Mission Yearbook Minute for Mission: Legacy Giving Sunday

At Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Minneapolis, legacy giving is more than a financial decision. It’s a testament to faith, love and commitment to future generations.

Founded in 1857, Westminster is a vibrant congregation known for its expansive ministries, including education for all ages, music and the arts, social justice initiatives, and deep congregational care. Its members are united by a mission to serve both those within the church and the broader community. The church maintains longstanding global partnerships in Cameroon, Cuba, and Palestine, reflecting its dedication to justice and compassion far beyond Minnesota. (Watch a video about the church’s legacy giving program on the Presbyterian Foundation’s YouTube channel here.)

A core part of this legacy of service is sustained through the church’s century-old legacy giving program. The program was established in 1914 with a $5,000 bequest from Charles Thompson, then the clerk of session, according to Chelsea Crouch-Dodson, director of Stewardship at the church. The legacy giving program allows members to ensure Westminster’s continued vitality long after their lifetimes.

“It really has grown since then,” Crouch-Dodson says. “It’s something that a lot of our members have been drawn to—giving in perpetuity, knowing their legacy lives on at Westminster.”

Legacy gifts come in many forms and are accessible to all members, not just those with significant wealth. Donors often name the church as a beneficiary in their wills, life insurance policies, or retirement accounts. These contributions help sustain the church’s ministries and allow for meaningful expansion, like the recent capital campaign that added space for an onsite mission partner serving children who have experienced trauma.

That project inspired longtime member Rocky Rockenstein and his wife, Joey, to make a legacy gift. Rocky, a former Minneapolis City Council member, has seen the church’s impact both spiritually and civically. “We’ve always been solid givers,” he said. “But the challenge of what we could do with that addition to the church really caused us to think seriously about what we were going to do with the money that will be left over when we are gone.”

For Doris Wong, who has attended Westminster since childhood, the decision to include the church in her estate plans was about gratitude and hope. “This church is a place where I wanted to leave a certain amount of my money,” she said. “Certainly my heirs will be more than taken care of.”

Tim Jones and Jacqui deVries, raising their daughters at Westminster, also chose to make a legacy commitment to model generosity. “We believe in the place,” Jones said. “We feel a commitment to continuing the ministry after we’re no longer here.”

DeVries reflected, “God works through institutions, but institutions are sustained by people.” In a world marked by rapid change, Westminster’s legacy givers are helping ensure the church remains a beacon of faith and service for generations to come.

To learn more about legacy giving and how you can include your church in your estate plans, download free materials from the Presbyterian Foundation. You can also reach out to your Ministry Relations Officer to discuss how your congregation can start a legacy giving program or how your gift can help sustain your church or ministries you love.

Robyn Davis Sekula, Vice President of Communications and Marketing, Presbyterian Foundation

Let us join in prayer for:

• Lisa Love, Deputy General Counsel, Presbyterian Foundation
• Sandy Lucas, Receptionist, Presbyterian Foundation 

Let us pray:

Gracious God, we give thanks for Westminster Presbyterian Church, for its faithful witness, vibrant ministries and the generations who have nurtured its mission. We are especially grateful for those who give through legacy, planting seeds that will bear fruit beyond their lifetime. Bless all who seek to give generously, trusting that you are at work in their offering. Help us to be wise stewards of what we have received. May our giving reflect our gratitude, our faith in you, and our hope for the future of your church. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Minute for Mission: Legacy Giving Sunday

May 7, 2023

A dear friend from my church passed away in July 2022. Kevin was just 55 years old. Just writing that pricks my eyes with tears.

He loved, loved, loved my three daughters. They loved him right back. He was their confirmation mentor, their Sunday school teacher, their chaperone, and a foundational rock in their lives and in the life of our church. He was the kind of person you called when you couldn’t make sense of the world, and his rational, calm read on things would calm you down and give you hope. In many ways, Kevin was an “adulty adult” who made everything feel like it would be OK.

Kevin and I had some time to talk about the meaning of legacy, and the things he wanted to accomplish before he passed. Kevin was ill for a few years – and in some ways, this slow departure from our planet is a gift. It is time for you think through what matters to you, and how you want to be remembered. It gives you time to tell people you love them, and people get the chance to tell you how much you influenced them.

While many of us are in denial about death — and secretly think, well, maybe I won’t die! — Kevin knew it was coming, and made his plans to ensure that his earthly matters would be entrusted to the organizations and people he loved. He cared deeply for his family and wanted to ensure that they felt cared for and loved after his passing.

As I write this, I think about my own legacy. What, and who, do I love? What organizations have made a huge difference in my life, the life of my family, and my community? Who is changing the world?

I’d put my own church at the top of that list, and I hope that you would, too. For many of us, our churches are places we’ve spent an enormous amount of time, and given so much of our lives and energy. They’ve given back to us, too, surrounding us with love in difficult times, buoying our spirits when we’ve faced personal traumas, and bringing us meals when we were exhausted and couldn’t bear to think about cooking.

One of the best gifts Kevin gave to his family and to our church is the preparation he did in the past few years. It’s a wonderful gift for you to give your family, too. Express both verbally and on paper (in a legal document) where you want gifts to go. It’s also crucial to tell the church or other ministries what your plans are, so that they know your intentions and know how you would like your gift to be used.

You may not feel you have much to give. It’s not about the amount; it’s about acknowledging the importance of your church or an important ministry in your life and in the life of your family. Your estate plans tell your family what matters to you, and sets an example for the next generation. Your estate is the largest gift you’ll ever have to give.

What’s more, once this item is checked off of your to-do list, you’ll feel better. What a sense of relief to know you’ve had this hard conversation, you’ve made these plans, and you have been able to make choices that will both communicate your legacy and ensure that your church, the ministries you supported and so much more will continue to benefit from your generous spirit.

I have a will. It’s been in place since my oldest daughter was born. I’ll be getting it out and reading it over, and ensuring that the plans I made still make sense, and also considering making a larger gift to my church in my estate.

In life and death, we belong to God. And so does our stuff.

The Presbyterian Foundation is able to assist congregations and church members who are ready to think about how to share all that God has given to us. Your Ministry Relations Officer can help. You can find yours at presbyterianfoundation.org/mro.

Robyn Davis Sekula serves as Vice President of Communications and Marketing for the Presbyterian Foundation. She is a ruling elder in the PC(USA) and member of Highland Presbyterian Church.

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Diana Burgos, Kitchen Assistant, Stony Point Center
Becky Burton, Data Representative, Ministry Engagement & Support, Administrative Services Group (A Corp)

Let us pray

Dear God, teach us to be generous with all that we have, which all comes from you. Help us to discern the best path in caring for all that has been entrusted to us. Teach us to hear your call. Amen.

Minute for Mission: Legacy Giving Sunday

May 2, 2021

Caroline Davis Rourk (Provided)

Caroline Davis Rourk has been a member of her church for her entire life. It’s a place of hope, friendship and a place that challenges her spiritually. And it’s a place that she wants to be around for generations to come.

That’s why she decided to leave a gift to her congregation in her estate. She is a member of First Presbyterian Church in Durham, North Carolina.

She’s part of a growing number of Presbyterians who have left gifts to the church through life insurance proceeds, beneficiaries of retirement plans, wills, estates and trusts.

“I’ve pledged and tithed my entire life to my church, but I’ve never felt like I could give as much as I wanted to,” Rourk says. “By leaving a gift to the church in my will, I can give them what I wasn’t able to during my lifetime. And that’s really important to me.”

Watch a video about First Presbyterian’s legacy giving program here.

You, too, can leave a legacy to support the ministry of your congregation, ensuring the congregation that has nurtured your spiritual life and served your community thrives for generations to come.

Please consider making a gift to your church or ministry that tells the story of your hope in Christ.

Each will is unique and must be structured to fit the needs and estate plans of each individual in accordance with the laws of the state in which they live. For this reason, you should consult a lawyer to assist you in drafting your will and estate plan.

The Presbyterian Foundation is able to assist congregations and church members who are ready to think about how to share all that God has given to us. Your Ministry Relations Officer can help. You can find yours at presbyterianfoundation.org/mro.

Robyn Davis Sekula, Vice President of Communications and Marketing at the Presbyterian Foundation, Ruling Elder in the PC(USA) and Member of Highland Presbyterian Church in Louisville.

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Bintou Jalloh, Board of Pensions
Ellie Johns-Kelley, Presbyterian Foundation

Let us pray:

Dear God, teach us to be generous with all that we have, which all comes from you. Help us to discern the best path in caring for all that has been entrusted to us. Teach us to hear your call. Amen.