Finance
It costs around £80,000 a year to run our three Parish churches apart from Café Church, Calvert Green. That is just over £500 per church per week to ensure that:
- the Clergy is paid
- the building is properly maintained and heated
- the parish affairs are efficiently run
- our programme of activities continues to the highest standards, and
- we can give to charities at home and abroad.
Our Parish relies on financial contributions, support, time and talent for the upkeep of our three churches. We do not receive any financial support from the UK Government.
Regular committed giving – by Plate offerings, Standing Order and Parish Giving Scheme – allows us to plan ahead. And, for UK tax payers, the most efficient way to give to the church is by Gift Aid and the Parish Giving Scheme
To join the Gift Aid scheme, please complete a Banker’s Order Form or the respective Parish Giving Scheme application and, if you are a UK taxpayer, please also complete a Gift Aid Declaration. Place either your application in an envelope for the attention of the Stewardship Secretary.
For help or further information, please speak to Geoff Strutt (Treasurer and Stewardship Secretary) or one of the Churchwardens
What is the average cost of a parish?
The basic running costs of the parish; heating, lighting, insurance, repairs, services etc; are paid for by the congregation. On top of this, supporting one full time priest in a parish and contributing a fair share of the costs of other activities is estimated to amount to around £52,000 for our parish. However, we are currently in an agreement with the Diocese of Oxford to recover the difference between the legacy contribution shortfall and Parish share over five years from 2020.
Our Parish Share contribution to the Diocese of Oxford can be divided into three roughly equal parts:
- We pay the parish priest
- We pay his or her pension contributions and provide house
- We train clergy, support parishes, schools and wider church