St. Paul's Parish Legacy Society

For generations, St. Paul’s Parish has benefited from the generosity of many benefactors. Examples abound: Very significant bequests from the estates of Bill Carwithen and Velma Gray are underwriting significant parts of our current building project. Recent additions to the church are being funded in part by J. Reilly Lewis’ generous gift in memory of his mother, Dora Lewis, plus special gifts by a number of parishioners and a bequest by Mary Wolfskill.  >> Read about our benefactors.

In recent years, several endowments that provide ongoing support for our music and Christian formation programs have come from parishioner bequests. Around the church, one will see stained glass windows and other features that were made possible over the years by the generosity of members and friends of St Paul’s, in some cases by bequests. These all are examples of pleasant surprises that our parish continues to enjoy.  >> Read about parish endowments.

We are now very serious about planned giving at St Paul’s. Planned giving is one of four facets of stewardship, the others being annual giving, capital campaigns, and special gifts. Too often, churches do not get other than incidental bequests and planned gifts, simply because nobody really asks and cultivates. We’re asking, and we’re encouraging parishioners to remember both their families and the church in their plans. We’re seeking to augment pleasant surprises from a few with anticipated bequests from many, always with our continuing support and thanksgiving in this life as well as in the next.

The three parts of our ongoing program are now in place: a five-member Endowment Board, overseeing and investing our endowed funds under ultimate Vestry direction; a Legacy Society; and a Planned Giving Response Program, which assists parishioners in making bequests and setting up other giving methods that work best for them.

Membership in the Legacy Society is open to any person associated with St Paul’s Parish (including anyone who desires to remain anonymous) who has made a provision for the church in his or her estate plan, regardless of the size of the gift.  >> See a list of Legacy Society members.

The Legacy Society provides an opportunity for donors to give witness to their good stewardship in making provision for the church’s future life and ministry, thus encouraging others in the parish to make similar provisions in their wills and estate plans.

The Legacy Society encourages and promotes membership in a way that does not extract information about the gift but invites donors to give the parish whatever information they are comfortable in providing and seeks permission for their names to be included on the list of legacy society members.

The Legacy Society provides ongoing thanks and recognition to members of the Society, such as by having an annual dinner where (a) detailed reports about the parish endowments are made, (b) good stewardship of the endowments by the leadership of the parish is conveyed, and (c) a speaker discusses a relevant topic of particular interest to society members.

The Legacy Society plans and implements ongoing, periodic communication, such as newspaper clippings, pertinent leaflets, or other items of interest covered by letters from the rector or Endowment Board chair, to stay in close touch with the donors who are key to the parish’s future.

For information on the Legacy Society, please fill out the form below, or contact the parish office at 202-337-2020 or by e-mail at adminasst@StPauls-KSt.com

Helping St. Paul’s Parish

X

Honor the Past

X

Sustain the Present

X

Nurture the Future