"Leaving a gift to St Peter’s is the perfect way to make a lasting gift to God that will help the church family long into the future.”
The tower of St Peter’s Church has stood proudly over the coastal town of Portishead in Somerset since the fourteenth century. There is a real sense of the continuity of worship in its 700 years of serving the whole town.
For Tricia Margerison, it's the place where her young family grew up, attending Friday Club, church on a Sunday and parish away weekends. Her children attended the local linked primary school, and Tricia joined the governing body, eventually becoming its chairperson. St Peter’s was where the children were confirmed and where the eldest, Fiona, was married.
Tricia’s family are very much a part of the bigger church family at St.Peter’s and Tricia’s leadership has been a cornerstone of the church community since 1996. She was a churchwarden for 5 years during which time there was a major reordering of the church and an interregnum. She helped found the ‘Pebbles’ children’s group, and was part of the team leading it on Sunday mornings for many years. She is currently a lay pastoral assistant and a lay administrator at the Eucharist, as well as being part of a lay team that lead a monthly non-eucharistic service.
What gift could be more important?
By leaving a gift in her Will to St Peter’s, Tricia wants to ensure that future generations will also hear about Christ and receive his blessings. Such generosity is a wonderful commitment to the work of God in a parish.
“The Bible tells us to tithe our income and this is not something I have been able to do in my lifetime” says Tricia. “I’m able to give more generously through my Will. Leaving a gift to St Peter’s is the perfect way to make a lasting gift to God that will help the church family long into the future.”
As a former churchwarden, Tricia knows how timely and useful such a gift can be. Fundraising for a major refurbishment at St Peter’s was kick started by a legacy and this gave the congregation a huge psychological boost. When congregational resources are limited, great things can still be achieved with the gift of a legacy and this may be enough to get a church back on its feet.
Tricia is also committed to sharing the good news with the wider community and has just finished a year on the steering group for the Partnership for Missional Church, a Church Mission Society programme in which a number of churches in the Diocese of Bath and Wells are seeking to discern the nature and direction of future partnerships within their communities.
Investment in the future
To anyone considering a gift in their Will to their own local church, Tricia could not be more encouraging. “What gift could be more important?” she asks, “if you have been committed to Christ in your life and received his grace and love, a gift in your Will to your church is a chance to invest for the future continuation of Christian witness in your community. You cannot take the money with you when you die and you may not have used it to the benefit of others in your lifetime, so let it work for the good of others, and the glorification of God, after your death.”
Whether your role in church is big or small, leaving a legacy is a personal way of contributing to the future of the church in your area. To find out more about leaving a gift in your Will to your local church, get in touch today.