Benevolence at Council Tree

Hi Church, 

Do you ever wonder what the deal is with the "benevolence" offering we take on the first Sunday of the month? Most simply, it's a fund to help people in need. Deep in Council Tree's DNA we believe we can trust our God with our "tithe". Together as a church, for years now, we give away well over 10% of what comes in and the Benevolence fund is one piece of that giving.  

We want to say thank you for your contributions to the fund and let you know how it works. 

Your gifts add up to about $10,000 a year for community members facing financial challenges – like paying for rent, utility bills, insurance and other expenses. Occasionally we help a person in crisis with a few nights in a hotel. 

A three-member team makes decisions when we get requests. Right now, the team is composed of Tom Austin, Kim Southard, and Nikki Wuu.

Twenty percent of the funds are available for $25 to $50 gift cards to King Soopers. These are for people who walk in the church door asking for food or fuel assistance. Church administrator Stacy Petersen distributes the gift cards. Amounts given over $50 need the approval of the team. 

With gift cards and larger requests, the fund benefits about 20 to 30 people a year. We make it a priority to help those within our church community who request help. We also consider requests from individuals in the community at large. Larger amount requests involve more discernment from the team and asking more questions of the person making the request. 

Once someone receives more than $500 in assistance from the fund in a 12-month period, they are not eligible to reapply for assistance for another 12 months. This assures sufficient funds remain to meet more people’s needs. 

Sometimes the team refers folks to other ministries in our church or in the community.  Longer-term, we want to aid fund recipients who are open to more comprehensive assistance. This might mean budget help, counseling or referrals to other ministries or nonprofits.

We would love to tell the specific stories of how your giving has loved people well, yet to do so would violate confidence. We trust your understanding in this.

Thank you for trusting Council Tree with your giving, together we can do so much more! If you have questions, please contact Stacy in the church office.