Christian Giving

1
Christian Giving

• Nick Hutton
• Diocesan Christian Giving Director

2
Topics to be covered

• What is Christian Giving?
• What are we saying?
• Gift Aid Scheme
• What help does the Bible give?
• To whom are we talking?
• How do we communicate the message?
• How often do we say it?
• What support is there for parishes?

3
What is Christian Giving?

• It is not FUNDRAISING!

4
What is Christian Giving?

• It is part of our lives as Christians
• It is not necessarily to fund anything
• It is a way of saying thanks to God

5
What is Christian Giving?

• The quality of our Giving says much about our
  relationship with God.
• If our Giving is mean do we love God fully?

6
What is the message?

• It is proper to consider money as a subject in
  church.
• Jesus did

7
What did Jesus say about money?

• You cant serve two masters, God and mammon
• Story of the rich young man hard for the rich to
  enter the kingdom of heaven
• The widow in the temple widows mite
• The rich man with Lazarus at his gate
• Ten lepers healed but only one gives thanks

8
Church Finances

• Parish Share what is it for?
• Often still thought of as a tax from which the
  parish sees no benefit.
• Parish Share resources the ministry we receive in
  our parish.
• Most parishes get back more than they pay.

9
2007 Ministry Costs

• Stipend and NI 21,418
• Pension contributions 7,356
• Housing 5,975
• Other 650
• 35,399
• Parish support 8,724
• TOTAL 44,123

10
Church Finances

• People think the Church of England is wealthy.

11
Resourcing the church

• Why are we members of the Church?
• Do we not want to see the Churchs vision
  resourced?
• Comparison with a secular charity being resourced
  to meet its objectives
• Why have our name on Electoral Roll and not want
  to make the church work

12
Planned Giving

• The QUALITY of our Giving is important
• Not casual but thought through, planned and
  budgeted.
• Not a tip for God
• Not a token but meaningful

13
Guidelines for Giving

• Each member
• Regular
• Budgeted
• Realistic Proportion of what we have
• Cheerful not reluctant
• Generous and sacrificial
• Tax Efficient!

14
Guidelines for Giving

• Each church member has a role to play.
• What we give will vary according to our means,
• but we should each seek to give what is right
  for us.

15
Guidelines for Giving

• Our Giving should be regular, ideally weekly or
  monthly.
• The use of envelopes or bank standing orders
  helps this.

16
Guidelines for Giving

• Our Giving should be budgeted.
• What we give to our church should be part of our
  family budget in the same way as anything else
  that is important to us.

17
Guidelines for Giving

• Our Giving should be realistic and
  proportionate.
• These are two key words as we consider what is
  right for us.
• We should give 5 of our income to the church
  and work towards giving a further 5 to work that
  furthers our faith, possibly church-based
  organisations, or directly to our church.

18
A generous diocese

• Covers third poorest area of C of E
• Usually near top of table for regular Giving
• Average given through gift aid scheme in 2005 was
  12.98
• Up from 11.71 in 2004

19
A generous diocese

• Figures should be treated carefully
• Give thanks to God for them
• Not a subscription
• They are too high for many people
• but too low for others
• They show the realism of many givers

20
Guidelines for Giving

• Our Giving should be cheerful and happy, not
  reluctant.
• If we are happy to be a member of Gods church
  how can we be miserable when asked to resource it?

21
Guidelines for Giving

• Our Giving should be generous and sacrificial.
• What have we given up for Gods church?
• Is our Giving related to the cost of everyday
  items?

22
Guidelines for Giving

• Our Giving should be tax-efficient.
• Using the Gift Aid Scheme adds 28 to the value
  of our gift.
• Not everyone is a tax-payer but, if we are, it
  is a waste not to use this scheme

23
Legacies

• I suggest we should mention legacies but only
  lightly at this stage.
• We are called to share our wealth
• not just our income.
• I will be doing more work on legacies later this
  year.
• I would welcome your views on this will it
  detract from the Giving message will it cause
  upset with some people will it increase legacies?

24
Message summary

• We give both to resource the church and in thanks
  for what God has given us.
• The way we give says much about what we think of
  God.
• Our Giving should be planned and prayed about,
• not casual or a token.

25
Gift Aid Scheme

• Applies only to those who pay tax
• Either Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax
• Must pay sufficient tax in the relevant year
• Can go back six years

26
HMRC audits

• They will need to see-
• Correctly worded Gift Aid declaration forms
• with full name, address with post code, and date
• Evidence of payments being made,
• e.g. weekly envelopes with figures written on
  them, or bank statements with details of standing
  orders

27
HMRC audits

• Keep evidence for six years
• Sample of weekly envelopes (all current year and
  one (I suggest different) month per year of
  remainder.
• All bank statements
• All one-off donations

28
Gift Aid Scheme

• Tax claims can be made as frequently as you want
• Donations must be freely given gifts, with no
  benefit in return
• Higher Rate taxpayers can claim back their
  marginal rate (18) thereby being able to
  increase their donation

29
Gift Aid Scheme

• Make the most of occasional services (weddings,
  baptisms, funerals) and visitors
• Designs available from Nick Hutton
• Keep envelopes (and pens) readily available
• Try to give time at beginning of service to
  complete details

30
The Bible and Giving

• Old Testament
• Building the first tabernacle All brought to
  the Lord freewill offerings. Exodus 3520-29
• David builds an altar I will not give offerings
  that cost me nothing. 2 Samuel 2418-25
• Come let us sing for joy. Psalm 95
  1-7a

31
The Bible and Giving

• Gospels
• You cannot serve both God and money. Do not
  worry about tomorrow. Matthew 624-34
• Story of the rich young man. Matthew 1916-30
• Story of the rich young man. Mark 1017-31
• The sheep and the goats. Matthew 2531-46
• The widows mite. Mark 1241-44

32
The Bible and Giving

• Gospels (cont)
• Jesus anointed by a sinful woman.Luke 736-50
• The rich man and Lazarus. Luke 1619-31
• Ten lepers healed but only one gives thanks.
• Luke 1711-19

33
The Bible and Giving

• Epistles (etc)
• Paul encouraging generosity. 2 Cor 81-15
• Sowing generously. 2 Cor 96-15
• Thanksgiving and prayer. Eph 115-23
• The command to be generous
• and willing to share. 1 Timothy 617-19
• Letter to rich church in Laodicea. Rev 314-19

34
Parish Giving Renewal suggested structure

• Use, say, three weeks to concentrate on money in
  the parish
• Build up to a Pledge or Promise Sunday at the end
• Use the weeks before to communicate the message
• Conclude with publicising result and saying
  thanks
• Establish small Giving Group to run Renewal
• Gift Day?

35
Communicating the Message

• Write to people

• Speak to people

36
To whom are we communicating?

• Firstly, church members, i.e. those on the
  Electoral Roll.
• Others who come to church not yet on the
  Electoral Roll.
• Perhaps, those connected with church
  organisations.
• I advise against a mailing in the neighbourhood.

37
Write to people

• Carefully written letter
• I can show you letters used elsewhere
• Must sound as though it comes from you, not
  Diocese
• Communicate vision
• Say thanks
• Personalise
• Who to sign?

38
Speak to people

• Explain process of Giving Renewal
• Clergy to preach on generosity
• Talk about accounts (treasurer?)
• Nick Hutton available to preach
• Give letter out with a few words

39
Parish Giving Renewal

• Use parish magazine to explain whats happening
• Articles on Gift Aid or Higher Rate taxpayers (if
  relevant). Available from Nick Hutton
• Poster display in church?

40
Parish Giving Renewal

• Think about-
• Parish supper
• House groups with meal
• Pass it on
• Jigsaw

41
How often should we say it?

• It should be part of the culture of the parish
• A renewal or campaign should not be run more than
  every three or four years
• Annual Giving Sunday is good opportunity to top
  up Giving
• Diocesan Giving Sunday is 3rd Sunday in October

42
Support for parishes

• Nick Hutton (Giving) and Roger Pinchbeck
  (Finance) are always available to visit parishes
• Explanation of Parish Share and Diocesan
  Budget/Church Finance
• Talk about Giving to PCC, full church meeting,
  preach in service, at parish meal, etc
• Advice on fundraising

43
Support for parishes

• Leaflets
• Gift Aid forms
• Envelopes for occasional visitors
• Weekly envelopes
• Newsletters
• Training and conferences
• Posters

44
The Future

• New leaflet
• Legacy initiative
• Gift Aid seminar
• Maintain website Diocese of Sheffield, Giving
  Fundraising
• National website www.parishresources.org.uk

45
You are not on your own
Please ask for help