This year’s Gift Day was on Sunday 4th July 2010. The amount given was a massive £34,215 (£31,803 + £2,412 because of Gift Aid); a big, big thank you to all who contributed.
The priority for our Gift Day was to give thanks for all the regular financial support that we receive, and also to encourage us all to review and renew our giving. This year’s Gift Day was particularly important because we have experienced unexpected additional costs as both Church House and Close House needed (and continue to need) quite wide-ranging restoration work. This necessary work, together with the current low interest rates, has seriously depleted our reserves.
Work on St Peter's can begin
So on July 4th this year we invited our congregations to consider, as we have in previous years, whether they were able to bring a “thank offering” to the Lord, as a response to His blessings and grace and generosity in the past year – a one-off gift brought simply to acknowledge what the Lord has done.
Gift Day was also a good opportunity for church members to review and renew their regular giving to the work of our churches. Our annual costs, planned tithing and giving are in excess of £120,000 so it is easy to imagine that there are many more things we could do if we had greater financial resources!
Members who wish to discuss their regular giving should contact Andy Butterfill, our Treasurer, or one of the Churchwardens in the first instance. Anyone wishing to talk more about the spiritual side of giving, or about their personal circumstances should contact one of the Clergy.