Legacy Giving
Our earthly service to Jesus can outlast our time in this world when we return to God some of the gifts that He first entrusted to us.
Have you thought about the legacy you will leave?
This thought challenges many of us. The fact of the matter is that we don’t know when our life will come to an end. We are richly blessed as Christians to know the end of our stories: the gift of eternal life with Jesus. Further, we know that the world’s people will always need the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Purpose of the Legacy Giving Board
1) To encourage, educate, and equip the Congregation for making long-term planned gifts to support the mission of the Church as a part of a donor’s overall financial and estate planning; and
2) To honor and advocate for the donor’s intent and wishes.
Ways to Give
Gifts provided by bequest through wills and personal trusts have become an essential part of the long term financial support of Redeemer. Many gifts established for and ultimately received by Lutheran Church of the Redeemer are the result of charitable bequests established in one’s will or personal trust. Such gifts enable a donor to make significant contributions that may not have been possible during their lifetime.
Benefits of Making a Bequest
- You leave a lasting legacy for which to be remembered.
- You lessen the burden of taxes on your family.
- You may receive estate tax savings.
With as little as one sentence, you can make a gift in your will or trust that significantly impacts the efforts of Lutheran Church of the Redeemer.
Whether you choose to give a set amount or a percentage of your estate, your support ensures we are able to continue our mission for years. Whether you are drafting your will for the first time or revising an existing will, including a bequest for Lutheran Church of the Redeemer is an easy and uncomplicated process. A bequest to Redeemer offers you the opportunity to provide general support or to address an ongoing need of specific interest to you. Our church is a dynamic organization, and its priorities continually change to fit the needs of the time. Meeting these needs requires flexible resources to maintain the purpose of its founding, which it has strived to do from its days as a mission congregation in 1903 to the present.
Your legacy can be established by a simple bequest using some of the suggested language below. These forms are only intended as models for you to share with your legal adviser when your will or revocable trust is prepared and/or amended. Please also consult your attorney or send us an email with questions: legacy@redeemer.org
Philanthropy has no minimum gift requirement. Whatever amount you leave to Redeemer will be gratefully received and your wishes for it followed as faithfully as possible.
Ways to Make a Bequest
A bequest can be made in several ways:
- You can gift a specific dollar amount or asset.
- You can gift a percentage of your estate.
- You can gift from the balance or residue of your estate.
- You can make a beneficiary designation of certain assets such as retirement accounts or life insurance policies.
Suggested Bequest Language
Coming Soon. In the interim, please contact legacy@redeemer.org for assistance.
Amending a Will or Trust Document
If you already have an up-to-date will but have not provided for a bequest to Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, a simple and inexpensive codicil can be prepared and attached to your will without disturbing any of your existing arrangements. A codicil is merely an addition or amendment to an existing will.
Here is an example of a codicil:
“I, JOHN DOE, hereby amend my Last Will and Testament, executed on the ____________ day of ____________________, in the year 20____. I direct that all provisions of that Will remain in effect but in addition I give, devise, and bequeath __________________________ to the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, a religious organization in Atlanta, GA, (EIN #58-0593421) to be used as the Church Council may direct or to be used for (unrestricted or a stated purpose) the benefit of the Church.”
Work with the Legacy Giving Board
If you choose to name Lutheran Church of the Redeemer as a beneficiary, please let us know your plans. This will enable us not only to show our appreciation of your thoughtful generosity, but also it will allow Redeemer to include your support in long-range planning for the future of our church.
If you plan to include a bequest having a restricted purpose, the Legacy Giving Board respectfully requests that the donor and/or their attorney contact us to discuss the details of the bequest/estate plan intentions so we may properly steward the future gift when it is received. To ensure clarity, we recommend that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) be created between the Church and the donor(s) to outline the use and specific purpose of the donor’s gift for Redeemer’s ministries.
You may email the Legacy Giving Board at Redeemer at this address: legacy@redeemer.org.
We look forward to answering your questions and working with you to advance your vision of your gift.
