St Michael’s Church, Shute and St Mary at the Cross Church, Whitford
In the present financial climate we experience, read, or hear of difficulties in making ends meet. This is no less a task in maintaining our Parish Churches for in 2010, it cost just under £50 each day to run and maintain them
A few months ago each household within the Parish would have received from Shute Parish Council a ‘Parish Plan Questionaire’ in which a section related to the Parish Church. The questions posed were:
Would it be used more if better facilities were available?
Of 168 responses 59 said they would.
Would financial support be considered?
Of 159 responses 64 said they would.
How much?
62 responses ranged from £2.00 to £10.00. Whether this is weekly, monthly or annually is not confirmed.
So what is the Parochial Church Council PCC doing to keep your Parish Church open and available to you?
Services are held each Sunday. 9.00 a.m. and 11.00 alternately with the Family Service on the 1st Sunday of each month. Other services are advertised in the Parishes Paper. The Church is also available for Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals.
Other activities include drama provided by Shute Theatre and Art Group (STAG) and concerts. Other fundraising events in the past have been coffee mornings, Wine & Cheese evenings and Craft Fayres, etc.
The current project to make the church more user friendly is to provide mains water and toilet facilities. Plans have been drawn up and approximate costings made by our architect will be in the region of £9,000/£10,000 of which £6,000 has been raised so far.
The above activities do not cover the running costs, by any means, so this is a request for help from those who have indicated support and who may or may not have done so in the past. Whilst financial support is most welcome and regularly needed there are other ways in which help would be appreciated.
Financial support may be made in several ways. Through the collections taken at services, giving through the weekly envelope system, by Gift Aid through your bank, are just some of the ways to be used. Remember if you are a tax payer, the tax can be reclaimed by the church from the Inland Revenue. If you need further information then please don’t hesitate to contact me or other members of the PCC. It is your church now, and for generations to come. And remember your Vicar is there to help and for your pastoral needs.
Brian Gardner Treasurer
Tel: 01297 552418
