Giving during Coronavirus pandemic

Here is a notice about giving from Colin Thirlwall for St Mary’s Godmanchester people (apologies to Hilton folk – you’re still welcome to read it!). Once again I am having trouble attaching documents, so here it is below:

PARISH FINANCE

As our church is closed for the time being we are clearly not getting any plate collections, fees or donations in the wall box or votive candle holder.  Although our outgoings have reduced we still have to pay our standing orders of around £8,000 per month including our parish share of £6,647.  We have reserves that will keep us going in the short term so there is no immediate panic.  Although many of our congregation donate by bank transfer (BACS), Standing Orders or the Parish Giving Scheme, for which we are extremely grateful, I know that some people are concerned that they are not able to support the work of the church under the current restrictions.  May I offer the following suggestions:

Free-Will Envelopes – please keep your (filled) envelopes until things return to normal as I am trying to avoid handling cash and hence visits to the post office to pay it in.

Bank transfers – if you wish to donate by BACS transfer, even temporarily,  please let me know and I will email the church bank details to you.  You can then a give one-off donation without any long-term commitment.  Please include your name as the reference.

Cheques – you can send cheques payable St Mary the Virgin Godmanchester PCC  to 49 London Rd, Godmanchester, PE29 2HZ as I have a applied to our bank for postal deposit envelopes.  Please let me know if the donation is for anything specific.

Parish Giving Scheme – this is the preferred method for regular donations as we get a single monthly payment for all of the income followed by a single payment of Gift Aid.  However,  the Parish Giving staff are currently operating from home so they cannot process any new applications.

If you already have a Parish Giving pack with an addressed envelope please note the new address below and wait until things return to normal before sending in the form.

Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) Team will be operating from a new location.

• Our new address will be:76 Kingsholm RoadGloucester

  GL1 3BD 

  Please also note the following new contact information:

• Call the helpline telephone number on:  0333 002 1260 *

• Email the PGS Administration team at: info@parishgiving.org.ukIf you have any queries or suggestions please give me a call on 457018 or 07972712383or candbjt@virginmedia.com.Colin Thirlwall Hon Treasurer