‘We need to talk about money’ communicates meaning and evokes reactions that are very different, not only across cultures but also generations. Faith communities also, perhaps not surprisingly, have very different ways of talking about money, both currently and when looking back over their long histories.
We at St Catherine’s have survived the pandemic in financial terms, though not without deficit, because of hardship grants from the Diocese (thank you to our treasurer for the hard work that goes into those applications) and also because very many of you do your stewardship through Planned Giving (click here if you don’t yet but want to), also through generous spontaneous gifts (you know who you are) and some of you who have, through it all, faithfully kept to your own disciplined Tithing (and you know who you are) and also the communications team has offered a broader menu of giving options digitally. Thank you for what, through all these strands, is in fact a huge team effort.
As we are making a tentative return to Sunday services I want to offer some clarity and updates so thank you for your understanding.
Weekly services in church have taken place through most of the pandemic, though when waves peaked we had breaks and went fully online, rather than being able to offer a choice. During those physical services (in church on Saturdays and outdoors on Sundays) we took no collection as we don’t now handle cash. This was to begin with about hygiene and still is. It is also because more of you moved to planned giving or occasional lump sum donations via bank transfers. It is also about accountability and no one at church dealing with money and laying themselves open to suspicion.
With more of us having full vaccine protection I am expecting many more of you in church, though others will prefer to stay safely home. However, just because we are as individuals safer, we still need to exercise caution both to protect those who are not vaccinated and because not enough is known about how infectious we are. All risk assessments (see website) bear those factors in mind. Thus I would like to continue at Saturday / Sunday services to only offer the option of digital financial giving (QR code at back of church and on some service orders). If that really is a problem for you then please put cash into an envelope labelled or anonymous, and hand in to the Welcome Team on arrival.
Accounts, annual or ongoing, are available on request. Giving can be for general expenditure or more specific (such as organ or church building upkeep or refugee ministry), also on request.
If you are new (arrival during pandemic) then the section of the website you might find helpful is named Stewardship. Please drop me an email if I can offer further help.
with thanks on behalf of Wardens and Council
and with blessings for your generosity and faithfulness in this aspect of your discipleship
Kara Werner
Chaplain
