Published on 28th of September, 2018
Every year the Christchurch Methodist Mission is remembered by people from all walks of life that leave a gift in their Will to help those in need.
During the 2017-18 year, 22 generous donors remembered the Methodist Mission in their Will. These gifts have been used to fund the Mission's work supporting children, families and older people throughout our community.
A donor that has made provision in his Will for the Methodist Mission says that his childhood experience of posters depicting suffering children in post-war Europe and seeing his parent's generosity towards this cause left a lasting impression on him. "A certificate acknowledging my parent's gift to a charity for displaced folk that spoke of 'the children in Europe who daily cry for food' still speaks to me," he says. "Later in life the Bible has spoken clearly to me through the words of the Old Testament prophets saying protect the widowed, fatherless, the poor and strangers in your gates. This message is implicit in Jesus' words and ministry – a ministry epitomised in the work of the Christchurch Methodist Mission today."
Through his roles as a Methodist Minister and Chaplain to Auckland's Methodist Mission, this donor saw individuals and families desperately struggling against social, economic and government policies. This reaffirmed to him that leaving a gift in his Will to help others was something that he wanted to do. "My Will's promise carries on my belief in the Mission's divinely directed ministry to human need. I will continue to support its work and other just causes such as rescuing brown bears that are in captivity," he adds.
Leaving a gift in your Will to the Christchurch Methodist Mission, after friends and family have been taken care of, is an easy way to make a lasting difference to children, families and older people in need. You may not be able to give in your lifetime, but making a decision to leave a gift in your Will can help many others after you have passed on. Like the donor above, your gift can embody your life and the causes that you care about.
If you would like to know more about leaving a gift in your Will to the Christchurch Methodist Mission, we have provided some information for you here. If you wish to speak to someone about this important decision, please contact leaveagift@mmsi.org.nz. Alternatively, contact your legal advisor.
