God loves a cheerful giver
This month we focus on generosity and thankfulness. We think particularly about giving – of our time, our talents and our money.
We begin the month with our Harvest All-Age service: there’s more information in the Bulletin.
It’s also the time of year when all regular attenders are asked to complete the annual income survey forms – which are completely anonymous – and at the same time we submit our attendance figures to the Manchester diocese: those two sets of numbers are averaged and used to calculate the right amount we should contribute as a church in “Parish Share” to ministry in the whole of Manchester.
Giving money to God is part of our Christian beliefs: Jesus said “Give, and it will be given to you” (Luke ch. 6, v38).
If you regularly give to St John’s, did you know the amount can be increased in value by 25% without it costing you a thing? If you pay income tax, this is possible through a scheme called Gift Aid. All you have to do is fill in a simple form – there’s more information about that in this month's Bulletin, too. This does benefit our church, whether you pay by bank transfer, standing order, cheque, cash or by using our card machine at the door near the church entrance. And if you’re not a taxpayer, it’s actually best to give cash (under £30) on the collection plate, or (for under £30 donations) to give through the card machine, as then we can still claim the 25% back as “small donations”, without the form-filling.
Giving a regular amount, in proportion to your income, is called tithing and it’s based on the Bible (Leviticus 27:30 and Deuteronomy 14: 22-29, for instance). At St John’s, as a church, we follow the same principle and give away one tenth of all we receive in donations (including the reclaimed Gift Aid).
Of course we spend money, too, on events such as the Community Fun Day, Messy Church services and so on. And, like everyone, we have bills to pay – gas, electric, water, etc. You can see more about this whole area of our life together as Christians if you pick up one of the gold-coloured leaflets entitled “Generosity and Thankfulness, as disciples of Jesus” at the back of church.
We are thankful that so many people at St John’s give of their time, talents and money. Take a little time this month to think about your giving … and remember that God loves a cheerful giver.
Best wishes and blessings,
Reverend Debra