GIVING

GIVING TO ST. PAUL’S CHURCH

Jesus talked a lot about money. He said that our attitude to money, how we view it and how we use it, is an indicator of what is going on in our hearts. Being ready to give gladly and generously to God’s work is first and foremost a response to his generous work of grace in our lives. It is a key part of our commitment to be disciples of Jesus. So, it’s good to take time to think about our giving.

We are truly grateful to God for the way in which he has provided for all that we do here at St Paul’s. We are also thankful for the way in which members of the congregation commit themselves to regular giving, not just financial but also in time and talents. As we review our giving for this year, here are five principles that the Bible teaches for our giving. 

Joyful. God loves a cheerful giver. When we think about all that God has given us, we realise that we don’t need to give reluctantly or just out of duty. We can give with a sense of joy and excitement knowing that God can use what we give for eternal purposes.

Proportional. We often think of giving in terms of a percentage. The Church of England encourages people to give 5% of their income. Other Christians follow the Old Testament pattern of tithing (giving 10%) of their income. But the Bible points us to proportional giving—those with more give more. 10% may be too difficult for some and not very significant for others. It may be helpful to start by giving a percentage and then looking to increase that regularly.

Sacrificial. If there is no element of sacrifice to our giving, then it is hard to see how this brings honour to God. The more we discover of what God has done for us the more we will be ready to make sacrifices to honour him.

Planned. The Bible teaches us to give in a planned and regular way, not just on impulse. This may mean setting aside time to think and pray through what we can give, and then planning carefully to make sure it happens.

Secret. This guards us against pride and is why we keep giving confidential at St Paul’s.

NEXT STEPS

Pray. Take time to think and pray about how you can steward wisely all that God has given you and how you can support the ministry at St. Paul’s Church.

Ask. If you have any questions, do contact the treasurer via the Church Office.

Give. Once you have prayerfully decide to give to God’s work, we invite you to use one of the methods below.

HOW TO GIVE

Regular Giving. Regular giving, for example by a monthly standing order, can be a helpful way to honour God with our finances. It also makes budgeting and financial planning much easier for the church. If you are already giving in this way, it may be that you can increase your standing order over time or as your circumstances change.

One-Off Gifts. Some people are able to give occasional ‘one-off’ gifts. These donations often help us to close the gap between our regular income and our planned expenditure.

If using BACS (online banking) for either one-off gifts or setting up a Standing Order please use the following account details:

St. Paul’s Church A/C no: 68731698 Sort Code: 60-19-12

A Standing Order form can also be downloaded, completed and returned to the treasurer via the Church Office.

If making gifts by cheque, please make payable to “St. Paul’s Church Sherborne”

Gift Aid. If you are a UK tax-payer, please fill in and return a Gift Aid form and return them to the treasurer via the Church Office. This means that we can reclaim an additional 25p of tax for every £1 that you give.

Legacy Giving. Over the years the ministry at St. Paul’s Church has benefitted from members who have generously left a legacy in their will. Building refurbishment, mission projects and youth work have all benefited from such gifts.