To friends of St Mary’s, Fairford
from The Rev’d Brian Atkinson
14 October 2012
In the current financial climate we are all
feeling the pinch and St Mary’s is no exception. We have struggled to
meet our financial obligations for some time now and last year only
managed to do so by using our reserves; we are currently running at a
shortfall of £15,000 per year. This obviously cannot go on and I would
ask you to read this letter in the spirit in which it is intended – as
one Christian to another.
Offering to the Church our time, talent and money
is our response to God’s love for us. A love exemplified in his son,
Jesus Christ who came not to be served but to serve, and to give his
life as a ransom for many. A ransom paid not with money but with his
life, redeeming us through his suffering and death on the cross so that
in Him we have redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. When we
consider God’s all-encompassing love for us and what it cost Him to
achieve our salvation how can we not respond joyfully and generously?
The Church is the Body of Christ on earth
commissioned to continue His work of proclaiming the Gospel and
bringing people to Christ. That, essentially, is our Ministry at St
Mary’s, everything else is incidental. If that Ministry is to be
accomplished then, as God’s people, we need to finance it.
The main thing is how we do it. We are very
fortunate at St Mary’s in having some extremely able and effective
fundraisers and, without their efforts, the shortfall would be much
higher. We also benefit from amounts raised by sales of guide books and
postcards etc. This is excellent but perhaps a good analogy would be to
imagine managing your household budget by relying on your Premium Bond
winnings. We all know that we need a regular and reliable income so
that we can plan ahead – and St Mary’s is no different.
What we need to realise is that what we put into
the plate, envelope or Standing Order is a vital contribution to God’s
work and not the token amount we used to put in when we were children.
In that way and by utilising the benefits of having a regular and
reliable income, Gift Aided where possible, we will put ourselves on a
sound financial footing and be able to get on with the important work.
The ideal world:
- Income exceeds expenditure (a sign that we have
read and understood 2 Corinthians 9 : 6-9)
- Fundraising increases and is used for special
projects and charitable giving
- Our efforts are focused on looking outwards and
helping others to come to Faith.
Click here for a leaflet
giving guidance on how to support St Mary's financially. Please read
this carefully; if you have any queries please let me know.
May God bless and keep you,
Brian Atkinson
Since Brian Atkinson wrote the above article, the
shortfall has increased to £30,000.
Please give generously. The Parish Giving Scheme
website is setup to receive your donations - either click on the 'Please Donate' button or
click here.
Standing
Order Form
Gift
Aid Form
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