Monthly E-newsletter from the Finance and Resourcing Parishes Teams

Thinking About Generosity.....

Generosity Week 2022 events in our Diocese

Run a Generosity Fika Event

Green Journey webinars: The Energy Crisis and my Church Energy Bills

Changes to Charity Law

Register for the PGS

Application deadline for Diocesan Grants' Scheme

National Churches Trust Foundation Grant

Dial-in to Stewardship's free Zoom webinar

Sunday 9th October. Trinity 17. Luke 17.11-19

Thankfulness overflows into generosity

Like a pool springboard above sparkling water, gratitude is the most marvellous launchpad for generosity. A heart overflowing with thankfulness will joyfully spring into thrilling cascades of generous giving.

Jesus healed ten lepers. All ten obediently beetled off for priestly inspection. Only one – who knew the additional life-long exclusion of being a despised foreigner – spun round on his clean-skinned heels once he realised that he was cleansed. Overwhelmed with gratitude, he rushed back to praise and thank Jesus. He was blessed with an even deeper healing.

Nine lives were restored to normal; one life was utterly transformed. We can only begin to grasp the extent of God’s love and blessings, but an attitude of gratitude will catalyse generosity. I’m pretty sure that the tenth man will have gone on to transform his community, launching amazing support networks for outcasts, sharing the good news of God’s Kingdom, and changing lives.

Clare Masters was Lay Minister at Bidborough, St Lawrence & Southborough, St Peter in the Diocese of Rochester

Generosity Week 2022 events in our Diocese

Generosity Week 2022 has now completed and parishes across the Diocese have celebrated this special time in different ways. Find out what Generosity Week events St John's Menston and St Peter & St Leonard's Horbury held to encourage reflection on God's generosity to them using the link below. Remember that you can hold Generosity Week at any time of the year in your church and freely download the available resources using the link below. If you've held a Generosity Week event please let us know so that we may use it to inspire others. Email [email protected] with details/images of your GW celebrations

The Generosity Fika

Following on from Generosity Week why not consider holding a Generosity Fika for your church. A Fika is a half day programme for small groups to explore God's generosity to us, biblical generosity and generosity around the world. It also involves coffee and cake! Through short films, reflections and discussion we can be inspired and encouraged to live more generous lives. Fikas can be an enormously effective way of developing a generous culture within your church. Download the Fika resources and watch a recorded webinar on how to Run a Fika at the links below. 

New Webinars for October: The Energy Crisis and My Church Energy Bills: How can the Green Journey Help?

In this pair of webinars Kevin Lumley and Craig Hogg from Green Energy Consulting will give you a step-by-step guide to the energy markets, government energy price cap and explain the Green Journey package of services. Jemima Parker, Diocesan Environment Officer, will offer advice on how to reduce energy use in your church this winter and how to start to make long-term changes to bring down both financial and carbon costs.

Register for webinars through links below.

Charity Commission Advice and Changes to Charities Act 2022

The Charity Commission requires charities to file their annual returns within 10 months of their financial year end, which for most makes the deadline 31^st October.  For more information on how to submit see link below.

The new Charities Act 2022 aims to make it easier for charities to focus on their important work by reducing unnecessary financial and administrative burdens. The first set of changes will come into effect this autumn, including payments to trustees for services they provide to their charity, making moral or ex-gratia payments from charity funds and fundraising appeals that raise too much or too little, the latter being the most likely to affect churches. Additional changes will take effect next year. For more information, please visit 

Register for the PGS! 

Almost 30% of parishes within the Diocese of Leeds have now registered for the PGS and the number continues to grow. To find out more about the benefits the PGS can bring to your church and to download a PGS registration form click the link below.

NCT Foundation Grant-Deadline 31st October 2022

Regular maintenance of your church building will help save you money on your energy bills and on more costly repair bills.

The National Churches Trust's Foundation Grant Programme offers small grants of between £500 and £5,000 towards urgent maintenance works and small repairs identified as high priority within a recent Quinquennial Inspection or Survey Report. The last deadline for grants in 2022 is October 31st.

To find out more and to apply online see link below

Free Stewardship  Zoom Webinar  October 22nd @ 1pm

The Stewardship Charity's Lunchtime Dial-in is a free webinar on Zoom, where in-house experts and special guests unpack the topics that are relevant to churches and Christian charities. The Dial-in is for anyone involved in the financial stewardship of a church or Christian charity, particularly those trustees, treasurers and leaders involved in the finance team. To find out how to sign up for the webinar click on link below.

A reminder of our email addresses so you get the right support and advice:

For stewardship, income generation, parish finance, Parish Share and grant enquiries:

[email protected] or you can email Janet or Jenn directly.

For general finance queries including invoices, clergy fees and payroll:

[email protected] or you can email Jane, Hayley, Clare or Jenni directly.