Planned Giving: Investing in Your Values
We invite you to consider including a gift to the church as part of your estate planning. These gifts will help support the long-term financial stability of the church and ensure the preservation of our values for “times we shall never see.”
The Heritage Circle
The Heritage Circle is an expanding group of First Universalists who have decided to invest in the church after their death through planned giving. Planned giving refers to the ways to designate First Universalist as a beneficiary of your estate, either in your will or through other means such as an IRA, 401K, or stocks. People from all class backgrounds, all income levels and all ages are part of the Heritage Circle. Each and every investment, regardless of size, makes an enormous difference in creating a vibrant future for our church.
When asked why they chose to include the church in their financial plans, Heritage Circle members expressed some consistent themes, notably their desire to participate in the long-term continuation of:
- Our sense of community, which can be depended on in difficult times
- Our commitment to social justice
- Our challenge to individual and spiritual growth
As part of an interconnected community, many of us want to leave a legacy of love and support that outlasts a lifetime. We have a vision of our children’s children, of those to come who we may not know now but who are part of us, and we want to leave the world a little bit better for future generations. The Heritage Circle ensures that our church can sustain itself over time and create the resources we need to be here for generations to come. We deeply appreciate Heritage Circle members who invest in First Universalist beyond their own lifetimes, and we invite you to join through your own investment.
Making a Planned Gift
The Planned Giving Committee has put together some basic information on how to make a planned gift to First Universalist Church, which you’ll find here.
The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) also offers information on its website that may serve as another resource as you consider including First Universalist in your estate planning process. UUA Planned Giving Resources
To speak with someone about making a planned gift to First Universalist, call our Bookkeeper, Jie Wronsky-Riley at 612-405-5502. For details about your personal planned giving, we urge you to consult with your financial advisor or lawyer.
If you have already included the church in your estate plans, please let us know so you can be recognized as a Heritage Circle member and invited to Heritage Circle events, including an annual recognition luncheon. The best way to let First Universalist know that it is included in your estate plan, is to complete and submit a “Letter of Intent for Future Gift” form to the church office, if you have not done so already.