As the Missioner for Legacy Stewardship I am honored to serve in this ministry for the Diocese. Many people have asked me what Legacy Stewardship is and what it is I do. The key word is Stewardship: our ongoing service to God in our care for our church, our family and all that has been given to us by God.  Legacy Stewardship comes out of planning for life's end and usually takes the form of a gift to support the mission of our church.

What's in a Name? There are many names for Legacy Stewardship: Planned Giving, Gift Planning and Deferred Giving, Bequest Giving. No matter what we call it, Legacy Stewardship offers us an opportunity to give back to the church all that it has given to us. God has given us so much and has entrusted us with so many material things. So what will we do with all the things we've acquired, are in our estate, when we die? Through careful planning and in appreciation for all that God has given us, we can leave a legacy to our family, friends and charities, especially our church as well as Camp Bement, the Diocese, the Episcopal Relief and Development fund, for examples.

Why do people leave legacy gifts to the church? So many of us want to show our gratitude for all that God has given us that we are moved to leave a gift at the time of our death to fund future ministry in our church. It is a gift of giving back in appreciation for all that has been given to us and a gift of giving forward to support the church's mission in the future.

How do we go about leaving the church a gift? The easiest way is to leave the church a bequest in our will. There are other ways to make gifts as well: Pooled Income Funds, Charitable Gift Annuities, Life Insurance, and Real Estate. Most gifts to the church are made through bequests. Looking at a will as a way to give to the church is an idea that is new to many of us. Giving a gift through our will is one way we can ALL participate. No gift is too small. It is the act of giving that brings us closer to God not the amount.

What does Legacy Stewardship offer Vestries and Wardens? Legacy Stewardship not only offers individuals a way to enrich their spiritual lives through giving but also provides us an opportunity to secure the financial well being of the future ministry of our churches. The Bishop has challenged our vestries and wardens to lead our churches away from following the path to 'slow death' by undergoing 'deep change'. Through change we can harness our creative energies, take reasonable risks, and respond to God's call to make the world a better place. Just think of the good works our churches could do with increased resources! Legacy Gifts provide resources for the future ministry of our churches. When Vestries and Wardens embrace the concept of Legacy Giving in their churches, they choose the path of change as well as the path to a bright future, one that can carry on God's work in their churches for the next generations.

What does the Missioner do?

My role as Missioner is to support individuals throughout the Diocese to enrich their spiritual lives through making legacy gifts, such as bequests and life income gifts, the two most popular ways to give. I invite you to call on me as a resource, as someone to bounce ideas off of, in making your plans for life's end.

My other role is to support churches in developing planned giving programs. I work with Rectors, Wardens and Committees in setting up an ongoing Legacy Stewardship Program. I've been invited to give Homilies, offer Coffee Hour Programs, and deliver Seminars and Workshops as well as to sit in on meetings of the Vestry. I have many resources to share. I am also a direct link to the Episcopal Church Foundation.

If you would like to join in the conversation about Legacy Stewardship whether for your own plans or your church's plans, you can reach me by email at ejwhite@diocesewma.org, or by phone at 413-967-5363. Please feel free to contact me anytime.

Planting Trees - Reaching Beyond Christ Church Cathedral

... from the April 2008 Pastoral Staff

People have made at least a start at understanding the meaning of life when they plant shade trees under which they know full well they will never sit. - D. Elton Trueblood

At a recent Sunday Adult Forum, the topic was the 2008 budget of Christ Church Cathedral. On the income side of the budget, it was noted that 38 percent of the funds we will receive in 2008 come from something called “Investment Income.”

Investment income is the money earned from the wise investment of funds given to the Cathedral by parishioners. These Parishioners were nurtured in their faith at the Cathedral and expressed their gratitude by giving funds to keep the Cathedral strong.

Some were wealthy and gave large sums. Others with smaller earthly treasures gave less. All of them, as Elton Trueblood notes above, “planted trees under which they knew full well they would never sit.” And we are the beneficiaries of their faith and their generosity. Think of how the Cathedral’s ministry would be curtailed if we had to remove 38 percent of its budget!

A majority of these tree planters left gifts in their wills. From time to time, a parishioner makes a gift while he or she is still an active member. Such is the case right now. I’m honored to tell you that our dear junior warden emeritus, Sunday usher, Adult Education Committee member, Outreach Committee chair and faithful friend Laurel Stewart has made such a gift.

Laurel has established the “Laurel G. Stewart Outreach Fund” at Christ Church Cathedral, and she has contributed $100,000 to initiate the fund. It is Laurel’s wish that the fund support the outreach ministries of the Cathedral, the “programs and services which reach beyond the needs of the Cathedral and its members, and which address the needs in the broader community.”

In Laurel’s case, the planting of a shade tree under which she will not sit is more than simply making “a start at understanding the meaning of life.” It is a wonderful expression of her love for this Cathedral and its people, and it is a profound witness to her faith in the one “who makes all things new, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

On behalf of us all – and on behalf of generations of Cathedral members yet unborn – THANK YOU, Laurel, for this shade tree. We send you our love and our prayers.

- The Very Rev. James G. Munroe, Dean of the Cathedral, From Christ Church Cathedral’s Newsletter, The Cathedral Chronicle

The Diocesan Vision for Legacy Stewardship

The Vision:

To assist members of the Body of Christ in their own spiritual journeys as they explore the stewardship of the material gifts God has entrusted to them and to support the mission of Jesus Christ by strengthening the resources of congregations for the future ministry.

The Mission: 1. To educate, inspire and support each congregation in funding their future ministry through the generation of planned gifts.
2. To help individuals find ways to plan gifts that will enrich them spiritually, that may provide life income for them, and that will one day provide financial resources for the church.

Role of the Missioner:

1. Consulting with parishes, the Rector, the Vestry and their committees in setting up and sustaining Legacy Stewardship Gift Programs.
2. Providing a resource network among congregations for inter-parish support.
3. Coordinating the services of the Episcopal Church Foundation in support of congregations.
4. Speaking on Legacy Stewardship related topics at Diocesan gatherings and meetings with congregations.
5. Assisting parish leaders (vestries and finance committees) as they strive to be good stewards of the endowments left to support mission and ministry.

E. John White, Missioner for Legacy Stewardship
860.928.3705  ejohnwhite@charter.net

Resources for Legacy Stewardship

PRINTED RESOURCES

Funding Future Ministry. The Episcopal Church Foundation, 815 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017-4564. Available through Morehouse Publishing (800) 877-0012 or Episcopal Parish Services (800) 903-5544. $40.00.  A practical manual based on the authors’ more than fifty years’ experience with Episcopal parish planned giving programs.

Guidelines For A Congregation Regarding Bequests, Special Gifts, And Endowments. The Episcopal Church Foundation, 815 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017-4564, 1996. Available through Episcopal Parish Services (800) 903-5544. $2.00 each, pack of 10 for $17.50. A very helpful “how-to” booklet on establishing a parish endowment fund and providing for its responsible management.

The Ministry Of Planned Giving Sample Kit. Available through the Episcopal Church Foundation (800) 697-2858. Cost $5.00. A packet of sample brochures and booklets that can be used to support a planned giving educational program in the local congregation. Includes a price list and instructions on how to order items in quantity.

Planned Giving Simplified: The Gift, the Giver, and the Gift Planner, by Robert F. Sharpe, Sr. The NSFRE/Wiley Fund Development Series, 1999. John Wiley& Sons Inc., $34.95 A good blueprint for planned giving programs. Based on the life ministry of Robert F. Sharpe, Sr., founder of the National Planned Giving Institute at the College of William and Mary.

The Complete Planned Giving Guide For Congregations. Morehouse Publishing, PO Box 1321, Harrisburg, PA 17105, 1996. (800) 877-0012. $139.00 Tools necessary to build a planned giving program in your parish. It includes a manual, brochures, bulletin inserts, a poster, sample letters, camera-ready advertisements, newsletter articles, and an excellent 10-minute video for use in the educational efforts. Designed for use in the Episcopal Church.

CONTACTS FOR GIFT PLANNING INFORMATION AND MATERIALS

The Academy for Episcopal Philantrophy. Three day academy for parishes, agencies, Foundations and dioceses. On planned giving and capital campaigns. Available for individual conferences (800) 697-2858

Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes (847) 864-5863 • Endowedpar@aol.com. A membership organization for parishes with endowments of one million or more. Annual meeting, membership services and newsletter.

Episcopal Parish Services Resource Catalog (800) 903-5544 Stewardship resources for the Episcopal Church.

The Episcopal Network for Stewardship Membership organization for general stewardship education (800) 699-2669 http://TENS.org

Morehouse Publishing (800) 877-0012 Brochures on planned giving and other publications

Robert F. Sharpe and Company 1-800-238-3253 www.sharpenet.com Resources for tracts, brochures as well as educational materials and seminars

What is the Episcopal Foundation? The Episcopal Church Foundation, a private, independent foundation set up in 1949, located in New York City serves the Episcopal Church and all its members. In its Philanthropic Services department it assists parishes and dioceses in building their financial resources so future ministries will be assured. The Foundation helps givers select vehicles for planned gifts so both they and their parishes benefit. Further, the Foundation provides support for individuals, parishes and dioceses in the form of Conferences, the Academy for Episcopal Philanthropy and Field Consultations from their regional representatives.

POOLED INCOME FUND
Minimum initial contribution is $2,500
Income fluctuates and is based on Fund performance
There are tax saving advantages

CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY
Minimum contribution is $5,000
Income is a guaranteed, constant among and is based on donors’ ages
There are tax saving advantages

CHARITABLE TRUSTS
Minimum contribution is $100,000
Income is determined according to the type of trust established
The Foundation’s counsel prepares draft trust documents at no charge to donors for their professional advisors to review.

What are the services the Episcopal Foundation can provide in setting up Life Income Gifts? The Foundation can create a computerized analysis with calculations specific to any of the three gift options described above, including estimated figures regarding tax deductions, income payments, and final gift to charity. The Foundation subsidizes custodial and management fees. The Foundation is not engaged in rendering legal or tax advice. For advice and assistance, donors are urged by them to consult an attorney or professional advisor.How can I reach the Episcopal Church Foundation?

EMAIL: all@episcopalfoundation.org
MAIL: 815 Second Ave. New York, NY 10017-4564
FAX: 212-297-0142
PHONE: 800-697-2858
PLANNED GIVING WEBSITE:www.ecf.gift-planning.org

*Specific Amount:

I, ________, hereby give, devise, and bequeath to the Rector, Wardens and Vestry (or Director, President, Board of Trustees) of Your Episcopal Church (or Your Episcopal Non-Profit Organization), 123 Main Street, Anywhere, MA, 00000, the sum of $XXXX to be used at their discretion to assist in the ministries of the Church (or Organization).

*Percentage Amount:

I, _________, hereby give, devise, and bequeath to the Rector, Wardens, and Vestry (or Director, President, Board of Trustees) of Your Episcopal Church, (or Your Episcopal Non-Profit Organization) 123 Main Street, Anywhere, MA, 00000, XX% of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate, to be used at their discretion to assist in the ministries of the Church ( or Organization).

*Contingency Bequest:

In the event the beneficiaries of bequests, and devises herein predecease me, or, in the case of institutions, cease to be organizations described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue code, I, ___________, hereby give, devise, and bequeath to the Rector, Wardens, and Vestry (or Director, President, Board of Trustees) of your Episcopal Church, (or Your Episcopal Non-Profit Organization) 123 Main Street, Anywhere, MA 00000, rest, residue and remainder of my estate, to be used at their discretion to assist in the ministries of the Church (or Organization).

Alternate Language Used by Some Churches where appropriate:

Instead of “ to be used at their discretion to assist in the ministries of the Church” some churches and organizations will give a choice to their donors:

Select one:

( ) to be used by the Vestry of the Church in accordance with the Undesignated Gift Policy.

( ) for the permanent endowment fund of the Church

( ) for the following designated purpose(s):________________________________

*Source: The Episcopal Church Foundation