Ways to Make a Planned Gift

There are many helpful and creative ways to make a planned gift. Here are the most important ones, according to Renard J. Kolasa, Esq., of Couzens, Lansky:1 Outright gifts, particularly appreciated securities. Gifts at death via Will or Trust – perhaps the most important source of gifts other than outright cash gifts during life; should…

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A Basic Financial Health Checklist

Managing the money and things we have can get complicated, but the basics don’t have to be. At a workshop on “The Whys and Hows of Money Leadership,” stewardship leader Mark L. Vincent1 shared three points we can take care of, as our financial health checklist:2 1. I have a spending plan or budget that…

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Three Steps for Victory

Who ever thought that doing planned giving could be like performing a triathlon? While swimming, bicycling and running sounds a whole lot harder to me, when I read “The Three Parts of Victory”1 it made perfect sense. When someone wants to compete, he or she needs to do three things: • Commit to a plan,…

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Patient Love

“Planned giving is patient love,” says Phyllis Bowers, Executive Director of the U. M. Stewardship Foundation (Susquehanna Conference, Pennsylvania). “[It is] active sharing beyond life through a purposeful legacy.” Most of us are blessed to have loved ones in the here and now, but we also care about our children, grandchildren, and those who will…

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Heart, Character, Wills and Trusts

Here’s a great reminder of why we make planned gifts in any form! “Wills and trusts form a profound and lasting impression of what we affectionately hold deep in our hearts. We use them to honor congregations, church institutions, and our favorite charities by naming percentages or fixed dollar amounts. We can also use them…

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Local Church Planned Giving Director Pat Lile

Most of us have heard of a Director of Planned Giving in a foundation, but how about one for a local church? I was pleased to meet Pat Lile shortly after she was named Director of Planned Giving in 2010 for First United Methodist Church in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas. In a position funded by…

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Beating the Midas Curse

Remember the story of King Midas, who wished that everything he touched would turn to gold? It was a blessing – until his daughter greeted him with a hug, and turned to gold, as well. In Beating the Midas Curse, two planned-giving professionals, Perry Cochell and Rodney Zeeb, say that the most important legacy people…

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A Living Legacy: Grace upon Grace

Even the most financially ambitious among us hunger for more than just the money standard in our lives. Somewhere along the way, we want the assurance that our lives have been not only successful, but valuable. Most people want to leave something behind that would be not just a money gift to a cause, but…

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Even Better than a Birthday

            Today we get to celebrate our youngest grandchild’s birthday! It’s amazing to think that he’s ten years old already. And of course we are bringing a small gift for him, which we hope he will enjoy. But we made a greater gift shortly after his birth, when we put some money aside to grow…

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Living Treasures

This past Sunday I got to preach at Loomis UMC, CA, where they were celebrating “Living Treasures Sunday.” One Sunday each year they honor an older person (or couple) whose life shows what it means to be a joyful, faithful follower of Christ, modeling loving discipleship for future generations. The church hosts a special meal…

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Five-Year Planned Giving Plan

Steven Covey says there are certain things that are fundamental to human fulfillment: to live, to love, to learn, and to leave a legacy. “The need to leave a legacy,” he says, “is our spiritual need to have a sense of meaning, purpose, personal congruence, and contribution.” A five-year Planned Giving plan for your congregation…

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Estate Planning

Why would we want to do estate planning? For a start, we may have questions like these: + How can I be sure who will care for my children if a tragedy strikes me? + How could I best care financially for my aging parents? + Is there a way to give a gift to…

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Celebrating a Church Endowment in Worship

Call to Worship Song:         “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”        UM Hymnal No. 400 Litany: Gracious, giving God, You have blessed us with every gift, and especially with the gift of Jesus, who came that we all might have abundant and eternal life. We give You our hearts and our lives! We…

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