St. Mary's Planned Giving
- St. Mary’s has four established endowment funds available for immediate giving.
- No gift is too small for one of the established St. Mary’s endowment funds.
- You can establish your own named endowment fund at St. Mary’s with an initial gift of at least $5,000.
- When you give to a St. Mary’s endowment fund, your gift is never expended—only the earnings are used to support the specified purpose.
- By remembering St. Mary’s in your will, you can ensure that you touch the lives of others long after your life on earth has ended.
Unrestricted Endowment Fund
Initially established through the
generosity of parishioners, Leon and Leroy
Coffman, the St. Mary’s Unrestricted
Endowment Fund provides a way for you
to continue your pledge to St. Mary’s
indefinitely into the future.
Unlike the other St. Mary’s endowment
funds, distributions from the Unrestricted
Endowment Fund are not limited to a
specific purpose or use. They are used just
like your current pledge, to carry out the
mission and ministry of St. Mary’s as
determined by the vestry.
Like all of the endowment funds at
St. Mary’s, gifts to the Unrestricted
Endowment Fund are held in perpetuity and
only the earnings on your gift are available
for distribution. In this way your gift will
never be depleted but instead will be
available to keep on giving.
Community Benevolence Fund
The St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
Community Benevolence Endowment
Fund provides a source of funds for
outreach to our community. Distributions
from the fund are for charity and benevolence
to the larger community outside of
our Parish. Examples of appropriate
recipients include needy individuals,
philanthropic agencies, social service
organizations and programs designed for
those persons in our parish area who are
in spiritual and/or economic need.
Like all of the endowment funds at
St. Mary’s, gifts to the Community
Benevolence Endowment Fund are held
in perpetuity and only the earnings on
your gift are available for distribution.
In this way your gift will never be
depleted but instead will be available to
keep on giving.
Scholarship Fund
Established in memory of
Ms. Jeanette Hensley through the
generosity of her friends and family,
the Jeanette Hensley Scholarship
Endowment Fund awards scholarships
to members of St. Mary’s who are
graduating from high school to assist
with higher education or vocational
development.
Like all of the endowment funds
at St. Mary’s, gifts to the Jeanette
Hensley Scholarship Fund are held
in perpetuity and only the earnings
on your gift are available for
distribution. In this way your gift
will never be depleted but instead
will be available to keep on giving.
Capital Improvement Fund
The St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
Capital Improvement Endowment Fund
contributes to the mission and ministry
of St. Mary’s by providing the Parish a
resource for the purchase of items of an
enduring nature such as land, buildings,
equipment or furniture. Distributions
from the fund are also available for the
repayment of debt incurred to purchase
such items.
Like all of the endowment funds at St.
Mary’s, gifts to the Capital Improvements
Endowment Fund are held in perpetuity
and only the earnings on your gift are
available for distribution. In this way your
gift will never be depleted but instead will
be available to keep on giving.
Answers to Common Questions
I already make an annual pledge. Why should I consider giving to a St. Mary’s endowment?
Your annual pledge is used by St. Mary’s to fund current programs of mission, ministry and outreach and is generally expended in the year in which it is received. An endowment gift upon your death, or during your lifetime to remember a family member or a lost loved one, will provide a lasting measure of support for the church.
Where will my gift go and how will it be invested?
The Unrestricted Endowment Fund is managed by the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma on behalf of St. Mary’s. The Diocese employs professional money managers to invest in a portfolio of securities with an appropriately conservative risk/reward profile. The Diocese periodically provides financial reports to the Vestry on the investment performance and fund activities.
What would happen to the fund if St. Mary’s Church ever ceased to exist?
In the unlikely event that St. Mary’s Church is dissolved or disbanded, distributions from the fund would be used to aid other Episcopal churches in our community or region.
When are distributions made and in what amounts?
Distributions from the fund are made at the time and in amounts determined by the vestry. However, distributions are limited to the undistributed earnings of the fund. In this way gifts to the fund are never depleted and the fund continues to grow as new gifts are received.
Is there a minimum gift to a St. Mary’s endowment fund?
No. Gifts of any amount to any of St. Mary’s established endowment funds are always appreciated.
Are gifts to a St. Mary’s endowment fund tax deductible?
Yes. Gifts to these funds are treated just as your pledge for income tax purposes.
Can I gift securities or other property to a St. Mary’s endowment fund?
Yes. Gifts may include cash, securities or other property, subject to the Vestry’s acceptance policy.
How Can I Find Out More?
For more information about any of the endowment funds listed above, or to look into the possibility of creating a new fund, please contact
the rector for an appointment.