$15,000 $417 $96

$12,000 $333 $77

$10,000 $278 $64

$7,500 $208 $48

$5,000 $139 $32

$2,500 $69 $16

$1,800 $50 $12

$1,000 $28 $6

Giving Guide

You may find it helpful to use this guide when thinking about your Legacy Campaign commitment. When gifts are spread out over time, many people find they are able to give more generously than they expected.

Giving strategies

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LegacyA legacy travels two ways through time. We look back with gratitude to those who came before us and look forward with hope as we dream of their blessings continuing through us.

For 80 years Green Lake Presbyterian Church has sought to make disciples, beautify the city, and grow the kingdom.

We are rich with stories of God’s faithfulness, provision, and power.

I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever.

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6318 Linden Ave N Seattle, WA 98103

greenlakepc.org/Legacy