New Year, new resolutions and new ways to give
By Philip Veater Unsplash
In today’s landscape, where people in need of support are even more vulnerable and the pull to give ever more pressing, it seems awkward to talk about giving money to the church.
Yet Jesus had more to say about money than almost anything else. “He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.” (Luke 1:52-53)
“He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.” (Luke 1:52-53)
Jesus was always counter-cultural and had a lot to say about money
By Josh Appel Unsplash
Although the temptation might be to grip tighter to our purse strings, we know that Jesus would be urging us to let go. You only have to think of the widow’s mite. One way of doing that is through the Parish Giving Scheme. Over 1000 people across Cornwall have done so already and it makes it so much easier for churches to budget. This enables churches to strengthen their pastoral care and be an effective force for good in their communities.
Thank you to everyone who has signed up for the PGS so far. It really is beginning to have an impact – on budgeting, making gift aid easier to claim, financial planning and therefore community giving.
Parish Giving Scheme for the Wider Community
The scheme could also reach wider into the community, beyond parishioners. The Parish Giving Scheme for the Wider Community is aimed at people who value the physical presence of the church, use its facilities but don’t routinely attend services and may be willing to give regularly. It could appeal to local community groups or partners, or others who help with church events. Or people who always attend at Christmas or Easter, or value the services the church can offer their families such as weddings, baptisms and funerals. Or perhaps to others who simply love the historical buildings, the wildlife in the churchyard or the sense of community that a church brings. All these people might appreciate being asked to help support the church in this very practical way.
If you’re already signed up to PGS and your congregation are actively using it, then opening it out to the wider community could be an option for you. But if your church family are not yet giving in this way, it’s probably better to give the original scheme more chance to bed in, rather than extending it outwards. Perhaps you could encourage your PCC to give through PGS first, if they’re not already doing so. This will then encourage other church members to follow their lead, which will in turn, hopefully, encourage the wider community to give in this way.
New Year, new resolutions
With the New Year and new resolutions being made, now would be a great time to share that message of giving to the cornerstone of the community. Think about who would be good to approach, rather than leaflet drop. We can send up to 50 forms per church, and they are bright, informative and convey community engagement well.
If you’d like to know more, about any aspect of the Parish Giving Scheme, the parish support team will very happily come and have a chat. It’s a great opportunity to help churches increase their income through giving and to develop and strengthen relationships with the local community. If you would like to register, please click here or email PGS@truro.anglican.org
If your church has not yet signed up to PGS, please think about doing so. It’s straightforward, easy to do and so much easier to manage than ad hoc donations.
