Requests for Information about Legacies

When the first Giving in Grace programmes were run in Liverpool in the autumn of 2005 no one anticipated the volume of enquiries arising from the legacies tick box on the response forms. On reflection there should have been no surprise. One of the key reasons for not leaving a legacy is that no one asks people to do it. Ask and you shall receive!

But anxiety over talking about both money and death makes discussing legacies difficult. One pastor, plucking up the courage to ask why legacies had not been left to his church was told “We’ve never thought of the church like that before”. Leaving a legacy is a natural part of Christian stewardship. It applies the biblical practice of planned giving to the whole of our estate and not just to our disposable income. It is appropriate that the invitation to leave a legacy is embedded into the stewardship practice of the local church. A Giving in Grace programme can provide the initial momentum to develop a low key, sensitive and sustainable legacy initiative in the church.

Leaving a legacy is not a casual nor a spontaneous decision and cannot be separated from the importance of making a will, an act which is itself an expression of prudent stewardship. Responding to requests for legacy information must be managed with sensitivity and care.

• For additional thinking on responding to requests for information about legacies see the information paper Legacy Enquiries.
• A rich resource is found at the Church Legacy website. This should be explored in detail and leaders and church members can use the site and its resources with confidence. Among much else the site offers templates for legacy leaflets and materials to support a visit to the solicitor which will help the enquirer.
• Make sure that some legacy related material is available before the programme starts so there is no delay in responding to requests. This material will of course be a useful resource for legacy related enquiries long after the programme has finished.

Will Aid is one of the longest running Will-making charity schemes in the UK. Their objective is to encourage people to make a Will, while at the same time raising funds for other charities. During the month of November, participating solicitors donate the fees they would charge for preparing a Will to Will Aid.