Giving to the church and Gift Aid
There are two ways in which people can give regularly to help with the running of our parish:
The preferred method is with a standing order setup via a bankers order. This form is available from the Parish Office.
If you pay tax in the UK, please consider giving with Gift Aid. Gift Aid is a Government scheme that allows the parish to reclaim
the tax that you have paid on your donation - if you are a UK taxpayer.
If you are a taxpayer and give £10 to the church you will have paid tax on that amount. The church can get £2.80 of it back with Gift Aid -
so your donation of £10 would become worth £12.80 - and it wouldn't cost you an extra penny! Standard tax payers need only sign a form which
allows the money to be claimed. Higher tax payers should also claim on their annual tax returns as this amount can be added to their outgoings.
The second method for planned giving is by using special envelopes provided by the Parish:
Gift aid is also available with this method with the same advantages to the Parish,
please tick the box on the form and after completion give or send in to the Parish Office.
When working out how much to give regularly please consider two key questions:
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Does my giving reflect the importance of the parish in my life?
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Can you afford that amount every week or each month?
It is said that you can prove anything with statistics, but the fact of the matter is that many people in this Diocese give less that than £1 a week.
For some that is a sacrifice and they shouldn't give more.
But for others it probably could be more. Does what you give reflect the importance of the
Parish in your life and what you can afford?
Nobody can tell you how much you should give, it is a personal decision.
However Cardinal Hume once suggested that people who work should consider donating an hour's pay per week.
So if you earn £10,000 that's about £5. It may sound a lot but it is less than one day's congestion charge in central London.
While, if you earn £20,000, it's around £10. Equivalent to the price of a delivered large pizza.
If you do not work but receive an income the same rule can apply - based on one fortieth of your weekly income
Remember: Any new, or existing, commitment you make can always be changed at any time.
What happens to the Parish when I am not here?
It is not always possible to come here to Mass every week. For example, you may be away on holiday or visiting,
however the costs of running the Parish continue to be incurred.
Please therefore consider committing to a regular amount each week -
to give even if you can't come to Mass. This would enable the Parish to plan ahead knowing that your gift would be coming.
Remembering St Columba's in your Will
If you wish to consider leaving something to St Columba's Church in your will. If you would like to discuss this matter with the Parish Priest or a member of the parish finance committee please do not hesitate to ask.
Other Donations
If you would like to make a donation to the parish for some specific purpose please contact the Parish Priest. Please remember that by signing a gift aid declaration form you will enable the value of your donation to be increased considerably.
