What Will Your Legacy Be?

What will your legacy be? – Gwin Morris, Wilshire Legacy Circle We sit under trees we did not plant, thus enjoying a legacy provided by those who have gone before us. We pay it forward by planting trees under which we may never sit, thus creating a legacy for those who come after us. That, in a nutshell, is the…

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What will your legacy be? – Gwin Morris, Wilshire Legacy Circle

We sit under trees we did not plant, thus enjoying a legacy provided by those who have gone before us. We pay it forward by planting trees under which we may never sit, thus creating a legacy for those who come after us. That, in a nutshell, is the essence of legacy giving. We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us; therefore, we should be shoulders for others to stand upon as well. That is what it means to leave a legacy.

We all wish to make a difference, to matter, to leave something behind by which to be remembered. Why is that? I think it is that since we all matter to God, God calls us to matter to all with whom we come in contact.

Legacy giving always makes an impact. It always creates an inheritance from the present to the future. Moreover, it always models “transforming generosity” that impacts the giver, the immediate recipient and all those who will benefit from its legacy for years to come. for example, when you support Pathways to Ministry, you are making a legacy gift to the residents who will be served by it, as well as the Wilshire members who will be touched by it in the future.

Transforming generosity begins with the redemptive grace of God and its ultimate expression in Jesus. It is, moreover, infectious — it spreads as it is practiced. When a congregation creates a culture of transforming generosity, it is following the spirit of the Christ who taught us to love and share generously. As we do, we are all changed.

We believe that building such a culture will transform all of us. It supports our mission, our vision, our values and our practices. It has the potential to change the practice of stewardship now and into the future.

Wilshire stands ready to assist you in thinking about and acting upon the legacy you will leave. There are current funds available for you to utilize: the Pathways to Ministry Endowment, Missions Plus and Building Reserve. There are deferred giving vehicles that you may use: your will, a trust, or a designation from an insurance policy or a retirement fund. The Wilshire Legacy Circle coordinates the memorialization of legacy gifts by assisting the formation of legacy giving plans and recognizing those gifts after they have been made. Once a year, beginning in 2022, the Legacy Circle will memorialize legacy gifts that have been made the previous year, and, in that way, appropriately recognize the legacies created in perpetuity.

For more information on legacy giving or the Legacy Circle, contact Lori Gooden ([email protected] or 214-452-3131) or me ([email protected] or 214-425-4942). We will be happy to assist you.

So, what is your why? What legacy do you wish to create?

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