Please note: This refresh of The McPherson First Endowment, including the new four-fund structure and updated policy, is pending adoption by Charge Conference in the fall of 2026. Existing endowed funds continue to operate under current guidelines until the new policy takes effect.

For over 150 years, McPherson First United Methodist Church has been making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. The McPherson First Endowment extends that mission into the future. Through planned gifts invested with Kansas Methodist Foundation, members and friends provide lasting support across four funds that shape the life of our church.

A Refreshed Endowment

McPherson First has held endowed funds for decades. Generous members and friends have established gifts through Kansas Methodist Foundation over the years, including the Oberst Fund, the Kinsinger Estate, the Maintenance Fund, and the UMC Scholarship Fund, among others. These gifts have quietly supported the ministry of the church for a long time.

In 2026, the church is refreshing the Endowment with a clearer structure, a new name, and an updated policy. The Leadership Board is bringing forward a proposal that consolidates existing funds into four named funds, sets a disciplined annual distribution policy, and strengthens protections for the principal so each gift continues providing support for generations. The updated policy will come before Charge Conference for adoption in the fall of 2026, replacing the 2013 Permanent Endowment Fund Guidelines that currently govern endowment activity.

Planned gifts can be made to the church at any time. Kansas Methodist Foundation continues to hold invested funds on behalf of McPherson First, and any gift made now will be placed into the appropriate fund once the refreshed structure is adopted. If you have been thinking about including the church in your plans, there is no need to wait.

The Four Funds

  • Legacy Fund. Unrestricted gifts that equip church leaders to respond wherever ministry calls. Flexible, faithful, ready for whatever God is doing next at McPherson First.
  • Leadership Development Fund. Invests in scholarships, continuing education, and training for the clergy, staff, and lay leaders who guide the ministry of McPherson First now and in the years ahead.
  • Building and Grounds Fund. Cares for the building that hosts worship, fellowship, and service to our neighbors, preserving it as a tool for ministry for generations to come.
  • Next Generation Fund. Forms children, youth, and young adults through programs, mission experiences, camp scholarships, and campus ministry partnerships that help the next generation love Jesus.

Six Ways to Leave a Legacy

Most planned gifts can be created in 15 minutes or less. Here are six common ways to include the church in your long-term plans.

  1. Beneficiary designation on an IRA, 401(k), or retirement plan. Often the most tax-efficient gift. Takes about 15 minutes through your plan provider's website. Your heirs can face significant income tax on inherited retirement accounts; the church receives these gifts tax-free.
  2. Beneficiary designation on a life insurance policy or HSA. Usually completed with a single form from your insurance company or HSA provider. A meaningful way to turn a policy your family may no longer need into a lasting legacy gift.
  3. Payable on Death designation on a bank or brokerage account. Add McPherson First United Methodist Church as a Payable on Death (POD) or Transfer on Death (TOD) beneficiary. The account remains yours to use during your lifetime. At your death, any remaining balance transfers directly to the church.
  4. Gift of farmland or other real estate. Give farmland, a home, or other real estate outright, through your estate, or as a retained life estate. Kansas Methodist Foundation can walk you through the process.
  5. Simple bequest through your will or trust. Include a sentence in your will or trust naming McPherson First United Methodist Church as a beneficiary. Bequests can be a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or a residual gift after other provisions.
  6. Gift of appreciated securities. Transfer appreciated stocks or mutual funds directly to the Endowment. Avoids capital gains tax and provides a charitable deduction for the full fair market value. Works for current gifts as well as planned gifts.

Ready for a Next Step?

If you are thinking about legacy giving but are not sure where to start, talk with Pastor Andrew Conard. No commitment, just a conversation about what might fit your life and your plans.

If you have already named McPherson First in your will, trust, IRA, or other plans, a Legacy Gift Intention Form will be available later this year so we can thank you and plan well. In the meantime, let the church office know at 620-241-3626.

Questions & Answers

Here are some answers to common questions.

Your regular giving funds the ministry of McPherson First right now: worship, staff, programs, the building, and the mission we share together. A planned gift to the Endowment is invested with Kansas Methodist Foundation and provides lasting support for the church's ministry in the years ahead. Annual giving and planned giving work together, not against each other.

Each year, 4% of each fund's trailing three-year average balance is distributed for ministry use. This approach keeps the principal invested and allows it, over time, to grow with inflation. Your gift keeps working for the church year after year, rather than being spent all at once.

Kansas Methodist Foundation (KMF) manages all Endowment investments. KMF invests in alignment with the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church and focuses on conservation of principal, growth to meet or exceed inflation, and generation of income for distribution. McPherson First's Leadership Board provides oversight of the funds and their use.

The new Endowment Fund Policy protects the principal significantly more than the church's previous approach to invested funds. Under the new policy, accessing principal requires both a two-thirds vote of the Leadership Board and a two-thirds vote of a duly called Charge Conference, and is reserved for extraordinary circumstances affecting the long-term viability of the church. Principal withdrawals cannot exceed 50% of any fund's value. The intent is clear: the principal is preserved so it can continue providing support for generations to come.

No. The Intention Form is a statement of current intent, not a legal commitment. It tells the church what you have in mind so we can thank you, plan well, and make sure your wishes are understood. You can update or withdraw it at any time.

No. Gifts may be made in any amount to any of the four funds.

Pastor Andrew Conard welcomes conversations about legacy giving. No pressure, no commitment, just a conversation about what might fit your life and your plans. The church office at 620-241-3626 can also provide general information, and Kansas Methodist Foundation can assist with technical questions about gift structures.