Celebrating Legacy Gifts
I get jazzed about nice bathrooms. Especially if they’re in a church. I’m pretty sure I feel this way because there are far too many sad church bathrooms out there. Can I get an “amen”?
Of course, I’m sure your church bathrooms look like they’re straight out of Better Homes & Gardens. I bet yours could be featured on an HGTV show, “Fabulous Church Bathrooms.” Oh, if only that were so.
Let me tell you what one of our church bathrooms looked like two weeks ago.
Back in the day, like most churches, there were bathrooms specifically for brides to use on their wedding day. Here’s what a bride (or church members, guests, etc.) found if she had the unfortunate need to go:
A tiny (and I mean tiny), 1950s rust-stained sink
No hot water
Tiles falling off the walls
A dull paint job
Bare walls
Legacy gifts – and two awesome volunteers – came in to save the day. A wonderful couple decided that this would be their project. The refresh would be funded by the Trustees who help manage legacy gifts – a.k.a. “funds given to the church by saints who have passed away.”
A mere two weeks later, here’s how the bathroom looks now:
A new, normal-sized sink
Running water (including hot!)
No holes
New lighting
Framed photos by a church member on the walls
A fabulous new paint job
This bathroom re-do would never have been possible without the leadership of these two volunteers plus the funds provided by legacy gifts to pay for the plumber, paint, lighting, sink and a host of other incidentals.
Now it’s time to celebrate this accomplishment with the congregation. If you have recently updated an area utilizing legacy funds here are some ways to share the good news:
Write a newsletter article
Take some photos and post them on social media
Make a simple iPhone video and post it on social media
Announce the renovation in church and invite people to take a look after the service
Whether through an article, social media, or an announcement, you can highlight that this update was only possible through the work of volunteers and the giving of legacy gifts.
When you emphasize the tangible results of legacy gifts, you increase the likelihood that more people will consider including your congregation in their estate planning.
Let people know that – once they pass through the Pearly Gates – their legacy gifts will have lasting impact. It may inspire them to ensure that their memory is a blessing to future generations.
So go ahead, be proud. Show off that updated bathroom and dare HGTV to start a new series on “Fabulous Church Bathrooms.” I’ll be the first to tune in.
Photo credit: Brandi @ flickr.com
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Cesie Delve Scheuermann (pronounced “CC Delv Sherman,” yes, really) is a Stewardship Consultant for the OR-ID Annual Conference. She is also a Senior Ministry Strategist with Horizons Stewardship – helping with capital campaigns and encouraging more generosity. For 25 years, while working as a volunteer and part-time consultant, she has helped raise over three million dollars for numerous churches and non-profit organizations.
You can reach Cesie at inspiringgenerosity@gmail.com, at CesieScheuermann.com, or at cesieds@horizons.net. Want to schedule a meeting? She’s got you covered! You can find everything on the inter-webs. Here's Part One of a three-part series on church bathroom makeovers for your inspiration.
Schedule a meeting now.
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