Planned Giving Committee

The Planned Giving Committee was formed in 2003 as a committee under the Board of Stewardship. It presently is composed of four members: Bob Lyle-- Chairperson, Betty Keirstead, Leigh King and Tim Patterson. The committee was established to build on the rich tradition of donations of assets for the continued benefit of First Church and its outreach programs. The gifts provided through the generosity of former members/friends throughout our Church's over 300-year history provide significant benefits for the current congregation and its programs.

Planned giving is one of several forms of giving to the Church. It involves giving from assets as compared to annual giving which typically involves giving from income. It is a part of stewardship whereby people are invited to become "stewards of the future," an aspect of stewardship that is frequently overlooked. It can be accomplished during the lifetime or after the death of the donor. It is a way of helping people to become faithful stewards in financial planning for families and the Church as part of the family.

The Mission/Vision of the committee is to promote planned giving, as a complement to annual and other giving and to strengthen the foundation of First Church (general endowment and designated needs) so that the Church will "be there" for future generations and will continue it strong outreach commitment.

Examples of planned giving include bequests; life income arrangements such as gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts and pooled income funds; charitable lead trusts; beneficiary designations of 401K plans and IRAs; outright gifts such as cash, securities and personal property; and gifts of life insurance.

The committee has established long term goals, such as making planned giving an integral part of stewardship, educating the congregation as to the various forms of planned giving and its individual benefits, increasing the number of members/friends committed to planned giving and recognizing those who have made planned gifts. It also establishes yearly goals concentrating on publicizing the program and education of members/friends consistent with long term goals.

The Andrew Robe Society was formed in honor of Mr. Robe, to recognize those people who have planned gifts to ensure the future well-being of our Church. In 1749 Mr. Robe made the first recorded gift to the Church, approximately two acres of land forming part of our current property on Hopmeadow Street, for a new meetinghouse. The Planned Giving Committee hopes the Andrew Robe Society will grow in membership and serve an important role in highlighting the importance of providing a strong foundation for First Church for future generations in Simsbury.

For those interested in supporting this vital program the committee welcomes inquiries. The committee maintains various written materials describing the different types of planned giving and how the various plans work. In the course of designing a planned gift, donors should consult with their personal financial or legal advisors.