THE VOX AETERNA SOCIETY
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What do you want your legacy to be?
The Vox Aeterna Society gratefully acknowledges the individuals and families who choose to remember Opus 327 in their estate plans. A planned gift creates a rare opportunity to ensure that this extraordinary instrument continues to speak for generations to come.
Your gift allows the leadership of Opus 327 to invest in long-term preservation, to fund ongoing maintenance and restoration, and to respond to urgent needs without emergency appeals.
An instrument worth saving
Ernest M. Skinner’s Opus 327, installed at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in 1922, has logged an estimated 100,000 liturgies and thousands of hours of rehearsals and concerts over its century of life. Its 4,336 pipes still speak with grandeur and eloquence.
Fully restored in the 1990s, Opus 327 is one of a very few close-to-original Skinner organs left in the United States. Most organs of its size and quality from that era were altered beyond recognition or lost entirely. Opus 327 survived through good fortune, careful stewardship, and the generosity of people who understood what was at stake.
That work is never finished. Leather components age, mechanical systems wear, and restoration is always on the horizon. A planned gift is a way of saying that this instrument should still be here, still speaking, long after we are gone.
Ways to give
Bequest in a will or living trust
Designate a specific amount, a percentage of your estate, or a particular asset. Sample language is in our brochure.
Retirement assets
Naming Opus 327 as a beneficiary of an IRA, 401(k), 403(b), SEP or ESOP may let you give more than you expected, since income and estate taxes are not imposed when plan assets pass to a charity.
Payable on death designation
A POD designation on a bank account or CD names Opus 327 to receive the funds after your lifetime. You stay in control until then.
Life insurance or a donor advised fund
Donating a policy may allow an immediate income tax deduction. A contribution to a donor advised fund at your death may carry estate and income tax benefits.
Anyone can leave a legacy
Planned giving is for everyone. Whatever your age, income, or assets, a gift can be tailored to fit your circumstances. It can be as simple as naming Opus 327 as the beneficiary of a retirement account or a bank account, which takes a single form and no lawyer.
A planned gift costs you nothing during your lifetime, and it commits you to nothing today. You remain free to change your mind, adjust the amount, or redirect it entirely as your circumstances change.
For your attorney or beneficiary forms
Legal name: Opus 327 nfp
Federal tax ID: 46-4451659
Address: 939 Hinman Avenue, Evanston, Illinois 60202
Already made a plan? Please tell us.
If you have included Opus 327 in your plans, you are already a member of the Vox Aeterna Society. Letting us know means we can thank you properly and make sure your intentions are understood. Your gift may remain anonymous if you prefer.
If you are still considering, we would be glad to talk. There is no obligation, and every conversation is confidential.
Start the conversation
Peggy Newton, Executive Director
939 Hinman Avenue, Evanston, Illinois 60202
Or speak with any member of the Opus 327 board.