Glynn Richerby
Winter 2009
The Vicar writes...
PAYING OUR WAY as a church this year was one of the main objectives that I identified at the annual meeting back in April. This was prompted by the small but ominous deficit that we had run up in the previous 12 months.
I realised that there would be a greater tendency for costs to exceed regular income because of huge increases in fuel bills combined with the decision to postpone a Funding Programme - so as not to conflict with the special appeal for the disabled access project.
A number of previously generous supporters have either moved away from Leicester or sadly died - with a consequent loss of their contributions. The recession has also had an effect on giving to the church as to charities.
It is hoped that a recent request to those not already in the scheme for planned giving - including some well-established worshippers as well as newcomers - will boost income. However, the response to letters sent out to those concerned is only slowly feeding through.
Up until the third quarter of the current financial year, our church has been running at an alarming deficit of about £1,000 a month. This will to some extent be remedied by collections taken at a number of big services before the end of the year. But we are on course for a considerable deficit.
Our Church's Honorary Treasurer, John Sharp, sums up the situation:
It will cost about £130,000 this year to run the Church of St James the Greater and meet all of our commitments. This is made up as follows:-
- External Commitments - 66,500 (mainly Parish Share)
- Choir & music - 25,600
- Church & clergy expenses - 16,100
- Administration - 12,100
- Hall expenses - 7,000
- Depreciation etc - 2,700
We expect to receive approx. £24,000 in church and hall hire and fee income, leaving £106,000 to come from a combination of plate collections, the envelope scheme, weekly gift aided donations, standing orders, donations, legacies, and of course the tax claimed for Gift Aided donations.
It has been my experience over the years at St James's that a clearly stated need is met with generous giving by the congregation.
There was a magnificent response in the first half of the year to the disabled access appeal - altogether raising £85,000. This was followed by remarkably generous donations at a gift day for the fabric fund for over £4,400. Also, recent special appeals for charities have met with generosity:
- for the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance £294.50
- for Christian Aid at Harvest Thanksgiving, £277.56 (including Gift Aid) also fresh produce was given to Action Homeless and tinned goods and toiletries to the Welcome Project for asylum seekers and refugees
- for the Disasters Emergency Appeal £338.63 (including Gift Aid).
In the course of a full year we usually manage to give away the equivalent of at least 10% of our income through special events and appeals to charities.
With this record of giving, I am confident that all who love St James's and who value its work and worship will want to do what they can within their means to meet our church's running costs for this year. May I therefore ask for everyone to make extra donations - ideally Gift Aided to increase the value to our church by 28% with tax reclaimed - as a Christmas present to St James's?
Next year, a significant increase of giving will be sought through a Funding Programme. More details of this will be announced in the next Quarterly.
It is vital for all Christians to recognize God's gracious gift and to make an appropriate response - as we heard in a recent sermon series. For this reason, the first claim by standing order on my monthly outgoings is 5% to the church. Despite the present financial climate, it remains true that in giving first place to God, the rest tends to take care of itself.
Advent perspective
THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE is what arrangements we make for the distribution of our wealth when we finally have to let go of it - at our inevitable death, whether sooner or later. Leaflets about legacies and wills are available from the back of the church.
Please do what you can to express faith and trust in God - for this life and the next - by your regular giving to the church and to charities, and by the provision made in your last will and testament.