Plan now for whole-life stewardship
By David Swartling
Whole Life Stewardship was an important focus in May. It provided the cornerstone of the sermon on Mother’s Day, served as inspiration for the effort to grow the Bethany Mission Endowment Fund, and drew more than 40 people to a presentation on estate planning. (If you missed this event or want a refresher, notes of Janis Cunningham’s presentation are outside the office.)
Although the calendar has turned to June, the importance of an up-to-date estate plan was underscored in the opinion piece in the Seattle Times on Tuesday titled “Too many Americans fail to plan for end-of-life care.” The article indicated that the percentage of people who have prepared for end-of-life decision-making on health care is astonishingly low, and the costs to individuals and society are astonishingly high. The author stated, “Failure to plan ahead makes it difficult, if not impossible, to achieve end-of-life goals.” As Christians we believe that such planning is part of Whole Life Stewardship, and it is important for ourselves, our loved ones, and our community. PLEASE take a few minutes and check your estate-planning documents (including powers of attorney and health-care directives), and consider making a legacy gift to Bethany or the ministry of your choice.