Giving

Time • Talents • Treasure

Christian Stewardship

Christian stewardship begins with the understanding that all we have is God’s and we should use it for His purposes. We give our lives to God — our Time, Talents and Treasures. Click here to see opportunities for using your time and talents to serve God and neighbors. And check out this page for information on sharing your treasures at Calvary.

Giving at Church

We encourage all of those who are part of our Church family to give—not out of obligation but out of a spirit of worship. Your gifts allow God's work to be done in our midst, in our community, and in the world around us. Giving options include regular weekly giving, one-time gifts, giving to missions, endowments, etc. There are electronic options and, of course, offerings during our weekend worship services.

Secure online giving

There are several easy ways for you to give electronically. Your information is transacted securely by an SSL encrypted connection. This information will remain private and will never be given away to third parties, other than to process your scheduled contributions.

Thrivent Choice

We’re proud to be a Thrivent Choice®-enrolled organization. 
Through the Thrivent programs, we are eligible to receive grant dollars, fee-free donations, and support from Thrivent Action Team service projects.

To learn more about Thrivent’s membership benefits and generosity programs visit thrivent.com/generosity.


Contribute to Education

CONTRIBUTE TO CHRISTIAN EDUCATION AT CALVARY

God’s love provides Calvary Lutheran School with a Christ-centered environment where parents, children, and teachers together foster academic excellence, integrity, and compassion in students as they develop to their fullest potential. Here are options to assist with student tuition.

  • Lutheran SGO – The Lutheran Scholarship Granting Organization provides Indiana Tax Credit Scholarships that assist low- and middle-income families to afford the nonpublic school of their choice. Donations to fund SGO scholarships feature a 50% state tax credit for the donor. Click here to learn more about Lutheran SGOs.

  • August C. Schwark Scholarship Funds – The primary emphasis is to provide financial assistance to students and families that would not otherwise be able to afford a Christian education. Click here to learn more about Schwark Scholarship Funds. 
    • Schwark Annual Scholarship Fund - Funds given to the Annual Fund may be used in full immediately for financial assistance of Calvary students.
    • Schwark Scholarship Endowment Fund - Donations given to the Endowment Fund are invested for the long-term growth and support of future scholarships. Every year, 5% of the fund value is used to provide scholarships for the current year.

Contribute to Christian Education at Calvary

God’s love provides Calvary Lutheran School with a Christ-centered environment where parents, children, and teachers together foster academic excellence, integrity, and compassion in students as they develop to their fullest potential.

Learn More


 

Why We Give

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.”   - 2 Corinthians 9:72 Corinthians 9:11

"In every way I’ve shown you that by laboring like this, it is necessary to help the weak and to keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus, for He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” Acts 20:35

In response to God’s generosity to you, we invite you to take the time to do as God suggests and give generously to the work we do together as a family at Calvary and the many missions and agencies that we support. 

Calvary's Stewardship Ministry Team publishes a Quarterly Stewardship Newsletter with information on stewardship principles, giving opportunities, and supported ministries.  Click here to see the latest edition.

  • Generosity
  • Ways to Give
  • FAQs

To help you follow Paul's advice and give "as you have decided in your heart,” we encourage you to explore the following questions.

Where are you now on the generosity ladder?

  • If you are already experiencing the blessings of tithing, or if you are already giving to God beyond the tithe, is God calling you to take a step of faith and to increase the percentage you are giving to the ministry of Calvary?

  • If you have given consistently to the ministry at Calvary but have never taken the step to give a full tithe (10%) of all God has provided for you, is God calling you to become a tither? Are you willing to listen to God’s challenge to “test me in this?” (Malachi 3:10)

  • If you have only given occasionally here at Calvary, is God calling you to take a step of faith and become a consistent giver? This could be quarterly, monthly, or weekly. It could be a set amount or a percentage of what God has provided for you.

  • If you have not yet given financially to the ministry here at Calvary, is God calling you to take that step of faith? Calvary is making a difference in our community and in the lives of those who call Calvary their church home. Please help to make an even greater impact!

Giving of our Time, Talents and Testimony

If you are interested in volunteering with a Calvary ministry team or with a specific project, check out our Serving @Calvary page. Wanting to join a small group study?  Check out our Bible Studies and Our Communities pages, or look at the brochure rack outside the office to find a group that meets on a date/time/location that is right for you.  Keep up with the activities at Calvary by subscribing to the Monday update and our Daily Devotions email.  Sermon recordings and bulletins are posted weekly on our This Week @Calvary page if you are not able to join in worship.

Giving of our Treasure

At Calvary Lutheran Church & School, giving is a joyous response to God for the love and forgiveness we have freely received in Jesus. We should never give out of obligation or guilt. Our gifts are an act of worship and thanksgiving, as we offer to God what He has first given to us: the first and best.  Our gifts enable us to fulfill our mission of Engaging People In Christ.

Giving during a Service
Donation boxes are located by each entry door.  

Giving Online
Give simply and securely via your debit card, credit card, or bank account. You can customize your donations to be one-time or recurring gifts. If you create an account, you can also view your giving history.

Non-Cash Giving
You can donate stocks, bonds, or mutual funds as gifts or do a planned gift as a portion of your estate. If you are interested giving a gift in this way, please contact the church office.

Endowment Giving
Calvary has several endowment funds that support our work for the Kingdom of God.

CALVARY ENDOWMENT FUND

Your gift to Calvary’s Endowment Fund enables you to continue giving to Calvary forever, providing the church with a dependable source of earnings in future years. You may contribute to the endowment fund through a gift of cash or stock, naming the endowment in your will or as a beneficiary on your life insurance policy, pension plan (401k) or IRA.  Contributions may be made at any time through listing “Calvary Church Endowment Fund” on your Offering envelope.

AUGUST C. SCHWARK ENDOWMENT AND ANNUAL FUND

Each year the distribution from the Endowment Fund is added to the Annual Fund to provide scholarships to a Calvary family that would not otherwise be able to afford a Christian education in our School. We thank God for the generous gifts that provide more families with the opportunity to experience the blessings of a Christian education. Scholarship recipients are supported each school year. To give using your Offering envelope, mark “Schwark Annual Fund” or “Schwark Endowment Fund” on your envelope.

Wessler Scholarship Endowment Fund for Education of LCMS Church Workers

The primary purpose of Wessler Scholarship Endowment Fund for Education of LCMS Church Workers is to provide financial aid to Calvary students, former students, and their families in LCMS colleges, universities, pursuing a full-time church work career within the ministry of the LCMS. The fund was established in 2018 through the generosity of Mel Wessler and the Distribution Committee is pleased to announce that Calvary’s Youth and Family Director Sam Troemel is the first recipient. Sam is enrolled in the LCMS Specific Ministry Pastor which enables students to take seminary courses from a distance as they prepare for ordination. 

Prayerfully consider the opportunities placed before us to enhance the future of Calvary Lutheran Church and School.  You may contribute to any of Calvary's endowment funds through a gift of cash or stock, naming the endowment in your will or as a beneficiary on your life insurance policy, pension plan (401k) or IRA. For questions about Calvary’s Endowment Fund, contact Kyle Allen through the church office at (317) 783-2000.

Memorials
Making a memorial donation in your will is a way to show your support for Calvary’s mission and ministry. Memorial gifts can support the general fund or can be designated for a specific purpose. Please contact Calvary’s Business Manager for language that can be added to your estate planning documents.

Give by Mail
If you would like to mail a gift, you can send it to our main address: Calvary Lutheran Church and School  • 6111 Shelby Street • Indianapolis, IN  46227.

Note: All undesignated gifts will be placed into the general fund.

Giving FAQs

Why does a Christian give?

What belongs to me? There are three keys to this issue:

  1. Everything belongs to God.
    People do not bring anything with them when they come into the world; when they leave the world, they will take nothing out.
  2. Everything depends on God.
    God rules and directs all things in heaven and earth by His almighty power (Psalm 147).
  3. Everything is to praise God.
    We have a purpose. All things in heaven and on earth — including us as His people and even those without life in themselves — glorify God, for all show His wisdom, His power and His love.
What is General Fund vs designated giving?

The General Fund is a pool of resources that the leadership of Calvary uses to fund the ministry – from pastor and teacher salaries to utility bills to mission support. Details of Calvary’s General Fund budget are provided to the members during the annual meeting in May and published in the annual report.

Designated gifts support specific efforts such as funding for a youth trip, disaster relief, or a special appeal. When you designate a gift, it will be used for that purpose.

What are Endowments?

An endowment is a fund where the initial donated amount (principal) is maintained and a small percentage, amount earned from interest, is used for a designated purpose. Calvary benefits from the generosity of several endowments. For details on establishing an endowment that benefits Calvary please contact the Business Manager.

Can I include Calvary in my will?

Making a memorial donation in your will is a way to show your support for Calvary’s mission and ministry. Memorial gifts can support the general fund or can be designated for a specific purpose. Please contact Calvary’s Business Manager for language that can be added to your estate planning documents.

Are Matching Funds available?

More and more companies are offering corporate matching programs. These programs will double, and sometimes triple or quadruple, an employee’s donation to a select nonprofit. Other times, companies will offer grants to a nonprofit if their employees volunteer their time at that organization. Your employer’s human resources department will have information on if there are programs available to match your contributions.

Also be mindful of ways to designate Calvary as a beneficiary of your purchases. Companies such as Thrivent, Amazon, and Krogers will direct a portion of your purchases to the charitable organization of your choice.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

Our Annual Report is an chance to keep our eye on the numbers that matter. Behind every metric is a story, so here is this year's narrative as even in these trying times we thank God for His Everyday Blessings.

Annual Report

Calvary members give of their time, talents and treasures in many different ways. Our Annual Report is a good place to find information on the generosity of our members.

View 2021-2022 Annual Report

View 2020-2021 Annual Report

View 2019-2020 Annual Report

2022–2023 Church Theme

"Growing Together — For the Sake of Others..."

"I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings."


What are we doing to...

Welcome the guest?

Challenge the connected?
– Church & School
– Member & Non-Member

Serve the Community?