Book review of Faithful Giving: The Heart of Planned Gifts, a new book on planned giving from a multifaith perspective

Regardless of your faith tradition, everyone dies in the end. Please remember with gratitude people who have left money to the church in their wills.

“Should I ask my dying parishioner for a bequest?” ranks high in the list of difficult questions I’ve been asked during church stewardship webinars. The ideal last conversation on generosity starts with thank you.
How the church can prepare for grateful conversations, instead of putting pastors in awkward situations?

Does your congregation ever talk about how members can leave a gift to the church in their wills? Christians can be downright offended when someone tries to talk about money or death in church!  However, Scriptures are full of references to both death and money.

I love the Psalms, not just the poetry and beauty of the words, but the honest emotions.  I heard Psalm 112 read aloud a few weeks ago and it struck me that this Psalm talks about how generosity continues beyond the life of the donor.

While churches hope that donors like Stella carry on indefinitely, like the Queen, she is in fact mortal.  Have you asked Stella if she would like her legacy of caring to continue through a gift in her will?  She trusts the church.  Does the church trust Stella, believe that Stella is brave enough to have this conversation?  Remember that lots of charities ask Stella for money.  Will Stella know that the church would love to receive a bequest from her?  Ask.  Tell the story of what her gift will do.

“We had so much fun giving that money away” What if a bequest policy at church was a joyful discussion of one final act of kindness?