The Missouri United Methodist Foundation values good stewardship, and that includes reporting the numbers that tell part of our story. In 2025, the Foundation’s Putting Your House in Order workshop continued to grow across Missouri. During the year, workshops were hosted in 33 United Methodist churches, with 675 participants taking part in this practical and pastoral conversation about end-of-life planning.
Led by Rev. Laura Murphy, the workshop helps individuals and families organize their affairs, clarify their wishes, and prepare important documents that will guide loved ones when the time comes. As Murphy often tells participants:
“There is a statistic that says when people die in America, 50% die without a will or an estate plan. I’m on a personal mission to make sure United Methodists die on the right side of that statistic.”
While the numbers help measure reach, they only tell part of the story. Now in its fourth year, the deeper impact of Putting Your House in Order is often seen in the stories that come back to us later.
One pastor shared about visiting a beloved church member during his final days. As he sat by the bedside, his eyes fell on the nightstand where the Putting Your House in Order workbook lay nearby. The pastor later reflected on how grateful he was that the man had the guidance and support to leave his affairs organized for those he loved.
Another pastor recalled a gentleman who had attended the workshop at his church several years earlier. After the man passed away, the pastor met with the family to plan the funeral. The conversation began when the family pulled out the completed workbook. They expressed deep gratitude that their father had taken the time to fill it out, saying it helped them understand his wishes, care for him well at the end of life, and plan a meaningful service.
Sometimes the impact reaches across generations. One participant called to say he had helped his 85-year-old mother work through the workbook together. He thanked the Foundation for encouraging people to complete it with a family member. The process, he said, became a gift of conversation and connection, revealing stories and details he had never known before. By the end of the call, he asked for a workbook of his own.
And occasionally the results are both practical and joyful. One couple sought out Murphy nine months after attending a workshop at their church. With a smile they said, “We did the whole shebang!” Since the workshop, they had met with an estate attorney, created a trust, completed the workbook, talked with their children about their wishes, and even established a scholarship that will help future teachers. They admitted they had put off these decisions for years, but now felt an enormous sense of peace knowing everything was in place.
These stories remind us that estate planning is not simply about documents. It is about care for family, clarity for the church, and faithfulness in stewarding the life God has entrusted to us.
The Missouri United Methodist Foundation is grateful to the congregations that host these workshops and to the hundreds of individuals who take the time to prepare this important gift for their loved ones.
Because in the end, the numbers tell us how many people attended. But the stories tell us why it matters.