Serve > Board of Management > Stewardship > Bequests
Bequests (and other Planned Gifts)
"Glory to God, from generation to generation…."
In the early church, the story of Jesus was told from one generation to another, and that is how many of us first learned of the good news. Someone thought it was important to pass on the legacy.
So it is with the stewardship of our financial resources. We are the inheritors of legacies of faith at the Church of the Redeemer, whether it is expressed in the liturgy, the stained glass, the architecture or the social outreach ministry. We pass the inheritance of stewardship from one generation to another.
If you would like information about making the Church of the Redeemer a beneficiary of your will, a life insurance policy or charitable gift annuity, etc., please contact incumbent Andrew Asbil or Peter Bennett, chair of planned giving at 416-922-4948.
Annual giving is the financial stewardship of our income. Planned gifts involve the stewardship of our capital during our lifetimes, and at death.
Most bequests are made through wills. If you are thinking of a bequest, the first thing you should do is make sure you have a will. A bequest to the Redeemer in your will can be directed to a specific ministry (such as the organ) or undesignated. The choice is yours, but since the bequest may not be received for many years, leaving it undesignated gives the parish more flexibility. For many of us, family considerations are the first responsibility in a will. However, if a bequest is truly important to you, it can be accomplished in other ways, such as trusts or gifts of residual interest, without jeopardizing your family’s financial security.
Other forms of bequests include naming the parish as a beneficiary of your RRIF, LIF, or annuity. You can use life insurance and create a tax credit during your lifetime or after your death. Recent tax changes have made stocks (common or preferred shares) a popular vehicle for gifting. Specified capital property such as real estate can also be used. If you rely on interest income from capital, such as bonds or GICs, charitable gift annuities might be an attractive alternative.
These are the tools that facilitate a bequest or planned gift, but the decision to give is yours, after prayerful consideration. You may wish to add a diocesan or national church organization to your gift. It is advisable to discuss your decision with your family and your professional advisors to ensure that your gift is properly arranged.
Along the way, you or your advisors may wish to speak with us. If so, please call the church office at 416-922-4948 to contact the clergy or the planned-giving sub-committee (Peter Bennett).
"…whose power working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine, in the church, and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen."
Please click on the following links for additional Stewardship information:
Stewardship Main Page
Charitable Annuities
Planned Giving Using Life Insurance
Gift of Stock