Bell Tower Legacy Fund
Welcome to the Bell Tower Legacy Fund — a unique opportunity for enduring support at Calvary. Your legacy gift ensures a lasting impact on our community.
The Bell Tower Legacy Fund is an endowment that provides extra income for Calvary beyond regular gifts, with a balanced-risk investment policy managed by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas’ Investment Fund. Up to 5% of the fund’s performance may be distributed yearly in the form of grants. Generated income funds non-recurring projects in the following mission-related categories: Music and Worship, Spiritual Formation, Community Outreach, Building Improvements, and Debt Reduction.
Church leaders can propose initiatives aligning with these categories during grant review cycles, reviewed transparently by the Bell Tower Legacy Fund Committee.
Regular updates will be provided through the bulletin, The Scroll, and the annual Ministry Report.
Make a legacy gift or complete the Bell Tower Society Intention Form to secure lasting support for Calvary. Download the intention form below and email it to legacygiving@cecbastrop.org or mail it to our physical address.
1. $1,000 Grant – Spring Street Landscaping Project
Awarded to the Calvary Landscape Team to enhance the sanctuary grounds with new plants and ground cover. This volunteer-driven project will improve curb appeal and create a welcoming space for parishioners and visitors, benefiting 500+ people.
2. $5,500 Matching Grant – Sanctuary Restoration & Beautification
Awarded to Calvary Episcopal Church to restore stained-glass window frames and repair concrete corbels. The project will protect the historic stained glass sanctuary windows from water damage as well as reduce safety hazards while enhancing the exterior beauty of the church. The work will be completed by a mix of professional contractors and volunteers. This effort supports worship, outreach, and historic preservation, with broader funding efforts led by the vestry and Stewardship Committee.
- Children’s Ministries, 2024: Safety Equipment – This grant funds the hardware necessary to keep our children safe at church events.
- Music Ministry , 2024: Choir Robes – This grant funds extra robes in sizes appropriate for most women or children. We currently do not have any available. This also includes some black robes and cottas/surplices.
- Calvary’s Women Ministry, 2023: OWL – An OWL allows for 360° video and audio in multiple video conferencing platforms. This portable device automatically focuses on whoever is speaking to foster active collaboration and increased participation, while showing a 360° view of the room. This grant was submitted as an opportunity to offer Women’s Bible Study to those who are unable to attend in-person meetings. This device has since been incorporated into adult formation, church-related meetings. It has proven to be a useful tool to keep people engaged in the larger community who otherwise may not be able to participate.
- Open Door Lunch Ministry, 2023: Thursday Lunch Handout Ministry – The Soup Kitchen developed water problems last summer, had to close their kitchen, and could no longer provide the 60+ sack lunches each week. This grant provided a financial stopgap measure to help alleviate food insecurity in Bastrop.
- Youth Ministry, 2023: Jungle Quest VR – This grant funds a virtual reality team building exercise designed to cement relationships among the youth. This tool will be instrumental in attracting congregants, and their friends, and perpetuate a vibrant youth program.
