Legacy Stewardship at Church of the Nativity
God blesses us with so much. Church of the Nativity realizes that Legacy Stewardship is a vital part of our experience in moving Mission, fully utilizing all the resources God has given us. Church of the Nativity welcomes bequests and memorial gifts as a powerful witness to Living out Mission – Eternally (LOV-E). These gifts keep on giving – Eternally to the mission of the Church.
Church of the Nativity has set up a series of funds, the LOV-E fund, incorporated within the diocesan trust fund that can receive bequest and memorial gifts. These funds are Mission Restricted Funds to be used by the parish to primarily support Mission endeavors, to move our love and witness outside of the parish through our members.
The funds are set up to receive donations from parishioners and facilitate transfer of assets and bequests to the church.The funds are in a Diocese of Western Massachusetts trustee’s fund, pooled with other diocesan church funds and managed by William Mercer Investment Consulting, Boston.
The four funds are briefly described below and exist in conjunction with other Restricted Fund accounts managed by the church.
Living Out Mission – Eternally (LOV-E) Fund.This fund will accept gifts from parishioners as thanksgiving, memorial offerings, planned giving offerings and/or bequests. The principal in the fund will beprotectedand the return from the fund will be allocated on a yearly basis to the three sub funds below. The fund would receive unrestricted gifts provided by the donor to the parish.Gifts would accumulate in the fund and the ongoing return of the fund would be dispersed to the three funds (referred to as sub funds of the LOV-E fund) below.
Teach Fund. This fund could receive funds from the return of the LOV-E fund or directly from parishioner s gifts which would support the transformation of parishioners in following Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The principal and interest in this fund can be used to support needs of the parish for Mission in “Teach”. Examples of needs are provided to give examples : Camp Bement scholarships for children and youth of the parish, college scholarships, parishioner attendance at ministry conferences, etc.
Reach Fund. This fund could receive funds from the return of the LOV-E fund or directly from parishioners of Church of the Nativity. The principal and interest in this fund would support mission outreach, and evangelism outreach, external to the ministries of the church itself for its own parishioners. This fund could serve to accumulate fund raising monies for a specific mission outreach trip being planned over an extended period of time. This fund could support and supplement funds needed by parishioners to go on mission trips, and to engage in mission locally, in the nation, or the world at large.
Capital Improvement Fund.This fund could receive funds from the return of the LOV-E fund or directly from parishioners of Church of the Nativity. The principal and interest in this fund would defray large capital expense purchases or property upgrade and repair. Roof repair, boiler repair, organ repair - these are only examples of needs that could be supported. The church often does not have means within the operating budget to support unplanned facility needs that come up. This fund could be used to supplement a need that the church facility is faced with.This fund could also serve as an additional repository of funds collected for capital campaigns providing a higher yield than typically provided by money market accounts.
To execute a bequest:
Prayerfully consider the funds you would like to donate to.
Submit your check with a deposit slip.(Click here to view and print out deposit slip, or pick one up at the church office). On the deposit slip fill in the Church – Church of the Nativity, Town – Northborough, MA, sum of the deposit to be made, and the specific fund that you want the deposit made. Include one deposit slip per fund deposit transfer. The vestry will vote on the deposit and the clerk of the vestry will sign the deposit form and mail the deposit form with your check to the Diocesan Trustees. The current mailing address (May 2006) is:
Mick Kalber, Executive Director, Trustees, 37 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA. 01103
On a yearly basis, the yield from the LOV-E fund is apportioned to the sub funds. The vestry and finance committee make recommendations as to valid withdrawals from the Sub Funds, and the vestry votes and approved withdrawals to support mission needs of the parish.
Gifts of Stock and other non-cash assets. The Finance Committee processes and liqudates gifts provided to the church in the form of Stock Certificates. The Finance Committee will provide the stock certificates to the stock broker utilized by Church of the Nativity (UBS/Paine Weber, Worcester, MA. office) who will then liquidate the stock and transfer the monies to a Church maintained restricted fund. The finance committees position is to immediately liquidate stock resources provided to the church.