One of the greatest gifts we can give our family and friends when we die is the space to grieve, however, this can be difficult if we do not plan ahead. Making a will is the only way to ensure your wishes are fulfilled, giving you peace of mind that you will be able to continue to support the family, friends and causes you love.
Throughout history, Christians have said how important it is to prepare for our own deaths, from St Francis in his Canticle of the Creatures, to the Book of Common Prayer admonishing us to make our will. Everyone knows it’s a good idea to write their will, but many of us put it off for another day. Setting some time aside to write your will means you choose what happens after you die, from financial to family commitments and even funeral plans, you know that you have left clear instructions on what you wish to happen.
You can also decide on any charitable gifts you may wish to leave, this could be to your church to help continue the ministry and mission or to a cause that is close to your heart. If you have children, you can state who you want to look after them and you can also choose who will look after your pets too. This will give you peace of mind, if the unthinkable happens, your loved ones will not only be cared for, but will know what you wish to happen, a weight off your mind and theirs.
For most people it is neither difficult nor complicated to write their will, and the Church of England have partnered with Farewill to offer free wills. Chris Boden, the Stewardship and Resources Officer, recently wrote his will using Farewill and says: “Writing my will has been one of those things I have put off, but actually it was very simple, and helped me think about my priorities and my loved ones. It was wonderful to think about how I can look after them if I die, and to look after the things I care about, such as my church and the charities which I already give to.”
To make this even simpler, we are offering short webinars where you can find out more about Farewill and hear from people who have used the service to write their own wills.
These are on Zoom at:
- Wed 25 October, 1-1.30pm;
- Tues 14 November, 12.30-1pm (repeated session)
- Wed 29 November, 2 – 2.30pm (repeated session)
To book online please visit: www.cofe-worcester.org.uk/writing-your-will
Even if you can’t make the webinars, you are still able to write your will for free with the Church of England. To do so:
- Go to www.cofe-worcester.org.uk/writing-your-will
- Click the Farewill link and follow the instructions
- Keep it safe and let family and friends know that it has been taken care of.
Thinking about life after death should not be difficult for Christians. Make sure you are prepared practically and spiritually, whatever your age; write a will and keep it up to date. We have a number of videos and resources available on our website too, from funeral planning, importance of will writing and the spirituality of death.
If you have any further questions you can contact the stewardship team, Chris and Robyn on stewardship@cofe-worcester.org.uk
Please note: while the Church of England has partnered with Farewill for the provision of free wills, Worcester Diocesan Board of Finance receives no direct financial benefit from advertising this service. Farewill can only offer to provide simple wills for free, and you may want to get further independent advice from a solicitor or tax advisor.
