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Legacy Giving
The impetus for special giving – through legacies or extraordinary one-time gifts – is the same that motivates us to provide our regular annual support: God has generously blessed us. Anything we give, in whatever form, is in response to those rich blessings. Legacy giving is giving that allows you to continue your support of Pilgrim Church beyond your lifetime and into the future. It joins you in a long tradition of people who have provided for our Church beyond its present needs.
Pilgrim Church would not exist, certainly not in its present form and potential, if it were not for the forward-looking generosity of all those legacy and special-gift donors who gave in the past. In that sense, all such gifts are legacies, in that they ensure the Church’s future fiscal health, essential to the future fulfillment of the Church’s mission here in Harwich.
Your individual needs and estate planning goals will determine the type of giving that best suits your circumstances. The Pastor or a member of the Stewardship and Gifts Committee can talk with you in confidence about the various options, and you would act only after a thorough discussion with your legal and tax advisors.
TAX TIME IS A GOOD TIME TO THINK ABOUT LEGACY GIVING
Two years ago the Trustees adopted, and the Congregation approved, a new Gifts and Investment Policy intended to encourage legacies and other special gifts to our Church.
CHANGES TO CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS UNDER CARES ACT
CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act, was a law passed last year designed to help individuals as well as businesses and nonprofits facing economic uncertainty during the coronavirus pandemic.
1. The new law temporarily suspends the requirements for required minimum distributions (RMD) for the 2020 tax year.
2. The new law allows all taxpayers to take a charitable deduction of up to $300, even if they do not itemize.
3. For those who do itemize their deductions, the new law allows for cash contributions to qualified charities such as Chautauqua to be deducted up to 100% of your adjusted gross income for the 2020 calendar year.
You can consult your tax or financial advisor for important details of these provisions.
Like many of our most precious institutions, Pilgrim Church has a special need for your support in this time of suspended normalcy. Please consider whether these temporary additional tax benefits might stimulate additional giving.
RESULTS OF THE 2020 PLEDGE DRIVE
In response to requests last fall from the Stewardship Committee to show our “Faith in the Future” of Pilgrim Church, the Congregation members and friends made 64 pledges for a total of $145,909, up more than $5,000 from last year. While the total number of pledges received was down, the average pledge increased from $1,850 to $2,280, and the median pledge from $1,300 to $1,560. The Stewardship Committee thanks all who pledged and everyone else who supports our Church with their time, talent, and treasure.
ACKNOWLEDGING
NICKI PALMER’S BEQUEST
Nicki Palmer, who passed away earlier this year and who during her lifetime consistently and generously gave her time, talent, and treasure for the benefit of her Pilgrim Church family, has made a legacy gift of $10,000 to the Church. The Church’s Gifts and Investment Policy, adopted in 2018, created the Founder’s Society to celebrate and recognize gifts like Niki’s. She now joins the Snow/Ellis Circle of the Founder’s Society, named for two of the Church’s original founding families. Her gift, like theirs, embodies in a tangible way her deep and abiding faith in the ministry of Pilgrim Church and her desire to continue her support for the Church into the future.
ACKNOWLEDGING
CHET BERG'S BEQUEST
Chet Berg, a longtime member of Pilgrim Church who died on January 4th, 2019, has made a legacy gift to the Church of approximately $8,000. In his will Chet gave the Church 2.5% of his residual estate, and the estate’s attorney recently notified Pastor Susan of the bequest. The Church’s Gifts and Investment Policy, adopted in 2018, created the Founder’s Society to celebrate and recognize gifts like Chet’s. Chet now joins the Snow/Ellis Circle of the Founder’s Society, named for two of the Church’s original founding families. His gift, like theirs, embodies in a tangible way his deep and abiding faith in the ministry of Pilgrim Church and his desire to continue his support for the Church into the future.