What if your congregation receives a bequest?

Imagine that your congregation has just received a gift from the estate of a faithful member. You are a member of the leadership group who must decide how best to utilize this gift. Your goal is to strengthen the ministry and mission activity of your congregation so that the Lord's purposes are being accomplished throughout the church with support from your congregation.

Some of the questions that might come to mind include:

These questions may be important to you and others. And your responses may not be the same as other leaders' ideas. The pressure of needing to make a decision, because the gift is nearly "in hand," may increase your group's anxiety and make a decision more difficult to reach.

Of course, the bequest may come with specific designation(s). That might or might not be helpful. What if the bequest is for the purpose of painting the church interior purple, or providing pew cushions of a particular hue? Do you think the bequest should be accepted? And how do you answer the other questions posed above?

Do you think it might be better to consider these questions before your congregation receives notice of a bequest? If you do, talk with other leaders in your congregation about setting up a mission endowment fund. The ELCA Foundation has published a document to help you: How to Create a Mission Endowment Fund: A Guide for Congregations.

Please contact me at lpg@lutheranlegacies.org to receive a copy of the guide and to discuss any further assistance I might provide to your leadership group in identifying and addressing the various questions involved with bequests and endowment funds in congregations. dh

FAQs

This periodic feature responds to Frequently Asked Questions. dh

Q: Is there a charge for the Gift Planner's services?
A: There is no charge either to a congregation or an individual for using the Gift Planner's services. Nor is there any obligation to use the results of those services.

Q: Well, then, who pays the Gift Planner's salary and expenses?
A: the ELCA Foundation, the two synods, and the twelve other sponsoring ministries pay all of the Gift Planner's salary, benefits, and expenses. The Gift Planner receives no commissions or gifts for the services provided.

Q: Who are the sponsoring ministries?
A: In addition to the two synods and the ELCA Foundation, the sponsoring ministries are:

Your Will-Do you have one?

At one time other another, most people think about making a will. Although individual situations vary, every person-no matter what other estate planning they have done-should have a will.

The State's Will for you

If you don't have a will, your state has one for you. If you have not prepared your will, your state of residency at the time of your death will distribute your estate according to its laws. Your estate will be divided according to a formula, without taking into account any of your personal wishes or any special needs your family may have. Without a will, you lose the power to control the disposition of your property. Furthermore, your state has no charitable intent.

Only through a Will can you . . .

Everyone needs a Will

Everyone who owns property, has investments or savings, has dependents, and want to remember the work of the church or other charities needs a will. Jointly owned property does not eliminate the need for a will. Although joint tenancy with right of survivorship (such as bank accounts, real estate, and stocks) will automatically pass to the survivor, it is possible for both joint owners to dies in a common accident. The only way to insure that your final wishes are carried out is to prepare separate wills.

What does a Will do?

A will provides a plan for the distribution of your accumulated assets-your estate. It expresses you final wishes to family and heirs. It is the final witness to your Christian faith.

When should I make a Will?

It is never too early to consider how you would like your property dispersed. When you have made a plan, visit your attorney and have your will prepared. You will be making important decisions that require professional advice. Without a legal will, your desire to benefit your family, your congregation, and other ELCA ministries may not be achieved.

Remember your church in your Will

As a Christian, you are caretaker of the unique God-give gift of life. You have rejoiced in your talents by being a life-long steward (manager) of all God's gifts. The distribution of your accumulated assets, your estate, is the last witness of your life. You can continue your Christian stewardship by providing for the work of the Church in your will by:

Forms of Bequests

There are various forms of charitable bequests. Examples include:

When leaving a bequest to an ELCA ministry, include its legal name and address. All gifts to ELCA ministries can be left to:

"the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, a Minnesota nonprofit corporation, located at 8765 W. Higgins Road, Chicago, Illinois 60631."

You can then designate that your congregation, a synod, a church-wide ministry or other ELCA affiliated ministry is to receive a bequest. Any of the sponsoring ministries for Lutheran Planned Giving in the Arkansas-Oklahoma and Central States Synods can be named in this way.

All the ministries of the church are and will be as strong as our interest and support. The examples and information on this page are for purposes of illustration and education only. They should not be considered tax or legal advice. Please consult with your tax or legal advisor about proceeding with your will or estate plan.

Content Copyright (c)2000, Lutheran Planned Giving in the Arkansas-Oklahoma and Central States Synods.  All rights reserved.