How much money should we give?

Obviously it is not just a case of everyone
giving the same amount extra every week —
that would be unfair as some of us already
give more than we can afford, while others
could manage more.

The scriptures teach the principle of
proportionate giving — giving a percentage
of our income to the church. The General
Synod of the Church of England suggests

a figure of 5% of our net income — that is
our income after tax, but before any other
expenses.

|t’s more than money!

We may have different amounts of money,
we have different abilities and talents, but we
each have I68 hours in a week. No matter
what we do, we cannot create more time, or
experience less of it. We do, however, have
different options available to us, and make
different choices as to what we do with our
time.

Our talents and gifts, like all of our
posessions and wealth, are generous gifts
from a generous God. These gifts which we
have been given are offered back to God as
we use them within the Church. This is true
of musical, teaching, financial, and academic
talents, but it is also true of the spiritual gifts
we have received.

What gifts do we have and how can we use
them for God?

What we give 

is a matter between ourselves and God. What
He expects of us is that we should each
shoulder our responsibility as a member of
the family of our churches’ to the best of our
ability.

The next step 

Thank you for all you do for our churches

in Bridge and Patrixbourne. Using the form

provided please:

J Think about what you give to the
church now. Can you increase the
percentage of your income which you
give to God?

join the planned giving scheme
with weekly envelopes or a standing
order.

Optimise giving using Gift Aid if you
paytax.

Give proportionately - a percentage
of our income given to fund ministry.

Consider giving your time and
skills to the work of our churches.

KKK X

Please make your response using the form
provided by l6August 20 I 5.

This ministry
not only supplies
the needs of the saints

but overflows

with many thanksgivings to God
2 Cor 9: l 2

Patrixbourne,
St Mary with
T Bridge, St Peter

Stewardship

Sunday
. 20|5

 

Our church 
We believe that our churches St Mary’s,
Patrixbourne and St Peter's, Bridge are special.

We have beautiful, historic buildings which
have been at the heart of our communities
for centuries.

We believe we a a caring community. We
look out for one another and our buildings.
Our work with young people including local
schools is important.

Thank you

Many of you give very generously of your time,
and skills and abilities, as well as your financial
gifts. Thank you. Without your contribution
our church would not be here today.

But we need to do more!

We want to nurture people, and do more
for the young. We would like to deepen
our relationship with our school. We want
parents to keep coming to church after their
children have been baptised. We would like
to communicate better in all sorts of ways
and improve and increase the visibility of our
church community.

However, it will cost £l,079 per week to run
our church over the next year, and we will
need to find an extra £250 each week simply
to break even.

This cost is just for the every day ministry
and mission of our churches. There is no
provision for the cost of major repairs to the
fabric of our buildings.

Our church finances 

Our current weekly expenditure is 

Ministry expenses £ l 00
(Benefice contribution)

Church and Services £l88
Fabric Fund £0
Parish Share £698
Giving outside the parish £8
Sundries £85
Total £|,O79

Our weekly income is 

Committed regular giving £396
Gift Aid £|O8
Cash collections £73
Fundraising income £ l 79
Other income z_£_7_3_
Total 829

What is the Parish Share?

The parish share is a financial contribution
made by every parish to support the
ministry and mission of our churches and
church schools. Without it our churches and
Diocese would be unable to function.

You will find a leaflet in your stewardship pack
which explains in detail how it is spent.

Planned giving

Planned giving means that you decide to
give a set amount to the church each week,
month or year. Most people set up a
standing order, which is easy and convenient,
or you can use a weekly envelope.

By joining the planned giving scheme, if you
are not already part of it, you will make a
big difference to our church’s finances. Your
contribution will be working for our church
and community whether you are there on
Sunday or not, it will be easier to Gift Aid
the donation, and the treasurer will have a
better idea of how much income the church
will have.

What do we need to do?

To bridge our income gap and for our
ministry to flourish we need to increase our
giving by a total of £250 per week.

This following table gives an example of
how we can achieve this:

£2.45 £71.05

£3.|0 £74.40
£4.65 £60.45

 

But just as you excel in everything ...see that you
also excel in this grace of giving 2 Cor 8:7

 

w Bridge, St Peter

r.........—.-.-.....4~ u.-no-... .. .......—......

  

3
l
3
l
5

  

  
   
   
  
 

Stewardship Sunday “
You are warmly invited to a presentation 
which will be of great interest to everyone 
who is part of our parish family. It will 
take place during the Services on I

  
   
  
 
 

28 June at 9.30am at Patrixbourne,
5 July at 6.00pm at Bridge, or
12 July at 11.00am at Bridge

Please come to worship, to listen together 
and to discuss matters of vital and 
practical importance to all who have the 
future life of our churches at heart.