The Parish of St Peter, Ealing

STEWARDSHIP RENEWAL 2009

Parish Finance

We reached the end of 2008 with a very small surplus of £589 from a turnover of £116,973. The highest item in our budget, accounting for 55% of our outgoings and absorbing 77% of our stewardship income, is our contribution to the Diocese of London. This is vitally important, as it pays not only for the cost of providing a full-time, always-available parish priest and accommodation for St Peter's, but also makes a contribution that supports the mission of the church in some of the poorest areas of London. Deanery Synod has been told of some of the innovative and inspiring work that is going on in some of the poor parishes in Ealing, with the help of our contributions.

We have offered the diocese an increase of 5% in our payments and they have requested a 3% increase in 2010, if we can afford it. However, we still need an increase in stewardship giving of around 7% if we are to meet this increase and our other commitments, as well as expanding our work as a church community.

Please give this serious matter your consideration and respond as generously as you can when we all make our renewed stewardship pledges at our Harvest celebration. Most years, only 50% of those in our stewarship scheme increase their level of giving; others pledge higher amounts, but forget to amend their banker's order. Click here for a new bank form to help the forgetful!

Since biblical times, we have expressed our thanks to God for all the good things we enjoy by offering part of our income back to him. The biblical principle was a "tithe" or 10% of our income, but in an age when most of us also support a range of other charitable causes, the Church suggests that we offer at least half of our tithe to support Christ's work in our local parishes.

St Peter's is a thriving church community with lots of young families and children. We share in a range of activities for all ages, from Crèche and Junior Church through to social events and the Afternoon Club, as well as worship and study.

It costs an average of £2,238 every week, or £319 every day to run St Peter's and meet our expenses. Stewardship brings in aroud £1,552 per week or £221 per day and there are few other sources of income to bridge that gap. (These figures are based on the first six months of this current year)

St Peter's boasts an electoral roll membership of 150, so the average level of stewardship giving is £10.15 per member per week (including Gift Aid tax refunds). However, the range of giving is very broad, with some able to pledge considerably more and others unable to afford this amount. Of the 93 family units on our electoral roll, only 71 are involved in the stewardship scheme or make regular Gift Aid donations.

Please reflect on what it costs to run and maintain our beautiful church and to carry out our ministry together, and make your stewardship renewal pledge by returning the attached form to our Stewardship Recorder, Rosamund Rowe, at the Harvest Thanksgiving Mass on 4th October, or by post to the church office. If appropriate, please return the Banker's Order form.

Thank you.

For further information please visit:

www.parishresources.org.uk/givingforlife/index.htm

Two prayers on stewardship from Day 30 of our
St Peter's Parish Cycle of Prayer:

 Take, Lord, into your possession, my complete freedom of action, my memory, my understanding and my entire will, all that I have, all that I own: it is your gift to me, I now return it to you. It is all yours, to be used simply as you wish. Give me your love and your grace: it is all I need. Amen.

(St Ignatius Loyola)

Lord of all, in a world marked by pain and suffering, yet saved by your intensity of giving, make us thankful for our good fortune, protect us from hardness of heart and teach us to respond with gratitude and generosity to you and to others; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

(Anglican Stewardship Association)

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Stewardship Pledge

Full Name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Address: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Postcode: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I pledge the sum of £............. weekly* / monthly* / annually* to St Peter's Church.

Either I will pay by Banker's Standing Order *.
(click here for form)

Or I prefer to pay by numbered envelope *.

I pay UK income or capital gains tax and wish the church to reclaim the tax paid on my gift*.

I am a UK taxpayer but have not yet signed a Gift Aid Declaration. Please send me the form.

I would like to talk to someone about stewardship.

Would either the Stewardship Recorder

or a member of the clergy please contact me?

 Please complete this form and bring it to the Harvest Thanksgiving Mass or send it to the Stewardship Recorder, Rosamund Rowe, c/o the Parish Office. Thank you.

 
*please delete as applicable

= please tick as required.

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