Large or small, every gift in a will makes a lasting difference. This gift is your legacy, part of the inheritance each generation passes on to the next. Over the years St John’s has benefitted from generous legacies.
Many of our well used facilities like the hall, the Changing Places toilet, and the church’s west door, would not be what they are today without the generosity of those who included the church as benefactors in their estates.
Our faith in Jesus teaches us that there is life after life. Jesus says we cannot take our treasure with us, so encourages us to give of our treasure generously in this life.
We hope you will consider leaving a gift to the church you have loved to help its ministry and mission thrive for the benefit of future generations.
Your will matters
Making a will and keeping it regularly updated is the only way to make sure your wishes are carried out after your death, giving you peace of mind that you can continue to support the family, friends and causes that you love.
For nearly 500 years the Church of England has encouraged people to make a will.
Making a will is usually simple and it’s good to get professional advice. A solicitor can give you independent expert advice about writing a new will or amending an existing will, and how to make sure your wishes are carried out.
Your solicitor can also advise you on the different types of gifts you can leave in a will. You can give a fixed amount of money, known as a pecuniary gift, which can be index linked to inflation.
Dividing your estate into shares, known as a residuary gift, can ensure that your will continues to reflect your wishes and is in tune with the church’s teaching on proportionate giving.
It’s also good to remember that a charitable gift in your will is tax free and may reduce the overall tax payable by your estate.
Making your will
We strongly advise you see a solicitor when writing or updating your will.
- Write a will online with Farewill using their free online service.
- Visit a solicitor or professional will-writer to make or update your will that details the type of gift you would like to leave.
Suggested wording for your will
“I give ____% of my residuary estate” OR “I give the sum of £_____ free of all taxes to the Parochial Church Council of the Parish of St John the Evangelist, Farsley in the Diocese of Leeds, and I declare that the receipt of an officer of the Parochial Church Council shall be a sufficient discharge to my executors and trustees.”
You can also find more information about legacy giving on the Church of England website.
