Giving

Online Giving | Cornerstones | Apply for Scholarships and Grants

What did Jesus love about the widow’s giving? He loved the widow’s passionate response to the priceless spiritual gifts she had received. Her loving response to the Lord reflected the completion of the circle of love within her, begun by God. The widow’s attitude stood out from the wealthy; she gave all she had. They gave “out of their wealth.”

Pray that the inspiration we gain from these words helps create in us a heart that fully honors God with our own gifts.

Click here to give

We have upgraded our online giving website. If you currently have a recurring online giving payment schedule, please be aware that we will no longer use the old payment method (ServiceU) as of January 1, 2012. 

Some of the benefits of this website are:
 • More user friendly
 • Get more recent Records of Contribution
 • Change method of payment & frequency
 • One stop website for Church information, directory, giving and event registrations. 

Cornerstones
giving beyond a lifetime

One of the great resources of First Presbyterian Church, Houston is a spirit of generosity—a permanent endowment to support mission and ministry within our congregation and around the globe.

Gifts in members’ estate plans are increasing as a way to continue passion for ministry after a lifetime. Those who notify the church that they have place FPC in their will or in their planned giving program are identified as Cornerstones.

You are invited to explore these concepts. Please contact Bill Heston, Executive Pastor at 713-620-6441 or .

To Know More

For information on Cornerstones and your participation through planned giving and estate plan contributions, please contact Executive Pastor Bill Heston at 713-620-6441 or .
 

Forms

Click here for Cornerstones enrollment form.

Testimonies

Unless a Seed is Planted ...
I am going to die.

This is not an announcement, only an acknowledgment; I am going to die … and so are you! Probably not today, or anytime soon, but we never know.

WHEN I DO DIE, IT WILL BE TOO LATE FOR:
Telling those for whom I care that I love them
Giving more time to the ministries I revere
Saying a kind word to those who need encouragement
Praying and working for the world to embrace God’s love and to better conditions for all his children

BUT IT WON’T BE TOO LATE FOR:
Seeds that I planted to continue to grow
People that I influenced to continue to contribute
Financial assets that I reserved for ministries to continue to impact lives

It is a comfort to know that our worthy commitments can survive our human existence. There are many opportunities for giving beyond our lifetime. By making provision during my life, I can, for example, create or increase an endowment for scholarships to further Christian education, for youth to attend camp or go on mission trips, for musical internships, guest speakers, or worship soloists. Perhaps, for missions, I can provide support for a capital improvement project at a favorite shelter, underwrite mission trips, or pay for distribution of Bibles and educational materials. My legacy gift can provide support for enrichment of the church library, provision of family counseling services, internet outreach, radio/TV broadcasts, or Mo Ranch experiences far into the future.

All of these opportunities are possible with fairly simple provisions in my will. Through financial planning, I can provide for my needs during my lifetime and then perform these good works with assets remaining after death.

FPC’s Planned Giving and Endowment Committee and the Texas Presbyterian Foundation are available to explain the possibilities. Arrangements must be made while we live; otherwise it will be too late.

Death isn’t a choice; life, however, affords us many. Remember, unless a seed is planted, the tree cannot grow. Let us all be sowers.

Staman Ogilvie

I Am Truly Grateful
I am what you would call a “cradle Presbyterian,” baptized and confirmed at First Presbyterian Church, Houston. My parents taught Sunday School for years, and I sang in the children’s choir. But little did I know that FPC would be the family of faith who would support and encourage me in my call to full-time vocational ministry. The pastoral staff and several elders prayed with me as I discerned which seminary to attend and helped me wrestle with what kind of pastoral ministry in which to serve; church or hospital ministry.

It was particularly significant for me that FPC supported me in a variety of ways; not only emotionally and spiritually but also financially through scholarship funds for seminary students. Cornerstones, members who contributed through their estate gifts in the past invested in my future. I am truly grateful for this powerful gesture that communicated faith in God’s plan for my life.

For over two years, I have been serving as a hospital chaplain at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, California, primarily serving patients, families and staff in the Oncology and Emergency Departments. The notion of being “sent” makes hospital ministry so meaningful. I am sent out from the church to be a witness to Christ’s light and love in the midst of pain, illness and crisis.

In October 2010, I was ordained as a minister of the Word and Sacrament at FPC. Rev. Jon Crantz gave me a charge to be a herald: a herald of the gospel. I pray that I continue to be a messenger of good news and gratitude for the work of Jesus Christ and His people. May God’s grace and peace be with you!

Rev. Christina Stone Chambers

TO APPLY for Cornerstone Scholarship and Grants

Click here for an Education Scholarship Application.
Click here for a Grant Application.

Committee chair: Janet Lionberger

(If you have questions regarding the applications, contact Edith Price at 713-620-6443 or )