“The Minister of the Congregation is directed to instruct the people, from time to time, about the duty of…all persons to make wills, while they are in health, arranging for the disposal of their temporal goods, not neglecting, if they are able, to leave bequests for religious and charitable uses.”
The Book of Common Prayer, p. 445
Dear St. Alban’s,
Throughout the life of this parish, we have been blessed by the generous giving of our parishioners to the life and ministry of the Church inspired by the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. In recent years, parishioners have made substantial gifts to the parish through their wills as part of their legacy. Because of this generosity, the Endowment Fund Committee (EFC), under the oversight of the Vestry, has moved to create the 1946 Society to honor those who have made such a legacy gift or who have legally drawn up provisions to make such a gift. The EFC chose the name 1946 Society because 1946 was the year St. Alban’s was established and such gifts have formed the foundation for the Endowment Fund over the years.
Because of these generous gifts, the Endowment Fund has been able to make several investments in the life of the parish. The first major investment was the money set aside to hire our first curate, Jimmy Abbott. Since then, we have been able to raise up many others to the priesthood through curacy at St. Alban’s. This ministry has touched innumerable lives of our parishioners as well. Furthermore, the Endowment Fund has been used to help maintain and grow our physical space as well. Early on in the tenure of Aaron Zimmerman, the Endowment Fund helped provide essential air conditioning repairs in the midst of the stifling Texas heat. Since then, it has also been used to help procure the Annex and fulfill other portions of our Master Planning Project.
Neither these transformative projects nor countless other smaller necessities paid for by the Endowment Fund would have been possible if not for the generous giving of the people of St. Alban’s. Therefore, the EFC considers that such gifts should be recognized and appreciated. Thus, the purpose of the 1946 Society is to compile and recognize those who have given a legacy gift. A legacy gift, also known as a planned gift or a deferred gift, is a donation to the church that a donor includes in their estate plan. Such gifts include bequests, life insurance policies, annuities, and trusts. In most circumstances, the gift is actually given after the donor’s death as their estate plans are being executed. However, a donor may include recurring donations in their legacy gifts that begin while they are still living and continue after they pass away. For years, individuals and families have been making these gifts to St. Alban’s without informing the church office of their intentions. With the formation of the 1946 Society, it is the hope of the EFC to have some more open communication about these plans. We also consider it to be a core pastoral issue to help parishioners draw up a plan for the end of their life that is helpful to their families after they are gone. To this end, we are working with several local lawyers to provide such services to the parishioners of St. Albans. Ultimately, the purpose of the 1946 Society is to recognize and acclaim those who have taken such a serious step to continuing the life and work of the parish.
If you are curious to learn more, please review the frequently asked questions that the 1946 Society Taskforce has drawn up and placed on the website. We look forward to our continued work together the strengthen the life, faith, and legacy of St. Alban’s and the Episcopal community in Waco.
Faithfully,
The Members of the 1946 Society Taskforce