Examples of Recent Gifts

Here's what clergy and wardens shared recently with the Society of the Magi about gifts made to their congregations:

 

A bequest to St. John’s, Tuckahoe, which was used to fund outreach and pay off a loan to renovate the parish hall so it could accommodate a church nursery school. As the Rev. Susanna Williams said, “We fill up fast now...and we have a great school!”

 

The Rev. John Alexander reported the Church of the Ascension, SI, was the beneficiary of a life-insurance policy, which paid for a complete set of new walks on the church grounds, as well as new sidewalks around the perimeter. Also, one gentleman has left the parish the title to his house.

 

In the last year, Christ Church, Bronxville, received two bequests totaling over $100,000. One bequest was for an acolyte fund because the donor had had a wonderful experience as an acolyte 50 years before. The second bequest was from a former parishioner who left in a huff some years ago but rose above her irritation and left her entire estate to the parish. As the Rev. Chad Minifie noted, “So you never know. Most bequests come because a request was made, but some bequests are purely serendipitous, which makes life really interesting.”

 

Unrestricted gifts of $100,000 and $5,000 to a Westchester County congregation for building maintenance expenses thus freeing money for other programs and ministries.

 

The Rev. Tom Nicoll wrote about a bequest of $2.3 million to St. John’s, Larchmont, from a sometime parishioner in memory of her husband. The church is giving away 10% and using the balance to help renovate much of the facility and provide an endowment for its maintenance, “so that our great old buildings will always be well cared for, and so that our annual giving will not be absorbed by the expense of caring for 100 year old building.”

 

$10,000 to St. PaulÂ’s, the Bronx, to pay for general church programs that would not otherwise be possible, according to the Rev. Joseph Elliott. The church also received another $300 bequest, which has also been supplemented with two $300 gifts from a family member for altar supplies; and a major gift of $8,500 to help young people continue their education.

A bequest of $20,000 to Holy Innocents, Highland Falls, from of a person who was not even a member of our church, used to renovate the rectory exterior. “Now this old historic building, which everyone sees going into West Point, is beautiful,” says the Rev. Douglas Fisher

The Rev. Michael Phillips reports a gift of $200,000 from two unmarried sisters to Christ Church, Poughkeepsie. “No one in the parish had any idea that they had resources of this magnitude.” The Vestry contributed a tithe ($20,000) to the Diocese, and deposited the remainder in the endowment fund for property support.

A gift of $100,000 to Christ Church, Riverdale by a couple in this parish for the exterior and interior restoration of the Church, which “gave us all a ‘boost’ and the energy that we needed to move into the last phase of the restoration,” declared the Rev. Bill Davidson

A bequest of $5,000 to St. John’s-in-the-Village at the beginning of a capital campaign to replace our deteriorated and leaking church roof. “The gift was a nice beginning to a fully subscribed campaign,” according to the Rev. Lloyd Prator.

A $50,000 gift from an estate to buy a new organ and start an endowment fund in a Westchester congregation.

Naming Good Shepherd, Manhattan as the primary beneficiary of a life insurance policy. “I would bet that there are lots of singles out there who could come to the same conclusion - that no one in their human family will suffer without the money or benefit greatly from it, but it could be of real use to the parish,” said the donor.

The church also received two small bequests this year, which were used to buy funeral vestments.

A gift of $20,000 to St. Stephen's, Armonk by the children of a long-time member when their mother died. According to the one daughter, "Mom considered St. Stephen's her spiritual home...the church in which she did her fastest spiritual growth." $10,000 was placed in the Endowment Fund and $10,000 was used to renovate The Bethany Room. St. Stephen’s also received a gift of $5,000 two 50 year members and a request that all memorial gifts the church received after the couple's death be used for handicapped accessibility. “These gifts gave church leaders the incentive and a portion of the money needed to complete the project that makes our building accessible,” stated the Rev. Harry Abernathy.

A Hudson River congregation reported that as part of a recent stewardship program, the rector used her sermon to remind people of the importance of reviewing their wills, health care proxies, funeral instructions, etc. One parishioner followed this advice and met with her financial planner. In going over her assets, which were not particularly large, her advisor told her she was in a good position to make a significant donation of stock to the church now rather than waiting until her death. She transferred $10,000 in stock to her church that fall! She was thereby able to see and enjoy the difference her gift made to the congregation.

 

Information about different types of planned gifts

More information about the Society of the Magi

Contact the Stewardship Office for more information.