The Why of Legacy Giving

During the church Zoom meeting, a longtime member of the church recounted her family history with the church. Her parents were married in the church, she was baptized and also married there, and her children were baptized from the same baptismal font. It reminded me of a scene from the TV series, “Downton Abbey.” It took me a few minutes hunting through the video, but I found the quote from Robert Crowley, the Earl of Grantham, responding to his mother Violet, the Dowager Countess, after she asks him if he cares about Downton Abbey. His answer was quick, direct, and emotional: “Do I care? I have given my life to Downton. I was born here, and I hope to die here. I claim no career beyond the nurture of this house and the estate. It’s my third parent and my fourth child.”

There are many people who have a long history with their church, and like the Earl of Grantham, they too have given their life, through service and sacrifice to its ministry. It is likely that you are in this camp of longtime church members. To help make my point, take a moment, and list all the ways you have served your church, both inside and outside its walls. I can begin 50 years ago when I was an usher and Sunday School helper. After listing all the ways you have given of your time and talent, approximate how much money you have given over the years – not just pledging and capital campaigns, but in special events like fairs and suppers as well.  Now let us think in terms of human relationships. For many people, the church has been the source of every meaningful relationship outside their immediate family. We cannot even try to put a price tag on this aspect of church life.

And now I come to the why of church – a relationship with Jesus. We can have a relationship with Jesus anywhere, but the church is His house, it is sacred ground. It is here where we gather around the altar for Communion, to praise God together, to sing hymns and pray silently. When people ask why I included the church in my estate plan, my answer is quick, direct, and emotional: Jesus. I cannot give money directly to God, but I can give it to the Body of Christ – the church. The method and vehicle for that legacy gift is a donor endowment fund through the Foundation. The advantage of using a donor endowment fund is that I can name a camp or church as the contingent beneficiary in the event my church closes. And the real value is knowing that the fund will be professionally managed and socially responsibly invested.