Christian Giving: Legacy Giving
Leaving a Gift in your will to the Church is a practical way of saying "Thank you" to God for all the blessings we have enjoyed during our lives.
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“ So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God: be careful to follow all the commands of the LORD your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever.”
(1 Chronicles 28:8) |
Why consider leaving a gift in your will to the Church?
It helps us to make a lasting gift to our Church family and helps us to secure the work for the Church for future generations. Christians are stewards of a Gospel that tells what God has done. We are called to pass on what God has given to us.
The Bible challenges us to be careful stewards of all that God has given to us, passing on what God has given to us is also implicit in the words of the Great Commission: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28: 28-29)
Motivated by a love for God many Christians today follow St Paul’s advice in 1 Corinthians 16: 2 and give a regular proportion of their income to the Church. That principle can be extended to cover what we will give back to God when we have no further earthly use for what God has given. Giving a proportion of your estate is called a “residuary legacy”. Gifts made to the Church and other charities are exempt from Inheritance Tax.
More information:
For individuals:
If you are interested in finding out more about leaving a gift in your will to the Church, then contact the Church of England’s Legacy Information Line: 08445 870875 (A LoCall number) and ask for the free information pack: “A simple guide to making or revising your will”. There is also a dedicated website with information on making and revising wills and leaving a gift to the Church. The website offers a range of resources to help you think about making or reviewing a will, and how this fits into the Christian life. It includes: Resources to help you find out more about making a Will, a checklist to use before visiting a Solicitor, reflections on how the wishes we express in our wills link with the decisions we make on Christian giving and examples of how churches have benefited down the centuries from the generosity of donors who have cared for the future of Christian ministry in their parish. Visit the Church Legacy website.
For PCCs and parishes:
Information about how PCCs can encourage people to make and review their wills can be found on the "For Parishes" tab on the Church Legacy website. The Church Legacy website also offers a wide range of resources to help parishes encourage people to make and review their Wills and consider leaving a gift to the Church. Click on the "Home" tab of the Church Legacy website.
