As followers of Christ, we are called to be good stewards of God’s blessings and to support the work of His kingdom. The apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 9:7, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” At First United Methodist Church New Braunfels, we embrace this biblical principle of joyful giving as a way to express our gratitude for God’s abundant grace and to further His mission in our community and beyond.
Our Lord Jesus Christ taught us about the importance of generosity and its spiritual significance. In Matthew 6:21, He says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” When we give to support the church and its ministries, we are investing in eternal values and aligning our hearts with God’s purposes.
The act of giving is not just about financial support; it’s a spiritual discipline that draws us closer to God and allows us to participate in His work. As Proverbs 11:25 tells us, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” Through our giving, we not only bless others but also experience the joy and fulfillment that comes from being part of something greater than ourselves.
At First United Methodist Church New Braunfels, your generous contributions play a vital role in supporting our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We are not new to this, having been making disciples in New Braunfels for over 170 years. Your gifts enable us to move forward into the next decade with a strong witness to the transformational power of Jesus Christ.
We offer several convenient ways for you to give and make a difference in our community and beyond, allowing you to participate in God’s work according to your means and calling.
Ways to Give
- Sunday Services: You can give during our weekly services by placing your contribution in the offering plate. If you give by check or place cash in a named envelope, we can credit that to a year-end giving statement. You can also designate giving to specific funds and ministries either in the memo line or on an envelope.
- Online Giving: For those who prefer digital options, we’ve made it easy to give online through Church Center. Visit fumcnb.churchcenter.com to make your contribution securely. You are able to give directly to several funds or the church general operating budget.
- Mail or Drop off gifts: For a diverse set of reasons, some members send their gifts to the church by mail or drop them off in person. Any gifts we receive are immediately and securely processed. You can mail your gifts to: First United Methodist Church, 572 W. San Antonio St. New Braunfels, TX 78130 or drop them off Monday Through Thursday 9 am to 4pm at the church office.
Processing Fees for Online Giving
We use Stripe to process our online giving. How you give makes a big difference as credit cards include fees from those companies. Bank transfers are the most economical way of giving for larger gifts.
- Credit & debit cards: 2.15% + $0.30 per transaction
- AMEX: 3.5% + $0.30 per transaction
- ACH (bank transfer): $0.25 per transfer
Our Church App offers an option to include the processing fee as part of your contribution!
Where Your Gift Goes
There are three major types of gifts that support our ministry:
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Gifts to the Church for Ministries and Operations: Your contributions to our general budget directly support our ongoing mission and ministries. These funds help us maintain our facilities, support our staff, and run various programs that serve our congregation and community.
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Gifts to Specific (Designated) Ministries and Funds: A gift can be specified to be towards a certain ministry or fund within the church. For example, if you want to give to the children’s ministry, writing “children” or “first kids” on a memo line will give specifically to that ministry. We cannot accept all designated gifts if we do not have a corresponding ministry or fund. For more information, see our giving policy.
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Endowment Fund: For those interested in supporting the long-term health and sustainability of our church, consider giving to our Endowment Fund. This fund ensures that First United Methodist Church New Braunfels can continue its mission for generations to come.
Additional Giving Options
- Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs): If you’re 70½ or older, you can make tax-free donations directly from your IRA to our church. These donations, known as Qualified Charitable Distributions, can satisfy your required minimum distribution (RMD) while supporting our mission.
Your generosity, no matter the amount or method, helps us continue our work in spreading God’s love and making a positive impact in New Braunfels and beyond. Thank you for your faithful support of First United Methodist Church New Braunfels.
For more information about giving or to discuss other ways to contribute, please contact our church office.