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Legacy Giving

What is the Vardry McBee Society? The Vardry McBee Society was established by Christ Church and the Christ Church Endowment Corporation to honor those who include our parish in their estate plans. Planned gifts of any amount qualify. All it takes to become a member of the Vardry McBee Society is to inform the church that you have made provision for Christ Church in your will or estate planning.

Estate gifts are held in trust by the Christ Church Endowment Corporation. The Fund enables the parish to develop and enhance ministries and properties beyond what is possible through annual operating funds. The Endowment Fund provides assurance that the life and ministry of Christ Church will continue in perpetuity.

Gifts can be made in life, by bequest, or on a deferred basis. Many of these gift opportunities offer significant financial benefits to the donor.

If you'd like more information, please contact Kristin Bennett at 864.672.4148 or complete this legacy giving interest form.


Leave a Legacy: Faithful Stewardship - Lasting Impact

There are simple steps that require little time, yet can be very beneficial in reducing your estate tax liability while making an enormous difference in the future of Christ Church. Although we do not provide legal or professional advice, we would be pleased to visit with you about basic bequest language or to engage in a deeper conversation about various additional planned giving options that might interest you. Want to know more? Click here for a list of Frequently Asked Questions. 

Click here for our Legacy Giving Interest Form.

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Vardry McBee Society Member Testimonial:
Leaders of Legacy

We are in the first decade of our third century, continuing the work begun as a mission parish. Thanks to the generosity of successful early settlers, Vardry McBee and Edward Croft, Christ Church obtained the land we continue to occupy two centuries later.

When at a wedding in Wilmington, NC, years ago, Cathy and I picked up a flyer explaining the legacy society of St. James Parish, named for its own early benefactors. Christ Church shared that experience at its founding, and we borrowed the idea, proposing that our parish should have our own counterpart legacy giving society.

The Vardry McBee Society was born, and we have included it in our estate plans. As members of Christ Church, we encourage you to learn more about the Vardry McBee Society and how your family can assist the future generations of Christ Church.

The following gift options are available to you.

Cash, Check & Credit Card

A gift of cash is easy to do, and the gift is not subject to gift or estate taxation. A contribution that you postmark in December is deductible for that tax year—even if the church receives it in January—provided the account against which the check was written had sufficient funds to cover it in December.

Charitable Bequest

If you would like to make a substantial gift to charity but you do not have the current disposable income or assets to do so now, consider a charitable bequest.

Real Estate: Retained Life Estate

Give property to Christ Church while retaining the right to occupy the residence or operate the farm.

Deferred-Payment Charitable Gift Annuity

If you are making the maximum annual contribution to your retirement account but are unsure whether there will be enough income when you retire, consider establishing a deferred-payment charitable gift annuity.

Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust

Provides for payment of a fixed-dollar amount—annually or at more frequent intervals—to the designated beneficiary(ies). The amount must equal at least 5% of the initial fair-market value of the trust.

Christ Church Charitable Remainder Unitrust

Provides for annual payments to the designated beneficiary(ies) of a specified percentage—at least 5% of the value of the trust as it is valued each year. Since the value may vary year to year, the payments may vary.

Gifts of Retirement-Plan Benefits—Estate

Retirement-plan benefits left to heirs are often more highly taxed than other assets. Consider giving them to Christ Church instead to make a meaningful gift and leave other assets to heirs.

Charitable Gift Annuity

In exchange for your gift, Christ Church will provide payments for life to you or a beneficiary you designate.

Vardry Mc Bee

About Vardry McBee

Vardry McBee has been called the Father of Greenville in recognition of his many contributions to our community. Referred to as “McBee’s Tithe,” his philanthropy included grants of land and lumber to build Greenville’s first churches. On September 2, 1825, Vardry McBee donated “four acres and twenty-three poles” for the establishment of an Episcopal Church, the first of Greenville’s original downtown churches. (Mr. McBee also later donated land for the first Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Catholic churches in Greenville.)

Because of this one individual’s generosity and vision, Christ Church thrives today as A Joyful Community Sharing Life in Jesus Christ. Like Vardry McBee, there are many faithful parishioners and friends of Christ Church, past and present, who have acknowledged their gratefulness to God and their love of this parish through planned giving. In addition to supporting the parish’s ministry and mission, a planned gift expresses your personal values and continues the stewardship of your life allowing you to have a lasting impact on the lives of others beyond your lifetime. Please consider including Christ Church in your estate plans.

10 North Church Street Greenville, SC 29601

864.271.8773

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