How we enhanced regular giving in the benefice
“The results confounded even the most cautious of our people”
The Revd Paul Thomas writes:
“At the beginning of last year I took up the post of Priest in Charge of Scarrowbeck Benefice, a group of seven parishes and six churches. At a newcomers day at the Diocese I met Geoff Freeman who outlined how he might help parishes tackle funding issues.
“Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, I rang him some time later and we met up to discuss both how to enhance regular giving in the Benefice, and how to get the wider community to contribute to the maintenance and improvement of the church buildings.
“On Geoff’s excellent advice and guidance we planned carefully for a Gift Day and a Stewardship Sunday, the latter with an emphasis on encouraging the congregation to review the level of giving and the means of doing so.
“The results confounded even the most cautious of our people, with increases in giving and many more subscribing via standing orders. The Gift Day brought in many cheques and standing orders from non church affi liated members of the community, supporting the fabric of their local church. It also has broken an unspoken taboo on raising the issue of money in church circles. A totally worthwhile project, well worth the effort, thanks to Geoff.
“I hope we shall now be regarding a Gift Day and a Stewardship Sunday as regular annual slots in our church calendar.”
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