Food for funeral lunches

[Gretel]

Is food donated for funeral lunches a charitable contribution? Used in church after funeral service.

[BOB W]

Is food donated for funeral lunches a charitable contribution? Used in church after funeral service.

As I recall (that's a laugh) charitable contributions must be made to the charities general fund for the charity to use as it wishes in its charitable function. It doesn't sound like that is what happened. This is too far off to be deductible. They happened to use the church for the affair>>> that's all.

[ChEAr$]

Is food donated for funeral lunches a charitable contribution? Used in church after funeral service.

Thanks, I needed that laugh after today.

Even funeral costs are personal expenses.

[Gretel]

Is it really so weird to think that the church is providing this service for their congregation? (And no, I am not offended, it's always good to make someone laugh)

In Germany you only have church administered things going on in any church buildings. All funeral feasts are at someones home.

Sometimes it is very hard for me to wrap my mind around things that are handled differently and, of course, every child knows that grows up here.

[ChEAr$]

Is it really so weird to think that the church is providing this service for their congregation? (And no, I am not offended, it's always good to make someone laugh)

In Germany you only have church administered things going on in any church buildings. All funeral feasts are at someones home.

Sometimes it is very hard for me to wrap my mind around things that are handled differently and, of course, every child knows that grows up here.

Ah..

Dear Gretel,

Things are quite different im Schwarzwald! Oder Taunus; oder an der Donau!

Danke vielmals for your understanding.

Signed,
Hans

[JohnH]

In this part of the country it's very common for a church to have a "Bereavement Committee". They typically provide a meal for the family & friends following a funeral & burial, either at the church facilities or by bringing food to the home. The reasoning is usually that the family is so busy going through the process that there's no time to prepare food at home, plus there are often relatives from out of town who will need to be hosted. So the church sees this as a normal part of their ministry & outreach functions.

[BOB W]

In this part of the country it's very common for a church to have a "Bereavement Committee". They typically provide a meal for the family & friends following a funeral & burial, either at the church facilities or by bringing food to the home. The reasoning is usually that the family is so busy going through the process that there's no time to prepare food at home, plus there are often relatives from out of town who will need to be hosted. So the church sees this as a normal part of their ministry & outreach functions.

Are you saying that the church pays for this out of its "General Fund Account"?

[Gretel]

Ah..

Dear Gretel,

Things are quite different im Schwarzwald! Oder Taunus; oder an der Donau!

Danke vielmals for your understanding.

Signed,
Hans

That is so sweet of you, Hans! Now I am the one smiling from ear to ear. Sind Sie, bist du aus der Schwarzwald? ...schon lange hier oder hier geboren? Ich bin aus Norddeutschland, which doesn't make it any easier to be humerous, you know, die "Steifen" aus dem Norden.

Gretel

[thomtax]

Are you saying that the church pays for this out of its "General Fund Account"?

In our part of the country, many churches do.

LT

[powerage]

Someone donates the food to the church and gets the required documentation. The church then donates the food for the funeral. Problem solved.

[JohnH]

Are you saying that the church pays for this out of its "General Fund Account"?

I've seen some churches treat it as a "General Fund" line item. Others will treat it as a separate ministry and people designate contributions to the fund. Or somtimes it's a combination of both.

Often the fund will be used to buy paper supplies, utensils, and maybe meat products, drinks (the non-alcoholic type), etc. Church members on the Bereavement Committee will prepare vegetables, casseroles, bread, desserts, etc and bring them from home to the church or to the home of the deceased's relatives. Most churches will ask the family where they prefer to have the food brought. (See below)

When the deceased is an older relative, most of the funerals in my family are basically family reunions. It's chance to celebrate the person's life, tell humorous stories about them, and visit with out-of-of town relatives. Without the assistance of the church, this would have to take place in a restaurant or banquet hall. Instead, it's a relaxed, warm, familiar atmosphere. Also, by having at the church, the immediate family is free to go home and get some well-needed rest if they wish, while everyone else spends time doing all of the above.

[ChEAr$]

That is so sweet of you, Hans! Now I am the one smiling from ear to ear. Sind Sie, bist du aus der Schwarzwald? ...schon lange hier oder hier geboren? Ich bin aus Norddeutschland, which doesn't make it any easier to be humerous, you know, die "Steifen" aus dem Norden.

Gretel

Aber nein! Ich (pronounced "ish") bin aus Sueden, und das meint aus
Dixie, in der Vereignigten Staaten! You know, Georgia? Same place as
girlgeekdany? (grin) (laechen!) (sp!?)

Aber ich bin in Hamburg in letzten jahr nur einer Tag; auch ein tag in Stadt Berlin.
Das war letze... June ??.
Some words have been verloren, kak zhal! (oops! that's Russich!)

Now then, where was that gingerbread haus you and like to visit? (grin

[ChEAr$]

that is interesting, John, and what a difference 320 miles makes (from here to where you are). Down heah, it's all a home thing as far as I know. However, truth be told,
I'm not a member of any religious denomination so as to be familiar with some church policies. But I just never heard of this.

People around here all bring food to the deceased's home, just like in old Southern days, this being a throwback to old Scottish and Irish folkways. As I remember out in the country, alcoholic nourishment was always out on the back porch where the men could go and take a swig from the old brown jug, or in newer days, the Mason jars.
You know what I mean. (grin)

[Gretel]

Aber nein! Ich (pronounced "ish") bin aus Sueden, und das meint aus
Dixie, in der Vereignigten Staaten! You know, Georgia? Same place as
girlgeekdany? (grin) (laechen!) (sp!?)

Aber ich bin in Hamburg in letzten jahr nur einer Tag; auch ein tag in Stadt Berlin.
Das war letze... June ??.
Some words have been verloren, kak zhal! (oops! that's Russich!)

Now then, where was that gingerbread haus you and like to visit? (grin

So schoen "Denglish" zu lesen. Maybe we have to take the conversation off the board or else others will be upset?

I lived in Virginia Beach before I moved to Montana, and before I even immirgrated I worked on a farm in Georgia for some months (up north, close to Blairsville, I think).

I surely did not live a typical accountant's life. What did you do in Hamburg and Berlin? Einfach eine schoene Reise gemacht?

If I ever visit Georgia again, maybe you and I and Geekgirldany can meet. Snaggletooth doesn't live far away from it either.

[taxea]

The "host" of the funeral bought the food for the attendees and then donated the "leftovers" to the church....what if all they do is through it away because the health department has a regulation that says food cannot be served after being unrefrigerated for a given period of time...would the donor be entitled to the donation.

If the donor could be entitled to take the donation.....I have a question....how would you allocate out the portion that was eaten by the attendees of the funeral,..by the spoonful,perhaps!