The Sharing Community Years ago, I pastored a church that hosted a very large organization which supported people experiencing hunger and homelessness. They served hundreds of meals each and every day of the year. This gave a true opportunity for … Continue Reading →
Couples Making Estate Plans Couples making estate plans frequently ask some common questions regarding taxation of inheritance. In particular, what is the “best” way to name beneficiaries on life insurance and retirement accounts? And how does this action affect what … Continue Reading →
Far-Reaching Impact of Human Trafficking According to the DEA, “human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act.” This sinister form of exploitation continues to cast its shadow over … Continue Reading →
Understanding Christian Paradox The Christian life contains a multitude of paradoxes, inviting us to embrace truths that may contradict conventional wisdom. One such paradox lies in Jesus’ profound statement in John 12:24-26: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the … Continue Reading →
The Grant Process Our grants catalyze change, address pressing social issues, and strengthen marginalized communities. They provide a profound opportunity for parishes and their nonprofit. However, the grant evaluation process can feel daunting, especially to those who have never completed … Continue Reading →
Fighting Against Insecurity At first blush, it may seem strange to ask how giving away money might benefit the giver. There are, of course, many references to the spiritual benefits of this activity mentioned throughout Scripture. Also, there is scientific … Continue Reading →
A Cycle of Poverty Generational poverty is a vicious cycle that impacts families for multiple generations. According to the Georgia Center for Opportunity, “intergenerational poverty (IGP) is described as poverty that persists from one generation to the next . . … Continue Reading →
Being Alive I once read that the brain uses roughly 20% of the body’s energy. It’s staggering that this three-pound organ consumes such caloric intake, revealing the cost of those billions of neurons and synapses processing the world around us. … Continue Reading →
A Long-Term Solution ECF seeks to create long-term solutions with our grants. One of our primary focuses in grantmaking is ensuring that our grants focus on sustainable support. Typically ECF’s grants fall into two types of funding – capital or … Continue Reading →
RMD Changes In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the age requirement for taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) from retirement accounts. This change has important implications for individuals who own vehicles and are considering giving them as … Continue Reading →