January, a time to look forward to what the Lord might have in store for us in the year ahead? As Church Treasurer, however, I had to “look backwards” as I started to prepare the church’s statutory accounts for 2023!
The full position, after the audit, will need to wait for my presentation to the APCM in May, but I thought I would share a few provisional figures. The biggest expenditure, around £287k (or £5,500 per week), was on our staff. The ministry team support our church life in very visible ways particularly on a Sunday but other staff do so in equally important, but often unseen, ways during the week. The second biggest spend in 2023 was £88k on our church building. Nearly half went on regular costs such as utility and insurance bills (around £900 per week) and the rest on major repairs including £22k on the stained glass windows on the south nave.
If you have not yet looked at the finance poster by the digital giving machine in church this will give you a more extensive overview of our expenditure. It would be great to get feedback as to whether you think it is helpful and informative, including for visitors.
Regular giving was at £399k, so we didn’t quite make it beyond the £400k, as we had hoped. Please do join me in praying that this time next year I will be able to report that we went well beyond £400k in 2024. This would hugely help to support the Lord’s work in this place and beyond, including the specific areas of youth and music ministry that we set out in the stewardship letter.
Thank you again to all who were able to respond positively and generously to the stewardship appeal either with regular or one off gifts.
Finally, as cessations in giving happen throughout the year, please don’t wait for the next appeal to join the pledged giving scheme or make a donation, if you now find yourself able to do so.
Julia Newton