What legacy will you leave?

By David Battles

            We all desire significance! We want to lead happy and fulfilled lives surrounded by family and friends.  For many of us, there is a compelling need to make a difference – to leave a lasting impact on the people most dear to us and the world in which we live.  The search for significance and desire to plan for the future leads many to ponder their legacy.  What kind of legacy will you leave? 

            A bequest is perhaps the easiest and most tangible way to have a lasting impact on the people and organizations that mean the most to you.  A bequest may also be an effective way to remember you church and other charitable organizations, such as the United Methodist Men Foundation, and provide a permanent legacy of support through an endowment.

            An endowment gift may be designated for a specific purpose.  You may want to establish an endowment to provide for scouting, the Upper Room Prayer Ministry, prison ministries, or men’s ministry. The list goes on. 

            Why make an endowment gift?  An endowment is permanently invested.  The endowment creates a steady stream of annual distributions to support the work of the endowment.  Your gift will be maintained in perpetuity and make a lasting meaningful difference.

            You can establish your endowment now and fund it later.  The advantage of establishing the endowment now is that you make certain that your wishes are carried out.  It is very simple to do.  After you establish the endowment, you would need to include bequest language in your will or trust.  For example, “I hereby, give, devise and bequeath ten percent of my estate to The United Methodist Men Foundation, a non-profit organization located in Nashville, Tenn., for the benefit of the Your Name Endowment Fund.”

            The Foundation can assist you in creating an endowment that meets your philanthropic and legacy goals.  For more information, please contact Glenn Wintemberg, president of the UMM Foundation (unitvent@yahoo.com) (314/604-2789).

David Battles is the executive director of the Oklahoma Foundation.