Giving to Fund our Church Work
Our parish, like all parishes in the Church of England, has to finance itself. Regular and occasional churchgoers enjoy our worship and other support that our parish can offer. Without financial support from our users, we would not be able to maintain the current activities of mission and ministry nor maintain our beautiful grade II listed Gilbert Scott building.
On average it costs around £10,000 per month to run our Parish, which includes:
- The vicar, clergy team, and parish administration
- Our youth activities
- Maintaining and heating our church, office and Tamberlin room
- The Choir and music that enhance our worship
- The many community activities that we support
- Diocese support and advice (e.g. safeguarding, mission, training)
How much should I give?
The short answer is as much as you feel able to. It is a thoughtful, prayerful decision that only you can make. The Church of England guidance on giving is to donate 5% of your net income to your local church and 5% to other charities. For example, 5% of an annual net income of £10,000 = £45 per month. If it helps the average amount given in 2019 within our Diocese of Southwark is £78 per month per person.
How to Give
The parish has a number of ways for you to give. Through the collection plate at our services; by contactless payment using the terminal at the back of the church; leaving a legacy, by Standing Order or by sending a cheque (payable to St John’s Shirley PCC) to our Treasurer at 17 Mill View Gardens, Shirley, CR0 5HW.
The most efficient form of giving, if you are a tax-payer and because St John’s is a registered charity, is through a donation that attracts tax relief. This will allow the parish to reclaim the tax that you have paid, increasing your donation by a further 25%. Higher rate tax-payers may also receive tax relief for charitable giving. All donations are treated in strict confidence.
Online
You can make a one-off donation through our secure website by clicking here
Standing Order
If you wish to start giving by Standing Order you can download the form here which has all the information to enable you set it up via your online banking or to send on to your Bank. You will also need to download a Gift Aid Declaration if you are a tax-payer as the parish can reclaim the tax you have paid so increasing your donation by a further 25%. The form can be completed and submitted electronically. Alternatively a form can be requested from the [email protected] and returned by post.
If you currently give by standing order and wish to increase the amount this can be done via your online banking or by contacting your Bank direct. We recommend this is done annually.
Service Collection
There is a collection at each service in the church where you can donate by Debit/Credit Card, Cash or Cheque payable to ‘St John’s Shirley PCC’. If you are a tax-payer you are encouraged to fill in a yellow gift aid envelope provided in the pews, which allow the parish to reclaim the tax you paid so increasing your donation by a further 25%.
Legacy Gift in your Will
Leaving a gift to our parish church in your Will is a way to thank God for all the blessings you have received in your lifetime.
God gave us everything we own. Our beliefs and practices teach us that when we have no further use for our earthly possessions, we give back to God.
Once you have made provision for your loved ones, you have the opportunity to make a lasting gift to God, by leaving a legacy to His church. Leaving a gift in your Will to St John the Evangelist is one of the most valuable and lasting ways you can continue to support the mission and ministry in your community of Shirley.
When deciding how to divide up your estate, you might wish to consider thinking in ‘shares’ rather than specific cash amounts. This also reflects the Church’s teaching on proportionate giving i.e. 5% of your net income or residual estate. The New Testament is not prescriptive on the amount Christians should give, only that we should give generously, freely and cheerfully and in accordance with our means.
No matter how large or small, each gift can make a significant impact on our mission and ministry and maintaining our spiritual heritage here at St John’s. It could enable us to achieve something that we could not normally do. You may wish to channel your gift to mission or community projects, to maintenance of the church fabric, to youth work or music, or in some other way.
This short film features three inspiring case studies from parish churches where gifts have enabled amazing opportunities for mission – from new church halls, to hiring a youth worker and improving disabled access.
If you would like to know more about anything raised on this page, including leaving a legacy gift in your Will or a gift in memory of a loved one, please contact our Treasurer [email protected].