A huge thank you to all who have been praying for a good response to this year's Stewardship Appeal. PCC was also encouraged to know of your prayers for our discussions and decisions as we met earlier this week to discern and agree priorities for 2024 and how best to use the church's financial resources entrusted to us.
120 households have made new, or re-affirmed, financial commitments. (But please remember anyone can join our pledged giving scheme or change their giving at any time!). Your pledges result in £27k of additional regular giving for 2024 and £8k of one off gifts. Thank you for your generosity.
PCC wanted to provide some immediate brief feedback on our decisions but will write in more detail early in 2024, including how you can support plans with further prayer and financially. In the stewardship letter we said we were hoping for an increase in regular giving of £40k to move forward with confidence with our 4 key priorities:
To meet inflationary cost pressures
To secure the funding for our Youth Minister as specific donations end
To recruit to a part-time Music Minister early in 2024
To continue and grow our various mission commitments
Despite not reaching the hoped for increase, PCC decided to approve budgets that seek to do all of the above. We could only do that by committing a substantial proportion of our financial reserves to these priorities over the next couple of years. However, we felt it was important to step out in faith, trusting that the current shortfall in income will be made good through future generosity from the church family.
Thank you once again for your continuing partnership in the Lord's work at All Saints.
Mark Brown
Vicar and Chair of PCC