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Questions and Answers to common concerns

Q. What is the Parish Share?
A. The amount which the parish is required to pay to the diocese to cover clergy training, stipends, pensions, and housing, and the costs of central administration. More info here.

Q. What is the benefit of my giving being Gift Aided?
A. The church receives from the Government 25p for every £1 you give.  If you are a higher rate tax payer, your own tax bill is also reduced.

Q. What is the Parish Giving Scheme?
A. This is a direct debit based way of making planned donations to your parish church. Further information here.

Q. Why does the church give money to missions and other charities?
A. We support missionaries and Christian organisations who have links with our church, as well as certain local agencies helping people in need.

Q. Don’t both churches have reserves, so why do we need more income?
A. St Matthew’s does indeed have general reserves which need to be there to cover emergencies, but which have been eaten away year by year.  They are actually now at a level below that recommended for charities.  All Saints’ does not have general reserves but does have restricted funds which under the rules for charities cannot be used for the general running of the church.  In order to balance the books for the last few years money has been borrowed from one of these funds but this cannot continue.

Q. Can I be sure that details of my giving will be confidential?
A. Only the church Treasurer will know at All Saints’, and at St Matthew’s only the Treasurer and Book keeper.

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