They were a quiet couple who always supported their local church with tithes and offerings. At some point they made the conscious decision to make a real difference in the life of their local church: and so they decided to leave a legacy.

In doing so, they established a charitable gift annuity that would, upon their death, provide a generous supply of resources for the church they loved. Over the years, their church had its struggles. A beautiful facility had been built, but over time, it began to show its age. Attendance had declined and there just didn't seem to be any way that the existing congregation could pay for the maintenance and renovations the church needed so desperately.

One night the church board met to discuss the dire needs of their church. Lacking resources, the board lifted the needs of their church in prayer, desperate for an answer.

The next morning the pastor received a phone call from the Church of the Nazarene Foundation informing him that the couple had left a planned gift to that church. Soon a sizable check, which was the remainder of their charitable gift annuity, was delivered to the church. Those funds were used to renovate and breathe new life into the facility.

Today, a young pastor and his family are now a part of the continuing miracle of transformation in that congregation. Hope for the future exists. Lives are being changed. The miracle that has taken place there is largely due to the faithfulness of this couple who made the decision to leave a legacy with a planned gift.

Get Involved
Consider making a difference with your legacy. The Church of the Nazarene Foundation is your foundation to help you with your planned giving. We hope you will take Jim Diehl's wise counsel to leave a lasting legacy.

One of the easiest and best ways to create a legacy is to establish a charitable gift annuity through the Church of the Nazarene Foundation.

A charitable gift annuity is a simple contract between you and the Foundation. Charitable gift annuities are life income gifts. Your contribution of cash or securities into a charitable gift annuity will provide you with an immediate tax benefit and guaranteed lifetime income. The actual amount of the income payments are based on your age at the time of the gift.

Upon your death, the remaining funds in the gift annuity will be given to support the ministry or ministries you have designated as beneficiaries.

Other effective ways to maximize your giving are through a planned gift such as a charitable trust, will or bequest, endowment, non-cash stock or real estate gift, or a donor-advised fund.

Contact the Church of the Nazarene Foundation for more information or assistance with charitable gift annuities and other planned giving opportunities. To watch the Diehl video and utilize the gift calculators visit www.NazareneFoundation.org.

Join many other Nazarene Legacy Partners and model generosity by leaving a lasting legacy.

Holiness Today, May/June 2012

Please note: This article was originally published in 2012. All facts, figures, and titles were accurate to the best of our knowledge at that time but may have since changed.