Westminster Members Reflect on Legacy Giving

 Karen Gasche

“In my role as Celtic Worship Coordinator for Westminster, I found this prayer attributed to St. Aiden of Lindesfarne (early 600s): May I live until my season of worship is complete.

Designating Westminster in my will as the recipient of a Legacy Gift assures that my season of worship can be extended to this vibrant, supportive community even after my earthly life is done."

Ruth Lane

“I made a Legacy Gift to Westminster because it is the kind of church I’ve been searching for my whole life.  It’s rooted in tradition, yet forward-thinking....open to sharing the faith in new ways."

 
Dureen and Rick Ruff: A Lifetime of Blessings and Faithful Membership 

“After so many years of membership, making a Legacy Gift seemed like the natural thing to do.”

Dureen and Rick Ruff have been an integral part of Westminster for 51 years. With Baptist and Congregational roots, the young couple visited several downtown churches back in the 1950s, but Westminster was clearly their choice after one visit. As the four Ruff children were born, each was baptized in the Westminster sanctuary, and spent formative spiritual years in the Westminster congregation before launching careers elsewhere.

Through the intervening decades, the Ruffs’ deep and faithful involvement has touched nearly all aspects of the church, including “Merriweds,” (young couples’ club), Mothers’ Club, Women’s Association, Choir, Church School, Christmas Dinners, and serving on the Property Committee and all three governing Boards. Being a part of the Sanctuary and Chapel Restoration and the New Addition planning committees was especially challenging and rewarding.

As their family grew up and moved away, Dureen and Rick decided to plan for the future, establish an estate plan and draw up a will. Their financial advisor and an attorney helped them think through the process, and create bequests to Westminster and their alma maters, the University of North Dakota and Stanford University. In Dureen’s words, “We were planning to leave gifts to family, and it just seemed natural to include Westminster, which we consider to be our extended family. We can’t imagine our life without Westminster. Over the course of our lives, we have been blessed with the love of wonderful children and grandchildren, rewarding careers and good health. Creating a gift for Westminster is one way of expressing our gratitude for those blessings and showing our appreciation for the joy we have experienced in being a part of this community for more than half a century.”

Gratitude, Values, and Hope: Vince Thomas's Legacy Gift
By Mary C. Hess, Director of Legacy Giving

On Legacy Sunday this spring, Elder Vince Thomas decided to ask his attorney to complete wills for himself and his wife Barbara, and to include a bequest to Westminster in his will. He agreed to share his thoughts with me for this article.

You’re 48. Why did you decide to finish your will and make a Legacy Gift now, at a relatively young age?
Barb and I met with our attorney to prepare our wills when our children (Mary, 14, and Michael, 9) were younger, but put off the final work when things got really busy. As a lawyer, I know the importance of a will; it would be quite ironic for a lawyer to die and leave his heirs without a will. Although I’d look bad if that happened, it’s not about me. It’s about Mary and Michael, and the institutions I care about. 

Was it difficult?
No. Our attorney laid out the entire process for us at our first meeting. After that, it was primarily assembling information that we already had. The Legacy Program made it easy to make a bequest to Westminster.

What motivated you to make a bequest to Westminster in your will?
Westminster has been a blessing to me and to my family, and I am grateful.  I support the church now, with an annual pledge, and I want to support it when I die, with a Legacy Gift. As Clerk of Session, I’ve seen up close how important Westminster’s endowment is to its ministry. Previous generations, most notably, one of my predecessors as Clerk, gave money to the endowment in their wills to ensure that Westminster is sustained. It’s my generation’s turn. Third, I value philanthropy, and I respect people who give gifts to institutions at any time in their lives. Finally, I want to set an example for Mary and Michael, so that they know the importance of giving back. I hope they will remember this, and do the same thing for their churches when they are adults.

What has been the benefit of this process for you and your family?
This was an important “to do” item for our family, and now it’s done.  Saying thank you to Westminster through a bequest was a natural thing to do when we’ve been so blessed. It feels good to know that my family has done something to be a blessing to others.

Nancy Slaughter: A Legacy of Civic Leadership

A nearly lifelong Presbyterian, Nancy Slaughter grew up in Stillwater, Minnesota, where she was well-known in the neighborhood for her friendly visits to elderly people in need of a helping hand. This sense of responsibility for others has extended throughout her entire life and informed nearly all her decisions, including her decision to make Westminster a beneficiary in her will.

As one of two daughters of civic-minded parents in the early 1950s, Nancy was taught early the importance of taking responsibility for her own financial future and sharing with others. Her father would often sit with his daughters and explain how he made financial decisions and why he gave time and support to various causes. This sense of civic duty left an indelible impression and was one of the sparks that encouraged Nancy in her career as a teacher, fundraiser, and volunteer on many non-profit boards, including Presbyterian Homes and Services, Macalester College, The Women’s Foundation of MN, Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library, and numerous others.

Nancy joined Westminster in 1978 when she moved downtown. The church has since become a foundational aspect of her being. “Westminster was there for me at a crucial period in my life, when I lost my parents and good friend in quick succession. I met several very strong women role models who supported me through this difficult time. This community has become a regular focus of my week, kept me intellectually engaged, and provided me with many leadership and mentoring opportunities.” Nancy has become an integral part of Westminster, and over the years has served in a wide variety of leadership roles including Elder, Assistant Treasurer, Trustee, MRP, Stewardship, Town Hall Forum, and Sunday/Monday Connections.

Nancy first did an estate plan some forty years ago and periodically revises it to be in step with tax laws and her current needs and interests. At the recommendation of her attorney, she has funded her charitable bequests with tax-deferred assets, including her retirement accounts. This has helped her maximize the gifts to the causes and people she cares most about. In her words, “Adding Westminster to my will seemed almost automatic. It is my spiritual home, and I want to make sure that the next generation has similar opportunities that I have had through Westminster: to lead in creating a better society, to mentor others, and to serve the greater good.”

Estate Planning: Providing for What’s Meaningful
By Phil Asgian

My invitation to Westminster came in a tavern in North Germany. My then co-worker Barb Thomas, of Westminster, and I were training colleagues in Lueneberg, Germany, and stopped for dinner after a day’s work. At the time, I was looking for a new church home. Barb suggested Westminster. I had never set foot in a Presbyterian church in my life and knew little about this religious tradition. That was 1996. My first experience at Westminster was singing in the summer choir. Since then I have also served on several committees and task forces, became an elder, and served on session. My interests primarily involve helping build community through music, education and social justice. Westminster is an important part of my life.

In 2008 after talking with a couple family members and some close friends about their recent experiences on preparing wills, trusts and estate plans, I decided now was time to begin getting my own house in order and prepare an estate plan. I had a great clipping file of information on the subject, but most of that was outdated. I thought seriously about what has brought meaning to my life, how I could make things easier for family members, and how what I have accumulated could best further my interests.  I met with an attorney and got started. 

The process triggered several discussions. It forced me to think about priorities—what I had and how those assets might be of greatest use. When I listed what had brought the greatest meaning in my life in rank order, Westminster was near the top to the list.That told me a lot about what should be in the estate plan and how it should be executed. 

I would strongly encourage anyone who, like me, thought about this process but just hadn’t taken that next step to make estate planning a priority—maybe even this year. It is very helpful to take stock of what we have, and to help ensure that that which has given us many riches lives on to enrich the lives of others.

For information on how you can create a Legacy Gift to Westminster, contact Mary C. Hess, Director of Legacy Giving, 612.332.3421 or email Mary.