The Parish of St Peter, Ealing

STEWARDSHIP RENEWAL 2007

Parish Finance

After several anxious periods, we reached the end of 2006 with a very small surplus of £853. During 2007, as of the end of August, there have only been two months when our income exceeded expenditure. Some months, the expenditure was in excess of income by as much as £3,000. It would be good to reach the end of 2007 with a surplus, however small, but at present the forecast for that happening is not good.

By far the highest item in our budget, accounting for 55% of our outgoings, is our contribution to the Diocese of London. This is vitally important, as it pays not only for the cost of providing a 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 . Last year, 81% of our income from stewardship was taken up by payments to the Diocese, leaving very little for our own running costs.

We have offered the diocese an increase of 5% in our payments for 2007. However, we still need an increase in stewardship giving of around 8% 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.

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 £2,000 every week, or £286 every day to run St Peter's and meet our expenses.

St Peter's boasts an electoral roll membership of 150, so the average level of stewardship giving is £8.94 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.

Some churches encourage members to cover a specific cost, as a way of marking a birthday, an anniversary of death or another significant occasion. Some of us may like to do this: it would help to boost our income. For example, in the last year, the costs of our two new notice boards, inside and outside the church, have been provided in this way, as memorial offerings.

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 7 th October, or by post to the church office.

Thank you.

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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