What Is Planned Giving?
Sustaining the vision of a beloved community that nurtures spiritual growth and acts on our values to heal the world requires dedication, both to today’s tasks and to what the future requires. Just as those who “went before” and made this Church so important to us and those we serve, we are also responsible for future members. It’s our turn to “go before” and ensure that in the future the Church has a vital influence on members’ lives and has the resources needed to justify saying “service is our prayer.”
People of all ages and family groups plan for the distribution of their assets and the care of their children and other loved ones through planned giving. Planned Gifts are typically made from assets in your estate rather than income, and come to fruition upon your passing. A common misconception is that planned giving is only for the wealthy. The reality is even people of modest means, if there are assets in the estate, such as a home or a life insurance policy, can make a significant difference through planned giving. Planned Gifts are different from Living Gifts because the gifting takes place after death. It is an introspective process as it involves stopping to think about one’s own passing and what sort of legacy one leaves behind. Planned Gifts require some planning ahead and, sometimes, help from a professional advisor.
Sustainers Of The Flame
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You become a “Sustainer of the Flame” by making a Planned or Living Gift valued at $2,500 ($5,000 for a couple) or more. You’ll become one of those who, years from now, others will gratefully remember as one who went before and enabled our Church to do so much for them and others. You will be remembered today as well. Your name will be added to the scrolling list shown here and engraved on the beautiful Sustainers of the Flame sculpture, located on the Welcome Center wall in the upper patio. Next time you see it, take a look and see how many of the 200 members whose names appear on the sculpture you know or remember. These are people who loved this congregation and made a Planned or Living Gift.
Established in 1987, the Channing Society, was the previous name for this group of individuals. It was renamed in 2018 to Sustainers of the Flame in order to more accurately portray the purpose of this group. Sustainers of the Flame members are also invited to attend a special reception each year to thank them for their gift. Donors may also choose to remain anonymous. First Church Endowment FundsEndowment funds are used to meet the goal of supporting the long-term effectiveness of an organization. Usually, this means that the principal amount granted is not to be spent in the near-term but rather only the income derived from that amount is to be spent. This allows the donor to truly leave a long-term legacy for the institution. Here, most people choose the First Church Legacy Endowment fund for their Planned Gift, but there are other options, such as the Social Justice fund.
When you give to one of First Church's endowment funds, your gift is added to gifts from those who have already given generously through the years. These funds are managed with funds from over 200 congregations and other UU-related entities by professional advisers chosen by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). They are tasked with finding ways that will balance the desire for income with the importance of assuring the safety of the principal. By the Constitution of the Church, unless you specify otherwise, the original principal will remain intact forever, with the exception of a major emergency, and then only with a 2/3 vote of the congregation. As of May 2019, the total value of the Legacy Endowment fund is over $1,100,000. The Church Board has approved the investment return of 4.5% from the Legacy Endowment for yearly Church operations, making the Legacy Endowment one of the church’s important revenue sources. Gifts and BequestsWays to Specify a Gift or Bequest
Common gift specifications include a lump sum amount (e.g., $10,000) or a specific percentage (e.g., 5%) of your estate amount after taxes and expenses. An alternative is a percentage amount of your net estate after distribution of specific amounts to family members or others (recognizing that if the estate is depleted, there may not be any net funds to distribute). Other specifications can include all or a share of a specific asset, such as a house, a retirement account, or an ownership interest in an insurance policy or a business. Bequests from a Will or Living (Revocable) TrustWe hope you'll consider including a gift to First Church in your will or living trust. As noted above, your gift can be made as a percentage of your estate, or you can make a specific bequest amount. This type of gift offers several advantages:
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Sustainers of The Flame
Don Barrie Naomi Barrie-Lake Thérèse Bélanger Joel Bergsma Joan Berg-Bruestle* Marcia Biller Copper Black* Betty Boone Elbert James Boone* Katie Boskoff Paul Bruce* Michael Brummer* Bob Buckey* Marie Buckey* Jesse Burke* Joseph Byrnes* Kenneth L. Campos Kay Chandler James Christenson Patricia Christenson James Crosley Caroline Clark Nathan Clark* Julie Cobalt Marjorie Cole Bob Colmenares Patricia Colmenares Joe Combs Kachina Conley* Carole Courlang Laurie Crehan Bertha Crowell* Joan Cudhea John P. R. Darling Rev. Craig R. J. Darling Barbara Davis Charles Davis* Dick Davis Lois Day* Kathy del Papa Ron del Papa Karl Dege* Virginia Dege* Kenneth DeHahn Lynn DeHahn Diana Denoyer Marydale Merrill Dessel, MSRD Alice Diamond Doug Diamond William C. Dippert* Mac Downing Mary Downing* Edward Dreher* Thelma Dreher Elaine Durson Everett Eastman Paul Ellsworth* June Ewing Alice Ferris* Newt Ferris Tomas Firle David Fountain Alyse Ford David Fuhrer* Kay Furrer Isabella Furth Ian Fusselman Jan Gallo Angela Garcia-Sims Jan Garbosky David Garrison* Nitarose H. Gause* Mary Hale Geran Jerome J. Ghigliotti Lynda Gilgun Michael Gilgun Melita B. Gillin* Marty Gohlke Joy Gorian* Marian Gould Robert Graham* Betty Grant Rev. Jim Grant Albert F. Grimmell* Harry Griswold Janet Griswold* Nannette "Nan" Guerin Marty Hambright& Jane Hardin Susan Riegel Harding Susan Haskin* Ilse Hellendahl* Thomas Helm* Lawrence Hess Suzanne Hess Sonya Hintz Sam Ho Georganne Hoctor Michael Hoctor Mary Byrne Hoffmann John Holl Peggy Holl Steve Howard Everett Howe William Hower* Kathleen Hughart David Hunt Eric Isaacson Marguerite Jabinson* Robert K. Jepperson* J'anna Johnson Joel Johnson Lois Johnson* Beverly Joy* Barbara Karpinski David Karpinski Emily Keeler Wayne Kenaston Jr.* Dorothy Kernick* Armin Kuhlman Rhea Kuhlman Karen Lamphere Elizabeth Lancaster Alice Lane* Betty Law* Ed Law* Sarah Mildred Lawrie* June Learn Martin Learn Katherine Leonard* George Longstreth Karen Longstreth Beatrice Lynds* Vivienne Malone* Mary Sue Manley* Janet Mannion* Sue Marberry Paul Marsh Sheila Marsh* Maggie Marshall Iris P. Masotti Drew Massicot Ann A. McDonald Brian P. McDonald True McGinnis* Julie McKane Doug McLeod Sue McLeod Robert McMahon* Maureen Elizabeth McNair Dane Mechlin Doris Meek* Keith Mesecher Helen Meyers* Harry E. Miller* Maurice Miller Ree Miller* Natalia Molina Don Morgan* Rita Morgan* Barbara Morton Dana Myra Mosser Sallie Munafo* Grazina Narkus-Kramer Marc Narkus-Kramer Cristina "Tena" Navarrette Ruth B. Nelson* Carole Newall Gerald Newall* Melinda Newman Patrick Nichols Terri Rodgers O' Dea* Jerry Olinger Sylvia Ollinger Carolyn Owen-Towle Tom Owen-Towle Kathleen Owens Sarah Ormond Florence Parker* Ruth Patnode-Sturevant* Daniel Paul Leonard Pellettieri Stephen J. Perrello, Jr.* Mikee Petersen* Kay Phillips Pilar Placone Bill Plock* Lawrence Porter* Ann Queen* Don Rabenau* Erene Rallis* Ray Ramseyer* Alice Rathbone R. Rhett Rathbone* Lee Reynard* Judy Reynard Jay Richen Kevin Riley* Joanne Roberts Richard Roberts* Barbara Roodhuyzen John Roodhuyzen Mary Rose Bonny Russell* Ardath Schaibly John Schaibly Catherine Schmidt* Patricia Schmidt William Scudder* Izetta Segal* Mary Severine Eli Shefter Christine "Chris" Smith Kathy Smith Verda May Snow* Loretta Solsbery Suellen Sorenson Barbara G. Spaulding* David Spierman Jackie Spierman Jackie Statman* Anita Strauss Paul Strauss* Dorene Sulzer James Ciser Talley* Richard Tatelman* Claudine Thatcher* Bill Thomas Helen (Burke) Thomas Peg Tilford-Miller Toni Turbyfill Ruth Turner Ruth van Leeuwen* Rose Van Oss Eugene Vehslage* Les Vivian Helen Vogel Everett Waldo* Herbert Philip Wangenbrenner* Susan K. Weaver Stephanie Webber Margaret Weed* Robert Weed* Eugenia Welker* Jennifer White Victor White Beth Wickler* Jay Wickler* Alberta Widen* Frank T. Willey Duncan S. Williams Norma Wilson* Fanny Wood* Carolyn Woodbury Peter Woodbury Marge Wurgel Elizabeth Zanoni Dean Ziegler Kathy Ziegler Philip Zrelek* Joined in 2019/2020 * Deceased |
Other Types of Planned Gifts
- Bequests from Retirement Accounts or Annuities
- Assigning Life Insurance
- Setting up a Lifetime Charitable Gift Annuity
- Setting up a Charitable Trust
A simple way of leaving bequests for several Unitarian-Universalist related entities, including First Church, Camp de Benneville Pines, and so on, is to specify an Umbrella Gift to the UUA. For more on this please visit the UUA Umbrella Giving Program page.
Living Gifts
The Planned Giving Committee
Our Vision: That the Beloved Community of First Church be sustained for future generation, thanks in part to the gifts of current and prior generations.
Our Mission: To encourage congregants to sustain the vision of the Beloved Community of First Church for future generations through Living and Planned Gifts to the First Church Legacy Endowment. We undertake periodic educational programs to assist our members to understand the value of these gifts and the process for making them, support them in finding resources for estate planning and other current and end-of-life financial issues, and honor them within the Church community for their generosity and commitment to the future.
Make Your Gift Now
Who to contact
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Planned Giving Committee members:
Carolyn Owen-Towle, Minister Emerita Marcia Biller George Longstreth Jerry Ollinger Rose Riedel, Church Staff Assistant |
