Estate Planning

Dear Beloveds,

This past Sunday we held a very informative and important class for our church. Thanks to our Stewardship elder George Browning, we had two incredible attorneys, our very own Joanna and Elan Darvish, present a class on Estate Planning. It was a remarkable afternoon of learning, and we are so thankful for their efforts and time.

Perhaps you have everything all sorted out for emergencies and your death, or perhaps you think that you don’t have much of an “estate” to think about; we learned that no matter your age or your financial situation, planning for the future now is not only wise, but also a loving thing to do for your family.

Elan and Joanna walked us through many details, from PourOver wills, Living Trusts, and one of the most important items that seems to bring people anxiety, a Health Directive. Having a health directive is crucial for ensuring your medical wishes are honored and respected when you are unable to communicate them. This enables your medical team and more importantly, your loved ones, to have clarity and peace of mind during crucial situations. This important legal document safeguards your autonomy and some control of your preferences during treatment if you cannot speak for yourself.

Joanna and Elan told us that as estate attorneys this is one of the items that seems to delay a lot of planning, as people have understandable anxiety and concern about deciding on these things. As a chaplain intern at Cedars Sinai and also in my work as a Hospice chaplain, I cannot tell you the numerous times that I have seen families in a horrific situation where their loved one who is the patient cannot speak for themselves and does not have a health directive, and the trauma that it brings to the family at an incredibly stressful time. Families are forced to make excruciatingly painful decisions in a time when everyone is under a great deal of duress.

It is my strong belief that having an advanced health directive aligns with our values as disciples of Christ, as we are honoring stewardship, compassion, and the sanctity of life. By creating a directive for yourself you can ensure that your medical decisions are guided by your faith even if you're unable to express them in the future. It is also a very loving gift to your family, as it relieves them of the burden of making difficult decisions on your behalf knowing that they are following your wishes in accordance with your faith. By taking this proactive and mindful step, you can demonstrate your trust in God's plan for your life!

Talking about death and dying is not fun, but important for us to face bravely and thoughtfully as a people of faith. As a postscript, I invite you to join me in reading a book I just started: The Good Death: An Exploration of Dying in America by Ann Neumann. I have only read the first few pages, but it is quite captivating!

For more information on this topic, including how to complete your own health care directive, you can visit this link.

With great love for you,

Pastor Grace