…but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…

Matthew 6:20 (RSV)  

The Stewardship Subcommittee on Planned Giving has developed resources to assist the faithful in their estate planning and end-of-life concerns while encouraging them to remember the Church in their plans. These resources outline both the temporal and eternal importance of including the Church in one’s financial and estate planning.

The success of your parish program will be directly related to your efforts.  We encourage you to establish a parish Planned Giving Committee and an Eternal Light Society to recognize donors. Personal contact made with individual parishioners to share this information and to encourage planned giving will yield the best results. A mail-only campaign will have only limited results, while personal contact and small group presentations have proven to be highly effective.

The planned giving folder outlines the methods of planned giving, from simple to complex. It is accompanied by a plan for implementing a planned giving program in your parish. Other documents include a sample codicil, gift form, and sample language for wills and trusts. A living will is available that can be filled in and reviewed by your family, doctor and legal adviser. A brochure has also been prepared for your literature table and for targeted mailing.

We encourage you to begin by including the phrase “Remember the Church in Your Will” and “Join the Eternal Light Society of our Parish” in all bulletins, newsletters, on bulletin boards and electronic communications. Your pledge card should also have a place to indicate an interest in planned giving to the church. Through repetition, it can become a common expectation among parishioners that a gift to the Church should be a part of every person’s estate plan.

The Planned Giving Folder outlines the various methods of planned giving, from simple to complex.

Guidelines for Initiating a Planned Giving Program will provide the parish team with a plan of action. (Adobe PDF or Microsoft Word Doc) 

A Planned Giving Brochure has been prepared for your literature table and for targeted mailing.

A Living Will is available that has been tailored to the needs of Orthodox Christians to assist the faithful in providing necessary information regarding one’s wishes end-of-life plans.  Living Wills are available from the Department of Stewardship, Outreach & Evangelism.  

A Planned Giving Poster for use in the parish.

Among the documents provided below are a sample codicil, gift form, and sample language for wills, and trusts:

We encourage you to begin by including the phrase “Remember the Church in Your Will and Estate Planning” in all bulletins, newsletters, on bulletin boards and electronic communications. Your stewardship commitment card should also have a place to indicate an interest in planned giving to the church. Through repetition, it can become a common expectation among parishioners that a gift to the Church should be a part of every person’s estate plan.

Please contact the Department of Stewardship, Outreach & Evangelism if you have any questions or if you need additional materials.

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