With a legacy, what we leave behind looks forward as much as back
As part of Leominster’s ‘Priory 900’ celebrations, Hereford Cathedral’s archivist, Elizabeth Semper O’Keefe, is speaking about the role of holy relics and reliquaries in the identity and influence of religious institutions. Alongside this is an exhibition of items picked out by local care home residents to leave behind as ‘relics’ that speak about their lives. But leaving something behind, in the form of a legacy, can be as much about looking forward, to the future of the church and its mission, as it is about looking back. That is what was on the mind of Priory PCC member Richard Philips when he added a legacy in his Will to benefit his church.
When Richard was reviewing his finances several years ago, he reflected on how much the Priory had come to mean to him and that he would like to say thank you for all it had given him, so he added a gift in his Will to Leominster Priory.
“The church was there for me at a difficult time in my life,” says Richard. “When I started to look at my Will following some big life changes, I thought about what was important to me. I realised that while of course my wife and children were the most important things in my life, the church also came quite high on the list.”
Since then, Richard has become more involved in the life of the church and is now on the PCC. This has led him to be even more certain of his gift, as well as realising what a huge difference leaving a legacy can make to the life and finances of local churches.
He also noticed, however, that often people leave the money to a specific aspect of church activities or the church building, which places restrictions on how the money can be spent. This may not match the needs and priorities of the church in later years. Richard was keen to ensure there are no restrictions on how his legacy is to be spent; instead, it will fund whatever the church needs to continue its vital mission and ministry in this town as the future unfolds.
As Richard’s original bequest was for a fixed amount, he can also see how this has depreciated in value over time. “Having had a chat with Rosa, the diocese's Parish Giving Advisor, I think I might change my Will again,” he explained, “making the gift a percentage of my estate rather than a specific sum.” This will help to protect the value of his gift to the church. Richard adds, “It’s really simple to do, you don’t have to re-write the whole Will, just add in a simple Codicil stating the new gift”
For further information about adding a gift to your church to your Will, you can visit the Legacy Giving page of our website, or contact one of our Parish Giving Advisors. The Church of England has created a simple codicil template which you can download here, or contact your solicitors; many will update the will for free or a small fee.
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