The Memorial Fund is a way for people to make specific gifts to the church, usually in memory or honor of someone. Gifts to the Memorial Fund are used in total for the cause to which they were donated, and typically are a physical item.
The Zion Foundation is different in two main ways. The Foundation only disperses earnings on invested donations. And the Foundation funds only religious, educational and charitable purposes, not physical items.
The General Fund of the congregation provides for the on-going cost of doing ministry. Those funds are almost entirely received through Sunday offering. Forward in Faith is similar to the General Fund but is restricted to paying for the building‘s cost and some benevolence.
Memorial Fund contributions are received in two categories. Undesignated gifts may be made in memory or honor of someone, but the Memorial Fund Committee decides how the gifts will be best used. Donors may also give to a specific purpose. The purposes for which donations may currently be received are:
- Large print devotional books
- Piano (repair and tuning)
- Organ
- Paraments (altar cloths)
- Hearing enhancement (personal hearing devices)
- Landscaping
- Library
- Sanctuary audio/visual equipment
- Undesignated
In the past the Chapel Line provided daily devotions by telephone. That service has been discontinued because of lack of use. Daily devotions are readily available on the Internet. Also, there are currently sufficient funds in other categories, such as eternal flame candles, flags, and hymnals. The Memorial Fund Committee encourages donors to consider other items.
The Memorial Fund provides items needed for ministry that is not available through regular Sunday offering. Such generosity preserves the memory of past loved ones and honors those among us still.
