St
Nicolas Church, like any other large organisation, needs to be properly
financed. Most of the church's funding has to be raised from its
members each year so that the costs of running the Church can be fully
met. The various individuals and groups involved in the church finances
and the work they do are set out below. LOOKING
AFTER THE MONEY The
Parochial Church Council (PCC) has full responsibility for all
decisions about the income and expenditure of the church. However,
day-to-day management of the church finances is delegated to the
Finance Committee.
Because the church income exceeds £250,000, our accounts have
to be independently audited every year. The summary accounts are
presented at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) each April. Our
objective is to break even each year. The church treasurer, Andrew
Smith
(left),
chairs the Finance Committee and ensures that the PCC is properly
briefed on all financial matters. The church's financial controller,
Rosemary Freeman,
manages the day-to-day accounting and produces monthly accounts. A team
of individuals count the collection after Sunday services on a rota
basis. Although
we rely mainly on our members for our income we are fortunate to have
some properties which are rented out commercially. We also get some
income from investments. Our costs include the parish share, which we
pay to the diocese and which funds our clergy and helps support other
parishes. We pay for the salaries of other staff (eg, the office, youth
work and cleaning), together with the maintenance, heating and power of
the buildings. The PCC aims to donate 10% of its annual unrestricted
income to
charity. From time to time we face major expenditure for items such as
roof repairs or organ restoration. Since it is not our policy to
accumulate significant reserves, such projects require separate
fund-raising activities. This is certainly true of the reordering project which we hope to undertake over the next few years. STEWARDSHIP Stewardship
is a word used to refer to giving that is planned and tax-efficient.
These days, the best way of doing this is by Gift Aid. This
allows individuals who are UK tax payers to enable charities to ask the
Inland Revenue for the tax the giver has already paid on the gift.
Every £100 which is gift-aided results in the charity
receiving a further £28.20. There are other ways of giving
tax efficiently. Many companies now have Give As You Earn (GAYE)
schemes, which also attract tax relief. Legacies are also a good way of
giving to the church and we invite members to consider including a
bequest to the church in their will. If
you would like to give to the work of the church in one of these ways,
please tick the relevant box on the 'Feedback and Keeping in
Touch' available
from the church welcome pack and we will send you the
necessary details. Alternatively,
click here
to download a Giving Form which you can then print out and fill in.
Giving is a confidential matter and any information you give
is handled
only by the stewardship recorder, Bertram
Lake (left). OUTREACH GIVING
As
mentioned above, the PCC aims to donate 10% of its annual unrestricted
income
to charity. One of the main tasks of the Outreach Committee
each year is to decide which causes to support and how much to donate
to each of them. Members of the congregation are welcome to suggest
individuals or organisations for consideration. The committee is also
keen to hear from church members who are planning to undertake short or
long term mission projects for which they would welcome support. Just
drop a note to the church office marked 'Outreach Committee'. HOW
TO GIVE There
is no membership fee, annual subscription or charge for admission to St
Nicolas Church. And anyway, contributing to the work of the church
involves giving not just our money but our time and talents as well. We
invite those who are committed to St Nicolas Church to ask God to lead
them in this matter. Our giving as Christians should be in response to
God's love rather than the demands of the parish budget. The Bible
urges us to give from the heart and to be generous and sacrificial.
Some people find the principle of the 'tithe' helpful - setting aside a
tenth of our income for the work of God. But in the end, no one else
can tell us what to give - Christian stewardship is about considering
our personal circumstances and responsibilities before God in prayer
and giving accordingly. If
you have any queries or comments about the church finances, please
contact the St Nicolas Church treasurer, Andrew Smith, via
the church
office or on 01635 43052. The stewardship recorder, Bertram Lake, may
be contacted on 01635 863841. | 
