Our Mission Together

Thank you for filling out the census cards in March.

After Easter several of our newly formed Parish Subcommittees have met to discuss and agree a way forward for the diocesan Our Mission Together project.

Our Mission Together is about financially supporting our clergy; mission and social outreach within the diocese; and receiving parish funding for special projects. 

Our Mission Together will support:

* our retired priests, including our Salesian priests

* the training of priests (currently 8 men in training)

* mission and social outreach projects, for example, the opening of refugee centres run by the charity Caritas  who are working in partnership with the diocese.

Each parish in the diocese has been given a financial target to meet over 5 years.  Fr Tony has gained special concessions for our Parish in the way we try to meet our financial commitments.  

Here is a summary of the Parish meeting on 22 April 2018

What is the target amount for our Parish?

Our Parish has been set a target of raising £95,000 over 5 years

What will we do with the money that comes back to us?

Our first priority, which has already been approved by the diocese, is to make our church more welcoming by having a proper disabled entrance to church for wheelchairs and push chairs and installing an inside toilet with disabled access and baby change facilities.

If you know an architect who could draw up plans, please let a member of the Parish Council know or tell Fr Tony.

Parish finances and raising our OMT target

At the moment, we are breaking even on our monthly income versus expenditure (income £4,000, expenditure, £4,400; shortfall of £400/month, but just covered by gift aid we receive)

Please take a copy of the Parish accounts from the church porch.

We are asking all parishioners to review their donations to the Parish and if a tax payer, to please use gift aid (this increases the donation by 25%).

The gift aid forms are at the back of church or by clicking on the pdf below.

Are you able to make regular offerings by standing order each month and gift aid the donation? This is easier and the church also receives the monies when you are away.

The standing order forms are at the back of church or by clicking on the pdf below.

Standing-order-form.pdf

The second way to gift aid is by the weekly envelopes; again, please ask if you wish to receive envelopes.

Finally, the other way of donating is of course by putting money in the weekly collection. The disadvantage is that the parish loses out on the 25% gift aid., if you are a tax payer.

The Parish Council want to emphasise that how much you donate is up to you and your personal circumstances and no-one will be pressurised into offerings they cannot afford.

For further information on OMT, please take a folder from the church porch or speak to a Parish Council member.