A memorial is a contribution one makes in memory of a person who has died.  To give a gift in another's memory is to express the respect and love that continues beyond death.

West Des Moines United Methodist Church encourages memorial giving as a part of one's Christian stewardship.  The Memorial Committee seeks to assist persons in giving memorials by providing information and suggestions.

A memorial may be established through the Memorial Committee in one of the following ways:

1.  You may contribute a memorial gift directly to West Des Moines United Methodist Church.  The Memorial Committee will then send a card to the family of the bereaved indicating that a memorial gift has been given by you.
                                      or
2.  You may give your memorial gift directly to the family, who may then establish a memorial through our Memorial Committee.

Memorial contributions are deposited in a special Memorial Fund Account, where they remain until used to purchase a memorial.

Your gift may be designated for a specific purpose, or, if you leave it undesignated for more than six months, its use will be left to the discretion of the Memorial Committee.  If there are stipulations, specific limitations or expectations regarding a particular memorial, they must be reviewed and accepted by the Board of Trustees.  If, for whatever reason, the Trustees feel the stipulations cannot be honored, the gift will not be accepted.

Twice each year the congregation recognizes new memorial gifts and formally dedicates them.  Family members are invited to be present for the dedication of their memorial.  Memorial gifts are recorded in the Memorial Records Book and an engraved leaf, showing the name and year or birth and death, will be installed on the memorial tree display in the church narthex.

The Memorial Committee invites you to consider memorial giving as a way of honoring those special people who have enriched your life.
 

Mission Statement:
To encourage and enable giving through memorials, to work with families and be accountable to Trustees regarding specific memorial purchases.

General Responsibilities of the Work Area: 

• Purchase of memorials from memorial fund in consultation with members of deceased's family within committee guidelines.  
• Ascertain specific memorial needs.  
• Publish, twice yearly, an updated memorials needs list and distribute to the congregation.

Responsibilities of the Chairperson

• Attend and Report to Church Council meetings.
• Work with pastors and church staff to determine if there are specific needs.
• Determine that memorials are consistent with family wishes, if needed.
• Conduct meetings in an orderly manner and see that proper records are maintained

Committee Members' Responsibilities

• Have an open mind to all of the requests when making allocations.
• Be informed regarding potential ways memorial gifts may be directed.
  Work with the staff to prepare for the All Saints Sunday Remembrance Service and memorial Sunday.

Memorial gifts are used to purchase items for the church or to fund programs.

Look up memorial gifts made since January 1, 2000 in Adobe .pdf format.  For information on gifts made prior to 2000, please contact the church office or committee member.

The Church Office:  279-0826