Summer Reflection: What Legacy Do You Hope to Leave?
Summer often invites us into moments of pause — graduations, family gatherings, travel, and time to reflect on where we have been and where we hope the future will lead. The pace of life shifts, if only briefly, and creates space to consider the people, experiences, and values that have shaped us.
As we think about those who have influenced our own journeys, we may also begin asking deeper questions: What has mattered most in my life? What values do I hope endure? How do I hope others will remember my impact?
Legacy is often misunderstood as something measured only in financial terms. Yet the most meaningful legacies are rarely defined by possessions or accomplishments alone. They are found in acts of generosity, lives of service, faith shared across generations, communities strengthened, and opportunities created for others. They live in the relationships we nurture and the causes we choose to support.
For many members of the Christian Theological Seminary community, legacy takes shape in the belief that theological education, spiritual formation, counseling, and faithful leadership can continue to transform lives and communities for generations to come. The impact of those commitments extends far beyond a single moment or season.
For some, reflecting on legacy also becomes an opportunity to consider how personal values might continue through future plans. A planned gift — whether through a will, retirement account, charitable trust, or another giving vehicle — can be one way to ensure that the people and institutions that have mattered most continue to flourish.
Planned giving is not reserved for a particular stage of life or for those with extraordinary resources. Often, it begins with a simple question:
What do I hope continues because I was here?
As summer offers time for rest and reflection, perhaps it also offers an invitation to consider the legacy you hope to leave — not only in the future, but in the lives you are shaping today.
To learn more about how legacy giving can support the mission of Christian Theological Seminary and help sustain faithful leadership for generations to come, we would welcome a conversation. Please contact, Dr, Kristin Champa, Vice President for Advancement at kchampa@cts.edu.
