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Why Giving Matters
Scripture teaches us about the importance of offering gifts to God. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, we find stories of generosity and sacrificial giving. All of these stories are examples of God’s people giving in response to God’s love, generosity, and mercy.
At Sparta UMC, there are numerous ways to offer your gifts to God. Your prayers and presence are needed. Your gifts, talents, and service are necessary. Your faithful witness in this world is what helps God’s kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. There are a variety of ways to offer your financial gifts to the church and the ministry of Jesus Christ.
Ways to Give
Choose the method that is most convenient for you. All gifts are tax-deductible and handled with the utmost care.
Endowment
The Sparta United Methodist Church Endowment Fund was initiated in 2025 with the aim of preserving our church community and its mission to love God, love everyone, and follow Jesus for years to come. This fund enables the church's ministry to fulfill these objectives and serves as a means of leaving a legacy for future generations.
The endowment presents an opportunity to create a lasting impact that will benefit generations to come. You can give to the endowment electronically or by indicating this fund with your cash or check donation. To discuss including the church in your estate planning or giving appreciated stock or other assets to the church, please reach out to the church office for more information.
Thank you for supporting the legacy of Sparta UMC by your contributions to our endowment fund.
Your Impact This Year
100+
Meals served weekly through Grace Kitchen
450
450 bags of locally produced food shared annually through Nourishing Neighbors.
100%
All Gifts Go Toward
Local Ministry
Common Questions
Yes, you will be mailed a letter at the end of the year for all gifts given.
Yes, you can give stocks and arrange IRA gifts through your investment company. Contact the church office to arrange stock contributions.
The Sparta United Methodist Church Endowment Fund was initiated in 2025 with the aim of preserving our church community and its mission to love God, love everyone, and follow Jesus for years to come. The endowment is with the United Methodist Foundation of Western North Carolina and the interest it accrues annually will allow the church to continue vibrant ministry.
Endowment gifts are in addition to your annual giving. Gifts to an endowment usually are a result of legacy and end of life giving or giving from an investment, inheritance or other change in your finances.
Ways to Serve
A Disciple of Jesus knows how to put what they have learned and experienced into practice in their everyday lives. We love God by loving our neighbor as ourselves. We have committed to serving our community in Alleghany County and our neighbors all over the world. There are many opportunities for people to join in with Sparta UMC as we share God’s love through service.
Grace Kitchen
Volunteers are always welcome and needed at Grace Kitchen as we prepare, serve, and clean up our weekly community meal on Wednesday evenings. Please contact the main office for more information.
Wood Ministry
All are welcome to participate in our Wood Ministry, a ministry that provides split wood to persons in our community who need it as their primary source for heat in the colder months. Workdays happen periodically. We need people who are able to split and stack wood so that it can dry, as well as those who have the ability and agility to load it into the truck for delivery. Please call the church office for more information.
GOAL
In partnership with Alleghany Schools and the Duke Endowment's Summer Literacy Initiative, we host a summer literacy camp each year that provides literacy support for 1st through 3rd grade students, along with a lot of fun and creative enrichment activities. This is one of our biggest ways that we serve our community every year, and it always takes help from everyone. From cooking breakfast to helping walk to the park, there is always something to do at GOAL! Please reach out to Chessie Brown (chessie.brown1226@gmail.com), our GOAL camp site coordinator, if you would like to know more about working with GOAL during the summer!
Sewing Circle
All women are invited to help create dresses for girls and women in Guatemala. We need people to cut, iron, sew, and match trim to dresses. Everything you need is provided. Happening at the same time is our prayer shawl ministry. Come learn to knit/crochet prayer shawls and blankets to be given away as signs of God’s love and presence. Yarn is provided. Please call the church office for more information.