280 likes | 367 Views
As you arrive…. Can you think about each of the following, to discuss a little later?: A success/good idea to celebrate in the parish/mission community which you can share & might be helpful for others A problem/issue which you can air and hopefully get some helpful advice!.
E N D
As you arrive…. • Can you think about each of the following, to discuss a little later?: • A success/good idea to celebrate in the parish/mission community which you can share & might be helpful for others • A problem/issue which you can air and hopefully get some helpful advice!
“Everyone gives as much as they can” Encouraging a new vision for giving in our churches
God’s Grace Archbishop Rowan Williams The thing that God gives more than anything else is himself. He doesn’t just give us life, but his life, his energy, his curiosity, his creativity. Receiving the grace of God is like a crevice halfway down the Niagara Falls saying that it receives some water! Receiving isn’t the word to describe the abundance of the water. “There’s not a great deal of point in the rocky crevice halfway down saying, “Well, I think I would like to hold on to some of this water.” You really haven’t got much option. It falls on you and it bounces off, that’s what waterfalls do! It’s given to us to be givers, to pass on an intensity of outpouring.”
Parish Giving 2009 • The highest planned giving per person often comes from parishes with the lowest socio-economic grades (eg. IMD of E) • The lowest planned giving per person often comes from parishes with the highest socio-economic grades (eg IMD of B or C) • In most deaneries planned giving levels vary widely between less than £100pa and more than £1000pa • Conclusion: wealth of a particular parish is no guide to the level of giving
Four words underpin the report…. Discipleship Mission Generosity Lifestyle Giving for Life
General Synod’s resolution… reconfirm its challenge to church members to assess annually their financial giving as a proportion of income and to adopt as an initial target the giving of 5% of their after tax income to and through the church, and a similar amount to other work that helps to build God's kingdom. commend the accompanying PCC Guide to parishes for prayerful discussion and action. and…
Four Key Tasks : 1 Preaching & Teaching Generosity Aim to nurture holistically generous disciples, rather than fix church finances – faithraising, not fundraising!
The impact of money stories….. • on ourselves… our congregation… • our churches….
A Framework for Generosity The bible suggests our giving should be: A priority – not from spare change (Deut 26:2-3) Prayerful (1 Chronicles 29:10-14) Planned – but not rigid (2 Cor 9:7) Proportionate (1 Cor 16:2, 2 Cor 8:11-13) In community (Acts 2:42-47) Sacrificial – in our lifestyle (Luke 21:1-4) Cheerfully given (2 Cor 9:7,8) When did you last hear a sermon or teaching on giving?
Sir, we would see Jesus…… • Wrestling with God’s economy in scripture • Context for giving is dependence and trust in God • Giving is not fundraising! Not rooted in church needs, but rather… • becoming a disciple of Jesus • like Jesus, reflecting the nature of God as giver • Stewardship is always vulnerable, revisiting dependence on God’s provision. Giving for Life
The money problem….. Not just giving but a 360orelationship to money. 100% stewardship Money talk, however biblical, is filtered through our intense emotions around money. There will always be denial and resistance A prayerful & spiritualmatter rather than a balancing of the books. A long haul ministry
Four Key Tasks : 2Linking giving with Mission/Vision Why give to the Church? Express outcomes not just cost areas. primary school assemblies grieving families comforted Church open as spiritual space Marriage preparation Work with x young people What would be your top 3? Mission Vision
Four Key Tasks : 3Saying Thank You! Write and say “thank you” each year. Values givers January or April are good times Template letters available Link with what theirgiving has enabled. Have you been thanked for your giving?
Four Key Tasks : 4Help givers review their giving annually Covenants gave four year review. Annual review much better : It’s the way most of our finances work Maintains momentum What do you do in your parish & mission community? Variety essential! Larger programme once every 3 or 4 years Smaller activity in between.
First, the good news: • Tax-efficient planned giving up 6% to £6m • Gift aid up 4% to £1.9m • average weekly giving per planned giver up from £7.15 to £8.03 • External charitable giving up 4% at £974,000
Now the bad news…. • The number of tax-efficient givers fell 5% in 2009 • (collections fell by 6% to £1.5m) • Legacies down 37% to £1m • Regular church expenditure up 5% (including running expenses up 7% and utility bills up 15%)
Reasons not to increase giving • Recession – giving is going up still • Distrust of diocese– Common Fund doesn’t even pay for cost of parochial clergy, let alone other diocesan services; need for greater understanding of diocese • View of Church Commissioners – have performed above average; and most of funds go to pay pensions • We get fewer services/we have to share our priest with the next door parish– explain the real cost of clergy, and that they are just one part of team; • Why should we support other parishes in the diocese who are not as mission-minded as us?– a scriptural obligation to be part of common family
Focus for review of giving Encouraging more people to become planned givers.“you shall take some of all the fruit of the ground” (Deut 26:2). Encouraging existing tax-efficient planned givers to give proportionately. “each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income” (1Cor 16:2) 3) Promote legacygiving – this can be the most realistic way for those of us with a capital asset (our home) but low income, to plan to give to the church Explore other funding – grants for community activities, support from occasional and non-churchgoers
Some ideas from recent events • encouraging donations from baptism families in advance of the baptism day – this produces significant sums there and removes the need to be asking for donations from the family on the day. • sponsoring new individual church heaters; • setting up a heritage group which can attract other sources of funding and draws new people into the life of the church; • combining pastoral care visiting with a way of inviting people to the annual stewardship day • operating the post office from the church and serving coffee • negotiating a reduction in Ecclesiastical Insurance premium
Different roles in giving • Churchwarden – thanking givers; use of notices; encourage volunteers; • Home group leader – using course materials on money management & stewardship • Treasurer – using accounts as a theological document • Secretary – ensuring parish makes best use of mission community,deanery,diocesan resources • Childrens leader – encouraging children to make decisions about giving and money
Website full of resources : www.parishresources.co.uk
To follow up Implement Giving for Life www.parishresources.org.uk & others www.exeter.anglican.org use of diocesan resources james.hutchings@exeter.anglican.org, Exeter 294960; julia.maynard@exeter.anglican.org
When we’re desperate …….the rhythm of church life Focus on paying the bills…….. equipping disciples Thanks assumed…… valuing donors by thanking them Givers in the dark …….knowing what giving enables Hard work & duty…….experiencing the joy of giving FROM TO
Why do we have to give much more financially to the Church nowadays? Two main reasons: Cost of church has increased in real terms stipends – real increase from £14k in 1963 to £21k today Cost of pensions x 5 (£112m+, and all paid by dioceses now) Worship & ministry – c75% increase: costs such as warmer churches/more youth workers Buildings – costs x2 :higher expectations & regulations National administration – only cost to have decreased!
Why do we have to give much more financially to the Church nowadays? 2) Church Commissioners contribution has reduced significantly In 1963 paid for 75% of stipends; none today; funded 36% total church costs but only 12% now Main expenditure now on all clergy pensions earned pre-1998 = £108m) Next largest expenditure is on mission grants to dioceses (£42m of which £1.5m in Exeter)