Pat Smart shares some good news and asks ‘What kind of giver are you?’
We recently had a Finance Committee Meeting for the end of our financial year, and there is a mixture of good news and bad news!!
The good news is that during the year we have enjoyed some lovely fun days at our fundraising events, such as the Talent Night, the Auction of Promises, a table top sale, the cream tea at Richard’s, and of course our famous quiz night. These events raised about £3,300. A gift period (over a couple of weeks in the Autumn) brought in just over £12,000. (See January’s PCC minutes if you want more details.) So thank you, and well done everybody for your help in achieving this.
It was hoped this would kick-start our fabric fund, as the church needs new doors, some re-pointing, ongoing repairs to the roof, repainting inside. But I’m sorry to say that most of our plans this year have not yet been realised, because as a church we are really struggling to meet our commitments. To this end, after much discussion at PCC halfway through the year, it was reluctantly decided to reduce our monthly contribution to the Common Mission Fund (which pays clergy wages, house, pension fund, sickness, etc.) as we felt it was more important that we retain our youth ministry.
To get everything back on track – me, you, us – we really need to look at our regular giving to the church. As with any organisation or club, we need to have a regular income to cover normal running costs and then some extra to cover any unforeseen events, such as a broken-down boiler. The church is not a government-run outlet, but is sustained by its congregation – you. So …
Come along to the Annual Parochial Church Meeting on Sunday 25 April, from about 11.45am (after the 10.30am Morning Praise service) and hear how we are managing the church finances and what you can do to help swell the coffers.
I heard that there are three kinds of givers:
Flint: you have to hammer it hard to get anything
Sponge: you have to squeeze hard to get anything
Honeycomb: it just overflows with goodness and sweetness
What kind of a giver are you? Remember – God loves a cheerful giver.
God Bless you in your giving.
Pat Smart, Treasurer
