Make a Difference for the Future. Consider a Planned Gift to St. John’s Church
All that we are, all that we have, comes from God and will one day return to God. We are stewards of God’s bounty. Caretakers. For a brief period, we are given earthly time, energy, and resources. What we do with these gifts ultimately defines the character of our life and the depth of our spiritual understanding. “Planned giving” is one expression of the wise use of the personal resources God has entrusted to us.
Jesus often talked about our relationship to the “things” we possess. During the pandemic (that we hope is starting to recede), we’ve had a chance to evaluate that relationship to our “things” in a very unique context. For many of us, the pandemic has reinforced our understanding that it’s the people in our lives and our relationships with each other, including our faith community at St. John’s, that give our lives their true meaning and vitality. We cannot predict the future needs in our community but the past year is a testament to how St John’s has and continues to put our common values/beliefs into action that helps those in need in a respectful, effective manner. A “planned gift” to St. John’s will allow for the mission to continue for the next, yet unknown, set of challenges we will face.
Whether it is a drive, vacation or life goals, having a plan often leads to a better outcome. Planned giving encompasses a variety of ways that gifts can be made to the church from accumulated resources. It usually involves financial or estate planning; however, it is not reserved for the wealthy. Creating a will makes sense for people in a wide range of financial and family circumstances allowing each of us to make a considered choice about the ultimate disposition of our resources when we pass away. Planned gifts are most commonly made through a bequest in a will, although there are many other ways in which they can be made depending on one’s individual circumstances and goals.
Your planned gift to St. John’s can make a lasting statement about the importance to your own life of God’s presence, Jesus’ message of loving generosity and of this faith community. You can also help ensure that St. John’s will continue beyond your own life to have the resources it needs so that it remains a vibrant force for love, fellowship and support among its members and, through them, for the greater community of people that it touches in so many ways.
If you have already made arrangements for a planned gift to St. John’s, we ask you to please reach out to Rev. Mason to inform her about that future gift. This will help us evaluate the level of support for this form of stewardship and to stay connected in a relevant way with those individuals who’ve taken this step. You will not be asked for details like the amount. Merely providing this information will not prevent you from altering or eliminating your gift in the future.
If you are curious to learn more about making a planned gift to St. John’s, stay tuned for additional communications from us. Through these, you will learn more about:
- The general importance of end-of-life planning;
- Why you should consider making a planned gift to St. John’s;
- The careful stewardship that St. John’s takes with respect to its bequests and other planned gifts so that they support the church and its activities for many generations to come; and
- Some of the different ways in which planned gifts can be made to St. John’s, including an overview the tax and other implications of each of these gifts to you.