Hertingfordbury Parish News: February 2003
Questions I Have Been Asked
What is Stewardship? What is the difference between Fundraising and Stewardship? A Church that practises Stewardship deals in finance that is raised as the natural and regular giving at each set Service. This would of course include Covenant Giving and direct order giving. It would also include any monies left to the Parish by a Benefactor. From this income not only has the Diocesan Quota (Parish Share) to be paid, but also an amount should be agreed by the PCC that would be the Mission Giving of the Parish annually. The amount and the recipients can be changed at the end of each financial year according to the needs and demands of the 'housekeeping'. The actual running of the church is also met from the Stewardship giving; this includes heat, light, insurance, and general maintenance. Fundraising is exactly what it implies. Special events are held to 'Raise Funds' for the upkeep of the church's commitment to be self sufficient in its maintenance and to pay the Parish Share. This form of income is usually necessary in small parishes where the source of income is limited. It is my belief that in our Parish we need to have both Stewardship and Fundraising. The days when a church could depend on the generosity of benefactors are long gone, and monies given in the past have now run out. Regular worshippers do their bit giving week by week; the best way is to Covenant, this means for every £1.00p you give the church can claim the current rate of tax back from the Government. There is a very important message coming through here and it is this; those of you not regular worshippers but who value the church building in your midst and the offices it offers YOU i.e., Weddings, Baptisms and Funerals should be thinking about the future. Your PCC is responsible for ensuring we meet our financial obligation, which includes contributing to the Priests Stipend (Salary), pension contribution, and finance for the training of new clergy. You can help by being an active participant in both Stewardship and Fund Raising. The question was asked: I hope the answer is of help and provokes some positive thinking AND action from those of you reading this. Rev. RosemaryPlease note: Although the Hertingfordbury Parish News is produced by St. Mary's PCC, the opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the PCC.