Giving in Grace – supporting your Church

Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 
(2 Corinthians 9: 7)

Income for our churches comes entirely from the giving of our congregations and friends of the church.  Every week we have to pay for a variety of costs including heating and lighting, administration, telephones, flowers……the list goes on.   But our biggest cost by far is our contribution to the Diocese.  This covers clergy salaries, housing and training, support for less affluent parishes and contributions to mission work.  This is calculated by the Diocese based on the average number of people who attend our churches each week and adjusted for the comparative wealth of the parish.  This increases every year and we believe that next year’s increase will be bigger than ever.

Every year it is becoming increasingly difficult to balance our books.  As our household expenditure rises, so do the costs of running our churches and the contribution that the Diocese asks us to make.  The PCC tries its utmost each year to pay our commitments in full but this is becoming more worrying as each year passes.

We would dearly love to implement some of the ideas that the PCC has drawn up in its wish list.  We believe that these ideas would make a difference to the life of the church in Hutton.  It is important in the 21st Century that we do not stand still but attempt to move the church forward to meet the differing needs of our congregations. 

To meet our weekly expenditure and to implement these new ideas we must increase the level of giving in the parish. 

We know that the worldwide financial problems reflect on all our lives – they affect the financial position of the church as well.

If you already give by standing order, I would urge you to review the amount you give and consider increasing it if at all possible.  If you give using weekly envelopes I would again urge you to review the amount you give.

If you come to church regularly and give by putting money in the collection bag, please consider switching to a standing order or weekly envelopes.  Regular planned giving is vital to the continued financial health of the parish and to enable us to forward plan.  £1 committed weekly in this way is more valuable to us than £1 put in the bag when you come to church.  That pound is even more valuable to us if you sign a gift aid declaration if you are a tax payer.  It literally requires a signature – that’s all.  Once signed, we will receive a refund of tax on everything you give in the future. 

If you don’t come to church every week, please consider planned giving.  The costs to run the church have to be paid whether you are here or not and regular giving would mean that you are supporting the church even when you can’t be here.

Our giving represents our response to what God gives to us.  Does what you give each week really represent what God means to you?

You can support the Church in Hutton in the following ways:

ü  an individual donation

ü  a legacy - click here for an information leaflet 

ü  regular planned giving by Standing Order

ü  regular planned giving by weekly envelopes

ü  completing a Gift Aid declaration to enable us to reclaim tax on your donations.

Your giving supports the Church buildings, our worship and our ministry in the parish, as well as supporting the Church in less affluent areas of the Diocese.

Please contact the Parish Office for more information about financial support for your local church.