photo jonn lavinnder

St. Michael & All Angels Cathedral, Kelowna

The Christmas Season is a good time to consider A Commemorative Gift In Memory or Honour of Another

One of the greatest satisfactions in making a charitable gift is the opportunity to pay tribute to someone who has touched you in a significant way. That's why commemorative gifts — in memory of someone deceased or in honour of one who is still living — are perennially popular and appropriate. Through such a gift, you may honour a relative and perpetuate your family name, or you may recognize a mentor or friend who has greatly shaped your life. At the same time, your gift expresses your own commitment to the future of your parish family and provides valuable support for the charitable purposes you believe in.

Various giving techniques may be used in making a commemorative gift, and each yields certain tax benefits. If you have available resources and would like to see your gift go to work at once, consider an "outright gift." Here's an example: Hannah's mother recently passed away and she wants to do something special to pay tribute to her memory. She contacts the church where her mother worshipped and volunteered for many years, and learns that it is seeking funding to renovate the Sunday school and Youth rooms attached to the parish hall. In memory of her mother, Hannah contributes $25,000 to pay for the project. The useful and attractive rooms will perpetuate her mother's memory and Hannah will receive a donation receipt for the full amount of her gift. Assuming a federal/provincial tax credit of 48 percent, that can yield income tax savings of as much as $12,000.

Hannah designated an immediate use for her gift. Other donors may prefer to direct their commemorative gifts to the parishes or diocesan endowment, where the gift principal remains intact and only the interest earned are used, either for a purpose designated by the donor or for the Church's general purposes. A "named endowment" is a particularly appropriate way to ensure that the name of the person honoured will be remembered far into the future.

Another way that may be used to make a commemorative gift is the "life income gift," which provides lifetime payments to the donor as well as a gift to the Church. Examples are charitable gift annuity and the charitable remainder trust.

John, a retired priest 74 years of age, wants very much to endow an annual grant for a seniors training program in the diocese in honour of his long time mentor and friend. Because he depends on the income from his assets, John contributes $75,000 for a charitable gift annuity. For the rest of his life, he will receive payments of $5,916 per year and 84% of this amount will be received tax-free. John is also entitled to a donation receipt of $18,750, reflecting the gift portion of his contribution that will be used to establish the (named) Fund.

A third technique for making a commemorative is the bequest. Michael's wife died last year, but he is deeply grateful to the parish where she found wonderful pastoral care and support from the clergy and lay leaders. As he updates his will, Michael includes a bequest to his parish church, where it will be used to establish an endowed fund in his wife's name. Income distributions from the fund will honour her memory and enhance an already effective pastoral ministry program. At Michael's death, his estate will receive a donation receipt for the full amount of the gift. The tax credit will offset taxes on other income, including capital gain, which must be reported on his final return. Hannah, John and Michael have discovered the satisfaction that comes from honouring a friend or loved one by means of a commemorative gift. You can discover it too. If you would like further information on the various ways of making a commemorative gift please do not hesitate to call. We would be pleased to discuss with you possible uses for your gift and appropriate recognition for the one in whose name it is given. Through your Church, your tribute to one person will touch the lives of many others.

For more information please contact:
Archdeacon David Irving
Tel: 250 762 3306
Email: archdcnkootenay@telus.net

National Anglican Conference Planned for 2009 at UBC Okanagan

by Peter Davison

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE — The organizing committee for the Anglican Histories conference: Catherine Dafoe Hall (left St. Andrew's, Kelowna), Bill Harrison (St. James, Lumby), Betty Way (All Saints, Vernon), and Peter Davison.

The Diocese of Kootenay will host a national conference at the UBC Okanagan campus from June 24 to 28, 2009. The conference theme is "Images of Incarnation — Histories of Anglicanism in Canada." The plural histories reflects a growing awareness that the story of our church in this country needs to be told from a variety of perspectives — regional, women, immigrants, First Nations, laity and clergy. The theme speakers will be Wendy Fletcher (Dean of Vancouver School of Theology); William Harrison of this diocese, and formerly Vice-Principal of the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad in Saskatoon; Alan Hayes (Wycliffe College, Toronto); Norman Knowles of St. Mary's University College, Calgary; Bishop Mark MacDonald (Canada's first national native bishop); and Archbishop Fred Hiltz, our Primate. There will also be papers from about 24 other people, and it is intended that the conference papers be published. The conference will be open to all interested persons - not just professional church historians. The organizing committee consists of (L-R) Catherine Dafoe Hall (St. Andrew's, Kelowna), Bill Harrison (St. James, Lumby), Betty Way (All Saints, Vernon), and Peter Davison. If you would like to participate in this conference, or to become one of its sponsors, please go to the conference Website www.imagesofincarnation.ca or contact any of the above persons.