Giving
Renaissance in Our Parish
The Parish is enjoying a wonderful renaissance, primarily as a result of the Divine Renovation initiative, reflected in huge support for, and participation in, the Alpha and Theology courses; additional families joining our Parish; and increased community participation in all our activities.
Plans
There are exciting plans to improve our Parish facilities to match this renewed community growth, in caring for our parishioners, welcoming young families, strengthening our faith and discipleship, evangelising the good news inside the church and outside, and making a real difference in our neighbourhood and the world around us. Our Church too is in need of substantive maintenance, as is expected given its age.
Funding Our Work
All this work requires financing – and it is the one area in which we are falling behind. It is only through your contributions that we will be able to support this growth.
Parish Financials
The Parish’s income has remained constant in nominal terms for 9 years. Inflationary increases in the cost of running and maintaining the Parish (excluding the new initiatives we are planning) simply do not match this stagnant income quantum - so we’re losing the battle.
Outreach
One of the primary beneficiaries of your contributions is our Outreach programme. In the year to June 2019, we have been able to contribute substantially to worthy causes, focussing on the poorest and most needy in surrounding communities. We are making a real difference to the lives of many.
However, because of the ever-increasing limitations on our finances, we have been forced to reduce the amount available for Outreach. This is a real tragedy, but we firstly have to ensure that the Parish itself is sustainable.
Your Parish Finance Council (PFC)
From a financial management perspective, the PFC is extremely prudent and conservative in all aspects of expenditure, watching every penny. As a result of professional management of the parish finances and extreme frugality with regard to expenses, combined with ad hoc and purpose-specific contributions and donations, the parish was able to make a very small surplus for the year ending June 2019.
Planned Giving is Our Main Source of Income
Our budgeting process is hugely facilitated through and dependent upon Planned Giving. Planned Giving is where each person/family considers what they can give to the church. In some places this is called a tithing programme. Relying on weekly collections and ad hoc donations to enable our necessary and carefully planned maintenance schedule is not sustainable.
Bottom Line
Simply put, we have to increase our income this financial year by 30% in order to be sustainable and in a position to maintain the church as is appropriate.
Grateful Thanks and Blessings
We are grateful for every cent we receive from Parishioners and respect the reality that times are tough. So our sincere and heartfelt thanks to all of you who contribute.
We are asking you to please consider what you give to the parish.
If you already give to the parish, we ask you to please consider increasing the amount you already generously give.
If you have not participated before, we ask you to consider participating – it helps in many ways to plan from your side and the church too.
WE GIVE because
GOD GAVE FIRST
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…” John 3:16
What is Planned Giving?
Planned Giving is where each person/family pre-agrees and commits to their annual contributions to the church by way of a pledge.
2 Ways to Make Your Pledge
(1) Complete the online form. Click here
(2) Complete the form at the back of the church (download it here). Post form into Parish Post Box, or hand in to office or return in collection.
Contacts
For more information or any questions, please contact Mike Brooks at email mike@perpetua.co.za or contact the Parish Office.
How to Give
God wants us to give abundantly, from the heart.
The key to understanding how God wants us to give to the Church is found in
1 Corinthians 16:2:
“On the first day of the week [Sunday] each of you should set aside whatever he can afford,” and in 2 Corinthians 9:5-8, “So I thought it necessary to encourage the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for your promised gift [donation], so that in this way it might be ready as a bountiful gift and not as an exaction. Consider this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
