Lutheran Planned Giving Consortium
“If God has given you wealth,” Luther said, “give thanks to God and see that you make the right use of it.” Might he add today, “both during your lifetime and in your final distribution through your will or estate plan?”
Southwestern Washington Synod & Northwest Washington Synod Making Christ known through life-long stewardship
For more information contact David Swartling at: dswartling@mms-seattle.com
What is the Lutheran Planned Giving Consortium
It’s true! God’s people can do more together than any one person can do alone. The same applies to groups and organizations. The ministries/agencies (listed on the left) associated with the ELCA in western Washington have joined together with the Southwestern Washington and Northwest Washington Synods and the ELCA Foundation to form the Lutheran Planned Giving Consortium.
The purpose is to assist friends of any of the ministries or congregations with planned gifts. Planned gifts, in contrast to gifts from the checkbook or pocketbook, generally take a bit of planning or calculating and often the assistance of someone familiar with the whole range of possibilities.
These partnering ministries of the church are thankful for the faithful support of the congregations of the church. They see this collaboration as one way to give back to the congregations by providing the services of a specialist and encouraging planned gifts to congregations. In addition these ministries have chosen to collaborate, rather than compete with each other, to support one another, affirm the important work of each other, and encourage and celebrate the support for one another.
Who is the Director?
David Swartling, Attorney-at-Law: dswartling@mms-seattle.com
How Many Bequests and Planned Gifts Did Your Congregation Receive in 2006?
Are you inadvertently telling your members – “Don’t leave anything to your church?”
What would it mean if every household in your congregation had a will that included the ministry of Christ?
Are you encouraging stewardship of accumulated assets?
- Members can name their congregation as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy.
- Members can name their congregation as a beneficiary or partial beneficiary of an IRA.
- Planned gifts such as charitable gift annuities, pooled income funds, and charitable trusts can name the congregation and other ministries as beneficiaries.
- Encourage older members to consider charitable gift annuities.
- Encourage members with appreciated stocks, mutual funds, real estate to consider charitable trusts.
- Faithful stewardship of accumulated assets can provide great resources for ministry.
Estate planning is an act of stewardship.
The services of the Lutheran Planned Giving Consortium Director are available for educational presentations, preaching, newsletter articles, etc. at no cost or obligation.
You can express your faith...
Through your will or trust. Write a Christian preamble stating the importance of faith in your life. Give a bequest to your congregation and/or favorite ministries of a percentage of your estate or a specific sum or specific property.
Services for individuals:
- Assistance in planning your will, living trust, or estate to provide charitable gifts for the Lord’s work in tax-wise ways
- Assistance with gifts of appreciated assets in ways that provide life-time income
Services for congregations:
- Educational “Wills, Estates, and Gift Planning” seminars
- Sermons and Bible studies on life-long financial stewardship
- Assistance in establishing and promoting mission endowment funds
- Assistance in managing mission endowment fund assets through the ELCA Foundation
Sponsors:
- ELCA Foundation
- Southwestern WA Synod
- Northwest WA Synod
- Tacoma Lutheran Home & Retirement C.
- Lutheran Community Services NW
- Pacific Lutheran University
- Trinity Lutheran College
- Columbia Lutheran Home
- The Compass Center
- Luther Seminary
- Lutheran Counseling Network
- Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
- Lutheran Campus Ministry UW
- Lutheran Campus Ministry WWU
Sample Notes to adapt for your Congregations Newsletter
Turning Investments to Income
One of the problems many seniors face is that they have investments/savings that do not produce adequate income. For example, CDs paying 2%. Seniors in this position considering a gift to their congregation and/or other ministry may wish to consider a charitable gift annuity.
A person makes a gift to the ELCA Foundation and the Foundation issues a gift annuity that pays the giver (and/or another person) a fixed income for the rest of his/her (their) life. The older the person the higher the payment, for example age 75 pays 7.1%, age 80 pays 8.0%.
At death the ELCA Foundation sends a check for the principal remainder to the congregation and/or ministries designated by the giver.
Rate information for your particular age is available upon request (confidential, no cost or obligation).
How Easy Can it Get?
Mary Smith (actual person, fictitious name) wanted to give a “thanksgiving gift” to her congregation, if there was anything left when she died. She simply went to her bank and changed her money market account to “payable on death” to (name of congregation) Lutheran Church. At her passing her church received $33,000.
No complicated arrangement, no expense, no probate. An idea to consider when renewing that CD.
Legacy of Love
Lutherans are lovers, sharing the love of Christ, serving others. One way to share that love beyond our lifetime is by including a bequest in our will for the ministry of (name) Lutheran Church, perhaps to the congregations Mission Endowment Fund.
