1. GENEROUS CHURCHES MAKING AND NURTURING DISCIPLES
Spring 2013
Thank you for coming to this meeting.
We’re looking today at the change from Parish Share to Freewill Offerings, and the help that Parishes may need during this process.
First, I’d like to remind us all why this is happening, and what the context is.

2. FREEWILL OFFERING
In 2014 we plan to approach the funding of our mission in a different way. Instead of each Deanery being allocated an amount of parish share it must pay, from 2014 all parishes will be invited to make a free will offering to the Common Fund.
In 2014 we plan to approach the funding of our mission in a different way. Instead of each Deanery being allocated an amount of parish share it must pay, from 2014 all parishes will be invited to make a free will offering to the Common Fund.
This idea has come out of the Mutual Support consultations held across the Diocese in November People said they wanted our churches to be Generous Churches Making and Nurturing Disciples.

3. FREEWILL OFFERING It’s about growing in Christ-likeness Commitment
Partnership
Influence
Numbers
People wanted our churches to be growing, and there are five main areas we can be growing in: in Christ-likeness, commitment, partnership, influence and numbers.
We should see mission, growth and mutual commitment at the heart of what we are and do – all these things are linked.
A focus on growth is important in its own right, but it is absolutely essential if we are to move on and change the way the mission is funded.

4. FREEWILL OFFERING
What we are looking at is a deep and renewed commitment to being Christ’s disciples and doing God’s work.
If this were just about changing the way we collect money, we would just be thinking about money. What we are looking at, however, is a deep and renewed commitment to being Christ’s disciples and doing God’s work.
If we are to grow, and be generous, this needs to be the concern of the whole diocesan family, at every level, whether you are clergy or a lay person.

5. RESOURCES A DVD explaining where PCCs’ money and the Common Fund goes.
A booklet explaining Freewill Offering.
A simple A4 sheet summary
Data sheets with information specific to parishes.
Help on stewardship and parish giving.
Sermon notes on giving.
Offerings Form – for parishes to send their offer to the office.
To help parishes make an offer to the Common Fund, you’ve been sent a toolkit of resources:
A DVD explaining where PCCs’ money goes when they give generously to the Common Fund
A booklet explaining why we’re changing from Parish Share to Freewill Offerings, what your money pays for in the Diocese, what the Common Fund is, and how to make an offer. The booklet will include what it costs to provide stipendiary clergy in a benefice, including their housing and training. It also shows the costs incurred by providing for House for Duty clergy and for Self Supporting Ministers. There’s also details of other shared local costs per benefice, and what they include. But we don’t want people to think it’s all about paying for clergy, mission and ministry in their own parish or benefice. We want them to understand that all parishes put something into the Common Fund, and all parishes get something out. We want them to understand that we need to support each other.
A simple A4 sheet that summarises the above
Data sheets with information specific to parishes.
Help on stewardship and parish giving. This was requested at some of the January meetings, and John Preston the National Stewardship Officer has writing this on our behalf.
Sermon notes on giving in the context of Freewill Offering.
Offerings Form – for parishes to send their offer to the office.

6. DATA SHEET 16+ attendance Parish income – restricted/ unrestricted
Parish Share – requested for 2013, received for previous years
All in the context of the deanery and diocese
A generic paragraph on deployment – because there are so many variations in the Diocesan reality
A snapshot of deprivation statistics for your deanery
The data sheets are specific and tailored to each PCC
The information included on them is based on the information available at Diocesan House from on Annual Returns for Membership and Finance that we have received. They show:
16+ attendance
Parish income – restricted/ unrestricted
Parish Share – requested for 2013, received for previous years
All in the context of the deanery and diocese
A generic paragraph on deployment – because there are so many variations in the Diocesan reality
A snapshot of deprivation statistics for your deanery

7. MAKING AN OFFER
All PCCs will make their offer in a different way, but it might help to follow these steps:
Pray about your church, and the offer you should make
Focus on the mission of your church, and make the best offer you can
Use the information in the data sheet and toolkit booklet to check your offer is reasonable and generous.
However, there is no magic formula for coming up with an offer.
You can’t ‘crunch’ the numbers in the data sheet or the toolkit to come up with an offer.
Making an offer will really only happen through prayer and thought – all PCCs will make their offer in a different way, but it might help to follow these steps:
Pray about your church, and the offer you should make
Focus on the mission of your church, and make the best offer you can
Use the information in the data sheet and toolkit booklet to check your offer is reasonable and generous.

8. THANK YOU
Any questions?