How do you take a next step to grow your generosity and your faith? For many, it comes from a vision for making a difference with the resources entrusted to us. It also takes a love of neighbor and stepping out in faith because of God’s generosity and grace.
Bret and Laura Henderson and their three children are actively involved in College Avenue United Methodist Church in Manhattan, KS. In 2024, they took a next step in growing their generosity to make a difference.
Bret has served both on the Stewardship & Finance and Endowment Committees, which opened his eyes to ways other people were fulfilling their giving pledges each year. As their giving grew and tax laws changed, they used that knowledge to start donating appreciated stock through the Kansas Methodist Foundation (KMF) as part of their giving plan. KMF would sell the appreciated stock gifts and make distributions as directed to fulfill Bret & Laura’s giving to their church. This process allowed them to avoid capital gains on their investments and fulfill their giving to the church.
Then in 2024, they took the next step in their generosity. Bret and Laura decided to compound their giving with the creation of a Donor Advised Fund (DAF). When asked what motivated them to use a Donor Advised Fund, they said, “Connection – to our faith, our church, and our family.
In one of those God moments, Rev. Dr. Dustin Petz reached out around the time we were beginning to research ways to be more efficient with our giving. I [Bret] grew up in the same small town as Dustin and had conversed on church matters before, but this personal connection started our journey to choosing the KMF as the trusted partner for our fund. It would have been very easy to use our brokerage for the DAF, but we were looking for an organization that shared our values and could provide the personal touch we desired.
Having seen the ease of working with the staff through both church committees and personal giving, the KMF checked all the boxes.”
A Donor Advised Fund is a charitable account established between a donor and a charity, where cash or appreciated assets are given. The resources are invested within the DAF, until the donor makes a charitable request for distribution.
Bret & Laura were able to load up the Donor Advised Fund and make the most tax-efficient gifts possible in one year. with the expectation that the DAF will facilitate their giving for the coming few years. By using the DAF, they can avoid capital gains tax on their appreciated stock, as well as reduce their federal and state income tax by clumping their giving.
Bret and Laura can add to their DAF whenever they choose. They can also give advisement about distributions as they see fit, to support the causes that they care about.
“One of my favorite things about Bret and Laura,” said Dustin Petz, “is their commitment to living out their discipleship and raising their children with the values of faith, stewardship, service, and generosity.”
Bret and Laura said, “Growing up, our parents set an amazing example of faithfully giving back through both service and giving to their church and community. This is something we both continue to value and know it is our privilege to be stewards of what God has given to us. We want our children to continue this and understand they have been given the great gift of life and should desire to give back. We want them to be the salt and the light!” Kansas Methodist Foundation is honored to partner with the Hendersons to help support them in growing in their faith through their stewardship and generosity.
Together, we can make the most of our resources, knowing that they come from God. God is the
ultimate generous giver. We are called to be people of gratitude and to be fruitful with the whole of our lives: our resources, our time, our prayer, and our service. If you would like to learn about how you can set up a stock gift transfer or a DAF, please contact the Foundation.
“With three kids and very busy lives, trying to plan and execute a bunching strategy to make the most of our charitable giving was becoming time-consuming. We wanted something that would be more effective for those we support as well as ourselves. The DAF is a perfect fit that allows our giving to have more impact when it is needed by the charitable organizations we support, along with simplifying our planning and lives as well!”
