I took on duties
when I got married that I did not have when I was single… Provision of a home, partnership in the raising of children, contributing to the shared costs of living together. Council tax, utility bills, some of which were items that I did not actually use but accepted as part of my new life.

An Ongoing responsibility
In the same way stewardship is a task that I took up when I became a member of the Church. I contribute a share towards the costs of the greater family of which St Andrews is a part.

It is relatively cheap
Compared with other things in this material world.

For instance:
A Sunday newspaper costs about £1.40 and occupies me for about 1 hour, including the crossword. A trip to the cinema costs £7.50 for a two hour film, popcorn excluded, and a £10 Easter Egg was demolished by my granddaughter in 30 seconds flat! Although I must admit that 75% of the cost of the egg must have been wrapping destined for the bin anyway.

Sorry, the rant about unneccessary packaging will have to wait for another time.

I am prepared to spend
those sums on ephemeral items then why does it seem so hard to spend a comparable sum on sharing God's love with my brothers and sisters in Barming?

I won't be here forever
(but it would be nice to see man step on the Moon once more) and surely Stewardship = Guardianship = Caretaker for the next generation.

Think, and pray.
See if you can commit the price of a pie and a pint (or a packet of fags) to the Lord's work.

Click on any of the following headings for an expanded explanation.

Our current income per week averages at £528.

Income

Direct Giving The envelope scheme or Direct Debit.	£339
Tax Recovered Gift aid.	£82
Cash Collections The donations in the collection plate.	£48
Fundraising Fetes, Social events and the monthly 'Bring and Buy'.	£20
Other Income Unsolicited donations.	£39

In 2009 it will cost us £986 per week to run St Andrews.

Outgoings

Ministry Expenses Admin and office stuff.	£24
Church and Services Wine, candles, wafers and lamp oil etc.	£57
Building Fund Maintenance, cleaning materials, and decorating.	£10
Parish Share Where the money we send to the diocese goes. Administration The people who carry out the neccessary administrative, legal, financial and pastoral work of the Diocese. 500,000 Training Curates (College Training, Salary, Housing). Training (OLM's, ALM's & Readers). 1,260,000 Senior Clergy 2 Bishops, 2 Archdeacons and their work of support for parishes and clergy. (The total cost is 400,000 but most is paid by the Church Commissioners and the Cathederal). 135,000 National Church The Diocesan contribution to National Church costs including General Synod. 135,000 Clergy Salary, Pension contributions, Housing, Council Tax,National Insurance, Continuing Training. 5,250,000 Special Ministries Extra Ministry and support to parishes by 2 Diocesan Missioners. Licenced Lay Workers etc. Ministry outside the Parish network such as the chaplaincy at the University of Kent, the Rural Officer and Church in Society. 135,000 Services Church Schools support, Stewardship, Gift Aid, Publishing, Criminal Records and Child Protection, The Diocesan Advisory Committee. 350,000	£876
External Giving Donations to Charitable or other deserving causes.	£19

The difference
between what we recieve and what we need is about £450 per week. So the time has come for us to prayerfully review our current giving and see whether a change is possible or, for that matter, neccessary due to a downward shift in one's resources.

Ways of giving

Weekly offering	Committing yourself to a regular offertory sum through the 'envelope' scheme.
Gift Aid	If you pay income tax, St Andrews can recover the tax on your giving as an extra donation.
Time and Talents	They also serve who mow the grass or clean out the gutters. You can let us know the things you are willing to help with by filling in a Time and Talent form.
Legacies.	A bequest can be made "After you've gone". Advice and informative literature is available at a website dedicated to the making and revising of wills

Forms

Financial Stewardship
Time and Talents