GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH FOUNDATION NEWS Caring for the Ministry of Grace: "Ecclesia Perpetua" September 2010
Board of Directors Carolyn Warloe President Tom Kiersky Treasurer Hal Dick Secretary Shelly Lundahl Director Kris Saathoff Director Anne Orwick Director Neil Christensen Director Cellen Coakley Ex-Officio Pastor Wendell Hendershott Ex-Officio Joy Linn Administrative Asst. The Grace Lutheran Church Foundation is a professionally managed corporate nonprofit foundation established by Grace Lutheran Church, Corvallis, Oregon.
	Unprepared Presidents Dying without a Will
	Abraham Lincoln died without one. So did Presidents Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, and James A. Garfield. All went to their graves without writing a will, the granddaddy of all mistakes in estate planning. And the need for a will has grown even more important as we live longer and perhaps become more affluent. Still, seven out of ten Americans die without a will.     Even for someone with moderate assets, an updated, valid, and properly written will is a necessity. It should designate who will administer the estate and see that debts are paid and assets distributed as per your wishes. When people draw up their own will or use standard forms, mistakes can make	them invalid. One example would be having beneficiaries like your heirs witness the signature instead of disinterested parties.     If you have moved from another state, you should have your will reviewed by a lawyer in Oregon.     Some people die with a valid will but leave their family scrambling to find vital documents. Asking your parents where the key to their safety deposit box is kept can seem like an invasion of privacy. The same applies to asking them where their stocks are held. But these are important questions.
	Calmly Doing Your Will
	Getting around to writing or updating a will is one of those things that seems to always wind up at the bottom of our "to do" list. We do not want to stop what we are doing to spend time contemplating our demise and making decisions about the distribution of the financial blessings that we have. We know it is important to be a good steward who has an up-to-date will but we keep putting it off for a more convenient time.     Sometimes, however, we get a nudge that makes us act. Like the woman who made a call, she had decided last year that her will was not what she wanted. She had planned to get it changed but there were so many other things for her to do. She finally made the call because she had had two heart attacks in two weeks. A very BIG nudge!	Lawyers say that when someone calls saying they need to get their will done quickly, the first thought is "I wonder where they are flying off to." A long journey motivates people into getting their "house in order." Sometimes it is the death of a friend or family member who did not have a will that makes us act. Watching the added grief of the family trying to figure out what and where is very troubling.     Good stewardship would be to take care for your will now when you are not facing an emotional reaction to the death of a loved one, a trip deadline, or even the unsettling news of a physical problem. It is so much better to write or update your will when you have the time and mental quietness to concentrate on making sound decisions regarding your estate ... when you can do it calmly.

Grace Lutheran Church Foundation Financial Report January 1 - June 30, 2010 Contributions Foundation Total Assets * Expenses $954.75 $465,613.98 $4,491.73 Projects Approved Baptism 'donations' for children under     age 16, $50 each Haiti (matching gift, Brian Smith Fund) Grand piano repair (Music Fund) Youth and Adult Safety Policy Memorial Funds Bookkeeper Computer (Skwark) QLC Quilting Fund (Bob Corl) $550.00 $1,000.00 $800.00 $500.00     $1,000.00 $265.00       Total Projects $4,115.00 * The Foundation's total assets on January 1, 2010 were $487,390.18. The Board of Directors acknowledges the generosity of the following people for donations: April 2010 In Memory of Bob Corl Maud Corl, Corvallis, OR In Memory of Billie Simonson Phyllis Mesecar, Corvallis, OR Tools to Help with Wills     Free documents from the ELCA Foundation can be of great help. If you are making or redoing a will or other estate plan, you may want to have a copy of Your Will and Trust Workbook.     To inform family and friends of the location of documents and other information they will need, the Foundation offers Notes for my Friends and Family.     To receive either of these booklets, contact one of the Board members of the Grace Lutheran Church Foundation.

Doing your Will - Easy as ABC     Many people find it easy to delay making a will. They find it easy to procrastinate because they think estate planning is hard. But it really is not all that difficult - at least in most cases. In fact, creating a will can be as easy as ABC. Assets - Begin by making an inventory of all your assets: insurance, bank and brokerage accounts, real estate, vehicles, everything you own. Once you have the list, you have a rough idea of the total value of your estate. Beneficiaries - Who do you want to receive your assets? Consider family needs and obligations. Think on how you have been blessed and how you might be a blessing by remembering your congregation and other ministries. Confidants - Choose trustworthy persons to provide legal and other professional assistance, as well as a personal representative to help settle your estate. If you have minor children, you will also need to select guardians and trustees.     Once you have listed your assets, selected your beneficiaries, and chosen your key people to assist you, it is time to act. Don't delay. Contact an estate planning attorney right away and move forward.     While creating a will is easier than you might have thought, it will take some time. The end result will bring a sense of peace. We thank the Oregon Synod Director of Planned Giving for the articles contained in this newsletter.