Martyn Hart Legacy Society

The Martyn Hart Society recognizes individuals who have made provisions for the future ministry of Saint John’s Cathedral. These legacy gifts represent a belief in God’s work at Saint John’s and a desire to continue stewarding this strong Episcopal community beyond your own lifetime. Through God’s grace and the generosity of the Martyn Hart Legacy Society members, Saint John’s Cathedral will continue to bring the message of love and hope to the city of Denver and beyond for generations to come.

This legacy society is named for the Reverend H. Martyn Hart, who was the Dean of the cathedral for forty years. During his tenure, he became one of Denver’s most prominent and influential leaders. He was a supporter of women’s suffrage and was one of the founders of the Denver Charity Organization Society, which later became the international organization known as the United Way. He created a significant legacy in Denver, Colorado, and beyond.

Gifts of any size are graciously accepted and appreciated, and we don’t need to know the particulars of your gift, only that you have made plans. The amount that is pulled from the endowment each year to support the operating budget is a 4% draw based on a 13-quarter average. The endowment is overseen by our Investment Committee, which reports to the vestry and includes financial professionals.

Once you have informed Saint John’s that you have made arrangements to make a legacy gift, you will be named a member of the Martyn Hart Legacy Society. A wall in Dr. Willam Winter Memorial Hall displays the names of living members of the society, as well as the names of the faithful departed. Your intentions will inspire others to leave a legacy gift and will ensure that Saint John’s will continue to share Christ’s love and Episcopal community with people for generations to come.

There are several ways to make a legacy gift to Saint John’s Cathedral:

Bequest: A bequest through a will (or personal trust) is the simplest and most commonly planned gift. It names Saint John’s Cathedral as the beneficiary as a designated percentage, cash amount, or residue of your estate or property. If you already have a will, you need not rewrite it. You can add a provision for Saint John’s through a simple codicil.

Qualified Retirement Plan, IRA, or Life Insurance: These planned gifts name Saint John’s Cathedral as the primary beneficiary and have tax advantages. 

Life Income Gifts: Life income gifts enable you to gift an asset to Saint John’s Cathedral now, but continue receiving income from that asset. 

Charitable Trusts: With a gift of $100,000 or more, charitable trust donors make a gift in return for annual income based on the terms of the trust and receive tax advantages.

Using these legacy gift-planning methods, you may create exemptions from capital gains taxes, claim income tax charitable deductions, and reduce costly estate or probate taxes in accordance with present tax laws.

For more information about the Martyn Hart Legacy Society or any aspect of legacy giving, please contact our Director of Stewardship, Gordon Brooks, at or 303-577-7719.

Click here for additional resources for making a legacy gift to Saint John’s.