For centuries people have been leaving money for their churches in their wills, evident by the many plaques and memorials we find in churches today.
Families have also been known to donate to churches in memory of a loved one.
It's a wonderful legacy to leave behind—generous gifts from bygone generations are still being put to good use in churches all over. A gift of this nature to a church is often recorded, both to honour the donor and to remember them for the years to come.
If your church receives a donation in memory, think about how you might do this.
One idea is to create a memory book with photos and stories of the people who have left legacy donations, along with an explanation of how their money has been put to use. When families visit the church in times of reflection or when lighting a candle for a departed loved one, it can be comforting to see the memory book and the difference the donation made. This could even be an online book so that those who live further away can still see it.
Memorials that endure can even have a missional element—a witness and testimony to people’s generosity inspired by their faith.
Leaving your own legacy
Many of us love our church and want to support its mission and ministry after we're gone. After making sure that loved ones are taken care of, we can continue that commitment by making a planned gift to the church, perhaps through a percentage tithe, or with a specific amount.
We cannot predict the future, but we can make a difference to the future of our church. Our donation could help fund an important roof repair or provide the funds needed to start a new outreach program. As we consider giving to our church, we can take comfort in knowing that our gift will support its mission and make a difference in people’s lives.
Write your will for free, by using the Church of England’s Fare Will online tool.
Begin a legacy conversation in your church
If you are keen to begin the conversation, but not sure how, you might start by taking this letter from the Giving Advisor to your next PCC meeting. Click here for a copy.
Order free legacy material samples from the CPO website.
Christian Aid Faith Will resources
This year we are pleased to be partnering with Christian Aid, as they celebrate their 80th anniversary.
Download Christian Aid Faith Will resources, including ideas for preaching and worship support for clergy, LLM and Lay Readers too.
Watch back February's Faith Will webinar, with Kathy and James from Christian Aid’s legacy team. Don’t forget you can watch it in half the time, if you set your playback speed to 2x.
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/APcUlcSWoVD5Qm50gAOwmjymlaTSfVXh1bVLlSs6jsVl2CM9SnmnH643mse5hC3L.WO4y5ZInyJqe2_P0
Passcode $xb2gQEt
David and Yvonne are our regional Christian Aid Church Engagement and Fundraising Officers. They can speak at your Deanery Synod, or church service and provide free FaithWill resources.
-
Yvonne Penn (Wiltshire) ypenn@christian-aid.org M:07778 109480
-
David Hart (Dorset) dhart@christian-aid.org M: 07778 109769
Resources
• Codicil form
• The Church of England website - Giving in Memory and Gifts in Wills, so you can start a conversation with your congregation.
• Materials to support legacy conversations
• Encouraging generosity – resources for all