The Annual Pledge Program allows the Corporation to plan a more realistic budget for the coming year. However, we also need to take steps to ensure the long term sustainability of the parish. One option is to remember St. George’s in our wills. In this way, we are able to direct some of our acquired resources back to the church, thus contributing to the present and future well-being of St. George’s in the long term.

Please review The Case for a Will and Remembering St. George’s, which was included with the Fall issue of The Carillon. The first section explains the wisdom in preparing and maintaining a will. The second section outlines the benefits of including St. George’s as a recipient in your will.

As your Stewardship Committee, we invite you to consider The Case for a Will and Remembering St. George’s. If you have a will, it is wise to review it every five years as situations and circumstances change. If you do not have a will, we encourage you to do this—no matter your age. Your financial advisor, accountant and/or lawyer, are able to offer advice and counsel in preparing a will. Ralph Sykes, our Treasurer and Stewardship Committee member as well as other members of the Stewardship Committee are also available to recommend resources that might assist you.

Remembering the church and other charities in your will has become a very popular means for people to continue giving after they have passed away. This is just one way that we can manage the assets we have acquired in our lifetime. In the coming months, your Stewardship Committee will be providing opportunities to learn about other ways we can ensure that some of our ‘wealth’ contributes to supporting our church and those institutions that mean a great deal to us—without denying our children and families.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to St. George’s through your time, talent and your treasure. May God bless you as you consider how together we can ensure that our church is here for our children and our children’s children.

Endowment Fund

St. George’s is blessed with a healthy Endowment Fund. This is a legacy from previous generations that reflects their generosity and vision for our church in the present and into the future. The wonderful benefit of an Endowment Fund is that it can work for the church by producing income without diminishing the value of the Fund itself. When we direct bequests from our wills to the Endowment Fund, these along with accrued interest, increases the overall value of the Fund. By drawing down some of this increase for Operating or Capital Fund budgets, the church benefits from the growth of the Fund while maintaining a solid base.

The objective of the Corporation of St. George’s is to manage the parish’s Endowment Fund in such a way that it grows in value and also provides resources for ongoing Operating and Capital expenses. Therefore, the Corporation has established a policy and management guidelines for drawing money from the Endowment Fund. For example, the current value of the Endowment Fund (2012) is $1,822,337. For 2012, the amount that can be drawn down based on the guidelines will be $11,168. Specific details about the criteria for drawing down from the Endowment Fund are available from our Treasurer, Ralph Sykes.

The Endowment Fund is both a gift and a responsibility. Bequests are one of the best ways to ensure that the Endowment Fund continues to grow and provide a financial resource for our Church now and into the future. By directing a bequest in our will to the Endowment Fund, we will become part of the continuing legacy of parishioners of St. George’s. By managing the Endowment Fund wisely and prudently, we will have an additional source of income, along with our regular donations that will provide financial stability and a secure future for the ministry to which God has called us.

Thank you again for your careful consideration of including
St. George’s in your will.

Your Stewardship Committee

Pick up a copy of "Ensuring Your Wishes: A Guide to Your Will" from the church office, and don't miss Sunday, September 16 when Archdeacon John Robertson will be here to answer any questions you may have about wills and bequests.