As we approach the end of another calendar and financial year for the Ministry Area, your church treasurers have been consistently working throughout the year in recording financial transactions and providing up to date figures of income and expenditure.
It is clear that the churches within the Ministry Area have yet to see income from congregations recover to pre Covid 19 levels. On the other side of the equation, the costs of maintaining services including the Diocesan Fair Share (previously Parish Share) and buildings, especially energy, continue to rise.
With reduced Diocesan financial support, churches have reverted to self funding relying on a mixture of donations from church attendees, social activities and other sources of income appropriate to each church.
Historically churches have often had a Gift Day appeal which is useful for fundraising for a specific project. However appealing for increased regular giving to raise funds for essential day to day expenses is not so easy.
With the new year approaching and activity levels in churches increasing in the last two months of this year, this is an opportunity to remind members of the congregation whether they attend in person or via online, regularly or occasional of the desire to have
“more people giving more regularly in a tax and administratively efficient manner”
The best way to achieve the above is using the Church in Wales Gift Direct scheme and an online link to the relevant section of the Church in Wales website may be found on the Garth Ministry Area website. Alternatively Gift Direct brochures are available in your local church.
Whilst some churches receive a high proportion of their income by Gift Direct, others rely on more traditional methods. Donors in all churches are asked to consider their means of giving as Gift Direct can reduce the work undertaken by church treasurers and Gift Aid secretaries. If you use traditional standing orders, then you should not notice any change in switching to Gift Direct. If you use weekly envelopes, loose plate or contactless, your church will benefit from more regular giving as well as reducing time spent by volunteers on finance matters.
Your donation is and will continue to be classified as income of your church and used to maintain your local services and church buildings and contribute to the Church In Wales who are responsible for the salaries and other employment costs of providing clergy to your church.
If you wish to discuss the most suitable way to make a regular donation please contact your local treasurer or Gift Aid secretary.
The financial challenges faced by the congregations are well understood but we have to continue to stabilise the Ministry Area’s financial position in order to continue to provide and expand our work in the existing Ministry Area and promote our work in Plasdŵr.
Mike Gill – Treasurer, The Garth Ministry Area (email: Treasurer@GarthMA.wales)