THE FORGE
A Quarterly money and ministry update
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
— John 1:14
Dear Foundry Family,
Welcome to the second edition of The Forge—our quarterly money and ministry update. I'm grateful you're here.
As we enter Advent, we're exploring how Jesus' arrival wasn't a quiet entrance, but a cosmic disruption. The good kind of disruption. The Incarnation reminds us that God doesn't stay distant—He draws near and brings joy, peace, hope and love. And when we follow Christ, we're called to do the same: to be present with others, helping them know, follow, and share Jesus.
Your generosity makes this possible. Every dollar you give supports life-changing ministry—students discovering faith, families growing deeper in Christ, mission work extending God's Kingdom around the world.
As you'll see in our financial report, we need strong year-end giving to finish 2025 well. God always provides—and He does so through you. I invite you to look at the snapshot of where we are and prayerfully consider how God might be calling you to give.
Inside, you'll find:
A financial report for the year to date.
A practical Year-End Giving Guide with strategies by age to help you give more effectively
Justin and Lane Clark's testimony about their journey from inconsistent to intentional giving
Mission updates
And more opportunities to learn and grow
My prayer is that this resource helps you steward well what God has entrusted to you—so together, we can maximize Kingdom impact.
With gratitude,
Pastor Ray
2025 Giving
January - October 2025
What We’ve Recieved
$3,014,954
Given So Far
What Was Expected
$3,158,500
Needed By This Point
The Gap
$-144,551
Behind Budget
Visual Snapshot
• We are slightly behind where we hoped to be at this point in the year.
• Every dollar matters in supporting ministry, outreach, and daily operations.
Why This Matters
We are grateful for your faithfulness and generosity. If you haven't started giving, or if you feel led to increase your giving, now is a great time to help close the gap.
Encouragment
$5,660,407
Total Amount Pledged
$1,837,139
Total Pledges Received
Your Year-End Giving Guide: Make 2025 Count
December giving historically represents 14-17% of annual contributions at Foundry—roughly double our average monthly giving.
And this year, there are even more advantages to giving at the end of the year. Due to tax law changes taking effect in 2026, December 2025 is your final opportunity to maximize charitable deductions under current favorable rules. Two significant changes are coming:
The first 0.5% of your income given to charity won't be deductible
High-income donors will see deduction value capped at 35% (down from 37%)
Bottom line: Front-load your giving into 2025 to capture full deductions before these restrictions take effect. The window is closing—act now to preserve these benefits.
To help you maximize the impact of your generosity, we've compiled guidance from multiple sources, including Texas Methodist Foundation, our trusted partner in strategic giving.
Find Your Best Strategy by Age
Ages 20-50: Build Strategic Giving Habits
Best strategy: Donate appreciated stock
If you own investments that have grown in value, donate them directly to Foundry Church. You'll avoid capital gains tax and deduct the full current value—a powerful double benefit.
Quick action: Contact your brokerage by December 20 to initiate a stock transfer. Get DTC instructions from the church office.
→ Learn how to donate stock step-by-step
Ages 50-70: Maximize Your Peak Earning Years
Best for you: "Bunch" multiple years of giving
If you barely exceed the standard deduction ($31,500 married / $15,750 single), you're getting minimal tax benefit. Instead, consolidate 2-3 years of planned giving into 2025 using a donor-advised fund.
Example: Contribute $36,000 to a donor-advised fund in 2025 (three years of $12,000 gifts). Take the large deduction this year, then recommend annual $12,000 grants to Foundry in 2026-2027 while taking the standard deduction those years. Same total giving, significantly larger tax savings.
Quick action: Open a donor-advised fund with Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, or Vanguard Charitable. Contribute by December 31.
You can also donate appreciated stock (see strategy above).
→ Learn about donor-advised funds and bunching
Ages 70½+: The Gold Standard Strategy
Best for you: Give directly from your IRA
Transfer up to $108,000 from your IRA directly to Foundry Church—this amount never appears as taxable income. It satisfies your Required Minimum Distribution, won't affect Medicare premiums or Social Security taxation, and provides tax benefits even with the standard deduction.
Quick action: Contact your IRA custodian (Fidelity, Vanguard, Schwab, etc.) by December 10. Request a "Qualified Charitable Distribution" payable to Foundry Church.
Married couples: Each spouse can give $108,000 from their own IRA ($216,000 total). You can also donate appreciated stock (see strategy above).
→ Learn about IRA charitable distributions
Critical Deadlines
Time is shorter than you think:
December 10: Submit IRA distribution requests
December 20: Initiate stock transfers
December 27: Wire transfers and FedEx/UPS deliveries must arrive
December 31: Online donations (by 11:59 PM), USPS postmark
Learn More:
→ Common mistakes to avoid
Don't let simple errors cost you thousands in tax benefits
→ What documentation do I need?
IRS requirements for charitable contribution records
→ Biblical perspective on strategic giving
How wisdom and generosity work together
→ Detailed how-to guides
Step-by-step instructions for each strategy
Every contribution—large or small, strategically timed or spontaneously given—supports our mission to help people know, follow and share Jesus. Thank you for your faithful partnership in helping people know, follow and share Jesus.
Questions? Contact the Foundry Business Office brandon.harper@foundrychurch.org
From Inconsistent to Intentional::
Meet Justin and Layne Clark—longtime Foundry members who serve in children's ministry, on the board, and in countless other ways. But their generosity didn't start with confidence. It started with fear.
"I was prideful. I made that deal happen. God didn't negotiate that contract," Justin recalls about his early reluctance to tithe. Like many young couples, they gave here and there, thinking that was good enough. But when Layne faced a serious health crisis, God tugged at their hearts—and they took their first leap of faith.
Justin and Layne Clark's Giving Journey
What happened next changed everything.
In this video, Justin and Layne share how one moment of obedience turned tithing from a burden into a joy—and how teaching their kids to write the checks has shaped their family's rhythm of worship. Their story is a powerful reminder: everything we have truly comes from Him.
Your Generosity in Action: How Giving Makes a Kingdom Impact Around the World
At Foundry, our mission is to help others know, follow, and share Jesus. Your faithful generosity makes this possible—transforming lives here at home and around the world. Here are a few highlights from the field:
Costa Rica: The five churches we partner with are utilizing Foundry's support to conduct discipleship classes—and the impact has been powerful. Each week, they send photos of growing groups eager to follow Jesus. Our partner church in the community of Belen recently took worship to the streets, praying over businesses and the community in a bold display of faith. [photos?]
Compassion International: New Foundry sponsors changed 64 children's lives (and counting!) through Compassion Sunday, investing in their futures with hope, education, and Christ's love.
House of Mercy: A team of seven brought Christmas celebrations and the message of God's love to children at our partner orphanage in Mexico.
Season of Hope: Locally, 222 children received Christmas gifts while you provided 91 food boxes and 70 gift cards to families in need.
From local partnerships to international connections, your faithfulness extends God's kingdom. Grace produces gratitude. Gratitude produces generosity. Generosity produces mission. Thank you for helping people know, follow, and share Jesus.
Resources
Deepen your understanding of biblical generosity with these trusted resources:
Books
The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn – A compact, powerful look at joyful giving
The Legacy Journey by Dave Ramsey – A radical view of biblical wealth and generosity
Fields of Gold by Andy Stanley – Discovering the hidden value of a generous life
Online Resources
Ramsey Solutions (ramsey.com) – Biblical money management and generosity principles
Crown Financial Ministries (crown.org) – Biblical financial principles and tools
Generous Giving (generousgiving.org) – Stories and teaching on radical generosity