“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that everyone who believes in him may not perish, but may have eternal life.” John 3.16
As followers of Christ we are all called to respond to God’s great generosity.
We can support the work and the mission of the Church in many different ways, and essentially giving of our time and our talents (see Getting involved) and our money.
Using tithing as a guide (that is the historical practice of giving of a tenth of one’s income to the Church), the Church of England suggests today that we give 5% of our incomes to the Church and 5% to charity/charities of our choice.
The journey of commitment to Christian giving – from where we are to where God is calling us – has been set out as follows:
Step 1 – survival – “I give a bit when I am asked because the Church ought to be there in case I need it.”
Step 2 – supermarket – “I am happy to pay for the cost of the bits of the Church that I want to enjoy.”
Step 3 – support – “The work of the Church is important to me, so I will support it.”
Step 4 – subscription – “I see myself as a member and I wish to contribute my fair share of the costs.”
Step 5 – submission – “My understanding of being a disciple is that I should put God first in my life.”
Step 6 – sacrifice – “I truly believe my Lord ‘demands my soul, my life, my all’. ”
You can give by weekly envelope or by standing order/direct debit
… and you can also leave a tax-free legacy in your will.
Please do consider giving to the Church regularly by standing order/direct debit which…
helps you plan you giving as part of normal expenditure;
keeps your giving up to date if you cannot be in church for any reason;
avoids the desperate last-minute searches for cash to put in an envelope.
… It also helps the church administration by:
reducing the need to open, count and record envelopes – and keeps them for six years!
being more secure than taking cash to the bank;
ensuring a steady flow of income, even when you cannot be in church.
The bank account details for the two parishes of the Benefice are as follows:
(for North Bradley, Southwick and Heywood)
account name: PCC of North Bradley, Southwick and Heywood;
account number: 01516520, at Lloyds Bank, Trowbridge, sort code 30-98-75.
(for Steeple Ashton)
account name: PCC of Steeple Ashton;
account number: 00320207, at Lloyds Bank, Trowbridge, sort code 30-98-75.
Please contact Barry Reeves (Acting Treasurer, North Bradley, Southwick and Heywood) or Michael Moore (Acting Treasurer, Steeple Ashton) for further details.