Javine and Scott McLaughlin

Among a certain vintage of Episcopalians, you only have to start, “All things come of thee, O Lord…” and the rest follows automatically, “… and of thine own, have we given thee.” It’s basically liturgical muscle memory.

Over the years, King David’s words from 1 Chronicles 29:14 have stopped feeling like something we recite and started feeling like a practical way to think about stewardship, generosity, and yes, even estate planning.

The Incarnation Foundation exists to make sure the mission and ministry of The Church of the Incarnation aren’t just maintained, but strengthened for the long haul. Budgets and programs come and go, but the Foundation is the steady hand that helps future generations find the same community, worship, and purpose that shaped us.

What led us to include the Foundation in our plans — and to join the Bishop Garrett Society — was a mix of gratitude and responsibility.

Not everything we’ve been given is ours to hold onto forever. Some of it belongs, in a very real sense, to the life of the Church that formed us. A planned gift is simply a way of saying our values don’t expire when we do.

It’s a quiet but powerful thing to know a decision made today can bear fruit long after we’re gone. For anyone considering it, planned giving doesn’t have to be complicated or come at the expense of your family’s needs. It can be as simple as designating a percentage or naming the Foundation as a beneficiary.

What matters most isn’t the size of the gift but rather the intention behind it. King David’s prayer still holds up today. Everything we have is, in a sense, on loan. Legacy giving lets the gifts that sustained us take root again and flourish for future generations.