Bequest in a Will, End-of-Life & Funeral Planning

Planning ahead is an opportunity to thoughtfully consider your wishes, care for those you love and reflect on the legacy you hope to leave. By including St. Luke’s in your estate plans, you can provide a future gift to support the church’s mission and ministries while honoring the people, faith and community that have been important to you. A bequest can be a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate or a particular asset.

End-of-life planning can also include documenting your wishes and making arrangements for your funeral or memorial service. At St. Luke’s, we believe a funeral or memorial service is an opportunity to give thanks for a life, honor a loved one and find comfort in the hope of Christ. Planning ahead can provide peace of mind for you and your family while ensuring your wishes are understood and honored.

Whether you are planning for the future or making arrangements for a loved one, the clergy and staff at St. Luke’s are here to offer guidance, support and pastoral care.

Chapel Columbarium

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church houses a columbarium—an area for the inurnment of the ashes of the deceased—within its Chapel. It is an appropriate and dignified place in a consecrated Chapel and is in accord with the tenets of the Episcopal Church.

St. Francis Pet Memorial Garden

Installed in late 2017, the St. Francis Pet Memorial Garden is a resting place for the ashes of those pets that live in our hearts and memories. The serene, shaded garden was completed by St. Luke’s parishioner Ivey Smith as an Eagle Scout project.

Charitable Gift Annuity

A charitable gift annuity can be a meaningful way to support St. Luke’s while also providing you with a reliable source of income. In exchange for an irrevocable gift of cash or securities, a charitable gift annuity can provide fixed payments to you or another designated beneficiary for life.

Your gift can support the future of St. Luke’s while offering potential financial and tax benefits to you. It is one way to combine thoughtful financial planning with your desire to make a lasting difference in the life and ministry of the church.

Charitable Remainder Trust

A Charitable Remainder Trust can be a meaningful way to support St. Luke’s while providing income for you or your loved ones. By placing cash, securities or other appreciated assets into a trust, you may receive income from the trust for a specified period or for life. After that period, the remaining assets are distributed to St. Luke’s to support its mission and ministries.

A Charitable Remainder Trust may also offer potential tax benefits, including a charitable deduction and the opportunity to reduce or defer capital gains taxes on appreciated assets.

Gifts of Stocks and Bonds

Gifts of appreciated stocks, bonds and other securities can be a tax-efficient way to support St. Luke’s while making a meaningful investment in the future of the church.

When you give appreciated securities that you have held for more than one year, you may be able to avoid capital gains tax on the appreciation while receiving a charitable deduction for the gift, subject to applicable tax rules.

IRA Charitable Rollover

If you are 73 or older, you may be able to make a charitable gift directly from your IRA to St. Luke’s through a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). A QCD allows funds to be transferred directly from your IRA to St. Luke’s. For those who qualify, the distribution can count toward the required minimum distribution and may be excluded from taxable income, subject to applicable IRS rules and limits.

Your IRA can do more than provide for your future. It can help build the future of St. Luke’s.

IRA rules and tax benefits can vary. Please consult your financial adviser or tax professional to determine whether a Qualified Charitable Distribution is right for you.