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The Trinity Charter Society

Extending Trinity’s Legacy

Trinity has a long history and this guarantees that there will be a Trinity in the future, the doors will be open long after we’re here.

Your Gift is a Legacy

For more than 300 years, Trinity Wall Street has been a spiritual center in Lower Manhattan, serving as a place of worship and helping to create, inspire, and fund good works throughout the city, the nation, and the world.

In 1705, Trinity received one of its first gifts, a grant from Queen Anne of a large parcel of land on the west side of Manhattan. Trinity still owns some of this original grant, and throughout the years, revenues from the land have been used to fund Trinity’s programs and mission work.

As you have given gifts to God throughout your life, consider making a gift to Trinity in your will or as another type of planned gift. In addition to supporting the parish’s ministry and mission, planned gifts are a unique way to express your personal values, continue the stewardship of your life, and leave a lasting impact on the lives of others.

Over the years, thousands of parishioners and friends have left gifts to Trinity. The parish has a trusted history of using these bequests to give back to those in need and to assist those working to make the world a better place. Since its beginnings, Trinity has started, endowed, or aided more than 1,700 churches, schools, hospitals, and other institutions. Gifts honor Trinity’s long history and provide for the church’s commitment to the future.

Trinity Wall Street’s mission is for a world of good. Leave a gift to Trinity to continue that mission for years to come.

When we made our will, it was a natural decision to name Trinity. The church is such an important part of our lives that it was just an extension of our weekly contributions—an extension of the offering plate.

Gifts of God for the People of God

Gifts to Trinity come in all sizes and from many different types of people. The common wish for all gifts is that they be used by Trinity for good.

Trinity’s records of gifts date back to the 18th century and list a variety of bequests. One, left by a parishioner in 1784, is for the amount of 200 pounds to be used specifically for the Charity School. The impact of this gift, and others like it, is visible today because the Charity School was the precursor of the Trinity School, an independent school that still operates in Manhattan.

More recently, parishioner Charlotte Scott left an unrestricted gift to Trinity as part of her estate. Charlotte came to Trinity in the 1970s and was a faithful member who attended Sunday services without fail. She often served as an acolyte or thurifer.

In the same way that the gift of 200 pounds helped support the Charity School, Charlotte’s gift will support a Trinity-related program. Plans for how to use the bequest are still under discussion, but early suggestions have included setting aside a piece of parish property for people in Lower Manhattan to gather. Charlotte’s legacy will live on through her gift.

Planned giving is just a natural thing to consider. It’s our church.
For us, that says it all.

Membership

When you pledge to leave Trinity a gift, either in your will or through another type of planned gift, you will become a member of The Trinity Charter Society. Membership includes:

• Recognition, with your permission, at a Trinity Church worship service
• Acknowledgment in a Trinity Charter Society book in All Saints’ Chapel
• Invitation to an annual reception with the Rector and other Society Members
• A special Society Member gift

How to Give

You can continue your legacy by leaving a gift to Trinity in your will. Anyone can leave a gift, whether a parishioner, community member, or friend. If you would like to leave a gift, or have already planned to, please email us. With this information we can contact you to answer questions, review the variety of planned giving options, and help you with the process to finalize your gift.

Dr. Cooper on the Trinity Charter Society

Help Further Trinity’s Mission for a World of Good

We all have gifts, ones given to us by God and those that we give back to our family, friends, and the world. If you are a parishioner or a friend of Trinity, I invite you to remember Trinity in your will or through another type of planned gift. Your gift to Trinity can carry on good works for years to come.

For more information and to discuss how your gift can make a difference, email us.


The Rev. Dr. James H. Cooper
Rector, Trinity Wall Street

The Trinity Charter Society

The Society’s name was inspired by Trinity’s Charter, approved in 1697 by Governor Benjamin Fletcher on behalf of King William III of England. The ornate document, still held in Trinity’s Archives, describes everything the church’s founders wanted their new parish to be. The charter was essentially the first gift, for it created Trinity Church, making possible all that the parish has done since.