Planned Giving

history of st. matthews

St. Matthews has a unique history in Pennington. Many of it’s citizens, not necessarily Episcopal, played a part in establishing what is today St. Matthews. The faith community was founded in 1921 with nine key families who established what was then called St. Matthews Chapel. It has grown steadily and now includes over 300 families. 

introduction

St. Matthews welcomes all who are in the midst of a spiritual journey, and long to be closer to Jesus Christ. The church conducts two morning services on Sunday, along with Christian education classes for children.  In the community we plan local and international mission trips, adult education opportunities and fun activities for the whole family.

purpose

In order to conduct our programs and maintain our facilities St. Matthews conducts an annual stewardship campaign in order to meet our budget needs.  Another source of support are the gifts parishioners and friends leave the church when their life on earth comes to an end. They have been thoughtful in preparing their estate plans and wills to include St. Matthews.  Many capital projects have been funded over the years by these types of gifts.

The leadership of St. Matthews would like to make our friends and parishioners aware of this giving opportunity.   

In order to meet the needs of our growing church community, St. Matthews supports a variety of programs and efforts:

Legacy

How will you establish your legacy?  By making a will, you appoint your own administrator; you control your applicable taxes; you create a family or charitable trust; and you can share your resources with your family, your church, or other institutions you choose.  Many times you can make a larger gift than you thought possible. Surprisingly, 50 to 70% of all church members die without a will. 

Probably the most common type of gift through a will is a bequest.  A bequest can take the form of a set amount of money, a percentage of an estate, a specific asset, or a trust.

Sample language for including the church in your will might be: “I give, devise, and bequeath (state amount, asset, or percentage of estate) to (name and address of church) to be used (describe use) or as the church’s governing board or vestry deems appropriate.

As always, please consult an Attorney, Accountant and/or Financial Advisor about charitable contribution strategies and associated tax ramifications.

Please contact a member of the clergy through the parish office if you are interested in making a bequest or estate gift.

The office phone number is 609-737-0985. All interactions are strictly confidential.