The Robert T. Thorne Society
The Minister of the Congregation is directed to instruct the people, from
time to time, about the duty of Christian parents to make prudent
provision for the well-being of their families, and of all persons to make
wills, while they are in health, arranging for the disposal of their
temporal goods, not neglecting, if they are able, to leave bequests for
religious and charitable uses.
Book of Common Prayer page 445
This rubric appears in a service titled A Thanksgiving for the Birth or Adoption of a Child. I was surprised when I first discovered it. How shocking to place a reminder of our mortality alongside the joy of a growing family. Must the minister always be so sobering?
And yet, here I am, nearly eleven years into both parenthood and priesthood, with my own recently revised Last Will and Testament, and only weeks removed from the premature death of brother-in-law, wondering why I have not spoken of this rubric more.
I have an old friend who made a ministry of helping people set up their estates. As their lawyer, he would often say how wills were unlike any other legal document he prepared. A will tells the story of a life. It names our accumulations: property, heirlooms, resources. It tells what we cherish: our churches, schools, and organizations. And most importantly, it speaks of family, the generations who will carry on after us. My friend saw this work as his sacred task, helping people thoughtfully steward their temporal goods, and leave a legacy that would bless others.
At the turn of the last millennium, Emmanuel looked toward the future with the creation of The Rev. Robert T. ThorneSociety. Named for our first rector, this legacy society invited members of the parish to remember Emmanuel in their estate planning. Such bequests offer a faithful way to return to God what has been entrusted to us, strengthening the mission and ministry of the Church for generations to come.
While the Thorne Society was active in its early years, it gradually faded from our common life. Yet even in its quiet absence, the legacy gifts of parishioners continued to bear fruit. These gifts have supported our annual operations, expanded outreach initiatives, and enhanced our beautiful campus. Through such generosity, our endowments have grown to more than $3.8 million.
Now, in a season of renewed growth and vitality, we are delighted to reintroduce and celebrate the Thorne Society. On Saturday, May 16, at 11:00 a.m., we will host a Thorne Society Brunch in the Parish Hall. This gathering will offer an opportunity to honor those who have made such commitments, and to share how these endowments are faithfully sustaining Emmanuel’s mission today.
If you have already included Emmanuel in your will, or if you would like to learn more about how to do so, we warmly invite you to RSVP to eec@emmanuel-parish.org and join us for this special occasion. It will be a joy to gather with you.