St Thomas Church, Chatsworth Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S40 3AW.

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1 St Thomas Church, Chatsworth Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S40 3AW. Tel: Web: Facebook: 28

2 CODICIL I, (name) of (address) declare this to be the (1st/2nd/3rd etc) Codicil to my Will dated (date). I give: % of my residuary estate OR a gift of ( ) [choose one of these options and delete the other. If choosing the latter option, insert amount in numbers then, in the brackets, in words] free of all taxes to the Parochial Church Council of the parish of St Thomas Brampton with St Peter s Holymoorside in the diocese of Derby for its general purposes and I declare that the receipt of an officer of the Council shall be a sufficient discharge to my executors and trustees. In all other respects I confirm my Will and any previous codicils thereto. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this the (date). Signature (the testator/rix). This codicil was signed by the above named person in our joint presence, and then by us in his/hers. Signature Name Address Signature Name Address 27

3 Codicil Form St. Thomas, Brampton Parochial Church Council (Charity Number ) A codicil is the easiest way to include a straightforward gift to your church if you have already written your Will. Complete a codicil in the form below and sign and date it in front of 2 witnesses (who must not be a beneficiary or the spouse of a beneficiary). The witnesses should then each sign the codicil in your presence and in the presence of each other. Once completed, the codicil should be kept with your original Will. If in doubt, you should seek advice from a solicitor. Friends, From the Rector Our privilege together I have to say, being able to leading the amazingly talented, generous & faithful people that go to make up our church is one of the greatest privileges of my life. God has given us great richness in each other and a great calling to serve not only one another but also the wider parish, town and world. The joyful message of hope we embody is a wonderful truth to know and a great gift to share with a world so desperately in need. Our church s commitment to be a Local Church, Loving Jesus, Changing Lives is evident everywhere I look. In order to sustain the wonderful work that God is doing amongst us I must ask you to think about the way you are able to support this church. We have great opportunities before us and I genuinely believe we are living in special years of Our Lord s favour. But, to take hold of all that we hope to achieve we need to pool all the resources we have, not lease our finances. Please read through this booklet carefully. Be encouraged by what we are doing, be challenged by what we could do and then join in! Yours in Christ, Canon Matt Barnes Rector 26 3

4 Legacies & Wills St. Thomas, Brampton Parochial Church Council (Charity Number ) Below are some suggested Will clauses you or your solicitor can use to give a share of your estate: As a finance team we want to say THANK YOU to those of you who support us. Without your wonderful generosity we would not be able to achieve the great things that God is doing here at St Thomas. Whether you increase, decrease or continue with your current level of giving I would like you to know how grateful we are for your financial commitment and faithfulness to us throughout this last year. Secondly, I write to challenge those not yet financially committed. Maybe you ve recently come to faith, or just joined us; maybe you ve never before thought about the importance of giving to the church. I urge you to consider this now. Please take some time, to think through your giving for the year ahead. Part of this booklet teaches a little of what the Bible says about our attitude and our approach to money and giving. Please use it to help you prayerfully consider what you might give. Thank you again for your time and attention as you engage with this vital issue of Christian stewardship and giving. Please be generous as God has been generous to you. Phil Johnson Church Treasurer I give % of my residuary estate free of all taxes to the Parochial Church Council of the parish of St Thomas Brampton with St Peter s Holymoorside (Charity Number ) in the Diocese of Derby for its general purposes, and I declare that the receipt of an officer of the Parochial Church Council shall be a sufficient discharge to my executors. If you prefer to give a fixed sum of money replace the words in red above with: I give the sum of ( ). Write the amount in numbers and then in words in the brackets, for clarity. If you would like to give to a number of different parts of the Church and other charities, you can use The Legacy Service from the Church of England (see for more information). This service lets you support several different parts of the Church and other charities with just one gift in your Will; and you can change your wishes freely at any time. If you already have a Will, you can use the codicil form to add a gift to the church. Your solicitor may find it helpful to refer to the For Solicitors pages on if he/she is not familiar with the Church. These pages give a brief explanation of the Church s structure and how to find the correct legal name of a PCC. 4 25

5 STANDING ORDER St. Thomas, Brampton Parochial Church Council (Charity Number ) To the Manager Bank Address Please pay to the PCC of St Thomas Brampton a/c at the Chesterfield Branch of Nat West Bank Plc., Market Place, Chesterfield S40 1TJ Sorting Code The sum of ( ) on the day of and on the same day each succeeding month/year until further notice and debit my account with each payment when made. Account number Sorting Code Name [in block letters]: Address: Tel: Postcode Stewardship what we do after we say we believe Stewardship is founded on God's word, not on the fundraising or other needs of the church. Stewardship is rooted in the premise that all that we have and all that we are comes from God and, as a way to thank Him for all His blessings, we return a portion of the time, talent and treasure allotted to us. Good stewards will volunteer their TIME, TALENT and TREASURE to community agencies as well as to the church. Clearly, stewardship is not a fundraising ploy; it is a way of life based on deeply rooted spiritual principles. Date: Signature: This instruction cancels any previous order in favour of the beneficiary. Please return this form to St Thomas PCC Treasurer, Phil Johnson, via Church office or direct to 1 Matlock Road, Chesterfield S40 3JQ (Telephone: ) 24 5

6 Bible teaching on Time So teach us to consider our mortality, so that we might live wisely. Psalm 90:12 There are many inequities in the world, but one thing we all have in common is the same amount of time each day. God has allotted twenty-four hours to each one of us. We tend to think and act as though God has short changed us when it comes to time. The feeling is that there simply aren t enough hours in a day. Life with all its demands is far too busy. To be a good steward of time we need to have a grasp of time in the sense of understanding the great events of God in history, past, present, and future. The goal of stewarding our time well is not to get Christians busier. It is not busier lives that we need. What is needed instead is a better use of the time we have. Ultimately, we must also ask and respond to the issue of just why we are here on earth for. We are here as ambassadors of Christ called to a world-wide mission of making disciples of all nations starting in Jerusalem (home base) and reaching out to the uttermost part of the earth (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). We are here to represent the Saviour, to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever. We need to do this in our personal lives and also by volunteering in our shared life together bringing what we have into the service of others. 6 GIFT AID DECLARATION St. Thomas, Brampton Parochial Church Council (Charity Number ) Please treat as Gift Aid donations all qualifying gifts of money made today and in the future. I confirm that I have paid or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for each tax year (6th April to 5th April) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities or Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for that tax year. I understand that St. Thomas Brampton PCC will reclaim on my gifts for that tax year, I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. I understand that St. Thomas, Brampton PCC will reclaim 25p of tax on every 1 that I give on and after today. DONOR DETAILS Title First name or initials Surname Full Home address: Postcode Telephone Date Signature Please return this form to St Thomas PCC Treasurer, Phil Johnson, via Church office or direct to 1 Matlock Road, Chesterfield S40 3JQ (Telephone: ) Please notify St Thomas PCC s Treasurer if you:- * Want to cancel this declaration * Change your name or home address * No longer pay sufficient tax on your income and/or capital gains If you pay Income Tax at the higher or additional rate and want to receive the additional tax relief due to you, you must include all your Gift Aid donations on your Self Assessment tax return or ask HM Revenue and Customs to adjust your tax code. 23

7 FORMS Bible teaching on Talent Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 Every Christian possesses both natural talents and spiritual gifts. Our natural abilities come to us at physical birth and are developed through life. Our spiritual gifts are imparted by the Holy Spirit, enabling us to minister to others in behalf of Christ. giving money to support the work of the church God has equipped you by His Spirit to minister in a way as unique as your fingerprints. In God s family, everyone is considered gifted. Regardless of your personality, your IQ, or how high or low you rank on the social strata, you have spiritual gifts. And the body of Christ needs you just as God designed. Over 150 people volunteer at St Thomas in dozens of different roles some are more practical... others are more spiritual. Some are obvious to others and some are more behind the scenes. They are ALL important and we need lots more folks to join us in order to achieve all that we believe God has called us to, Volunteering at Church is a great way to serve God and Get to know others. Please speak to one of the ministers or contact the office if you d like to find out where you might fit into our church family team. 22 7

8 Bible teaching on Treasure What the Bible says about Treasure? The Bible has a great deal to say about money, our attitude to it and what we do with it. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:7-8 (NRSV) Why give? In response to God s grace God has shown his great love for sinful and unworthy people like us in the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Having received such undeserved generosity we should be motivated to give generously in response. We are to be like God - not reluctant givers, but wanting to give generously from all that he has given us. In recognition of God s gifts God wants us to be generous not just with our money but with our time, energy, skills, homes and possessions. If we have received God s abundant grace then we all have something to give. Sometimes these other things are harder to give than money. In reaction to needs and priorities The apostle Paul encourages the Corinthian Christians to give generously to a collection for other Christians in great poverty. God s priorities are that his people should come first in our giving: those who teach the word of God (1 Tim 5:17), those in need in our church (James 1:27, 1 Tim 5:8) and those in need in other churches (2 Cor 8-9). The needs are therefore both the local work of the parish and further afield in the wider church To be freed from greed & the love of money The only cure for greed is to give. The Small Print Conditions for Gift Aid Making donations There is no minimum amount or minimum term for Gift Aid. Donations may be made by Standing Order, cheque, direct bank transfer or cash. To qualify for Gift Aid, you must pay an amount of UK Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax at least equal to the tax the church reclaims on your donations. Changes in your situation You are responsible for informing the Gift Aid Officer if your tax situation changes for any given tax year in which you have authorised the church to make Gift Aid claims. Please do get in contact even if this relates to years in the past for which you overlooked or were unaware of this requirement the church can adjust previous claims if necessary. You can cancel your declaration at any time by notifying the church treasurer. Reclaiming tax The church will reclaim the basic rate tax you have paid on your donations when we have received your signed Gift Aid Declaration. If you pay tax at a higher rate, you can claim further tax relief when submitting your annual tax return. Data protection In completing and submitting the Gift Aid Declaration and/or Standing Order form, you agree that the parish may collect, store and use any personal information you may be providing for the purposes of administering your giving and complying with any requests for information from HMRC and for the purpose of providing you with information about our current and future programme of activities. Acknowledgements to the Diocese of Wakefield, Bradford and the Stewardship Team of the Archbishop s Council for reproduced stewardship material in this booklet. 8

9 How can the church get the most benefit from my giving? If you pay UK tax, please complete a Gift Aid Declaration so the church can reclaim the basic rate tax you have paid: around 25p for every 1 you give. A Gift Aid Declaration held by the church will apply to all your future gifts until you notify us otherwise. So, if your tax circumstances change, you will need to let the church know. Please read the Conditions for Gift Aid that are included in this booklet. Please note that giving information is always treated in the strictest confidence. How do I make a single donation? Please make your cheque or charity voucher payable to St Thomas PCC and put it in a giving envelope and return it to the Church. If you are giving cash or a cheque, you pay UK tax and the church does not hold an existing Gift Aid Declaration from you, please complete the full details on the front of the giving envelope. If you know the church holds an existing Gift Aid Declaration, please make a note of this on the front of the envelope, but otherwise you may leave the envelope anonymous. How is my giving allocated between local and wider church activities? Each year the PCC (the elected church council) agrees a budget for the following calendar year. As part of this budgeting process, the PCC agrees how much should be spent on all different aspects of the church s activities. Except on a very few days (when it is advertised that a collection will be reserved for a specific purpose), all giving is channelled into the church s General Fund. It is then used in accordance with the PCC s budget for the year. May I specify how I would like my gifts to be used? Yes. However, such requests can prevent the PCC from using money in accordance with its needs so, wherever possible, please leave the allocation of funds to the elected church council. Who should I contact? Gifts, Standing Order Forms, Gift Aid Declarations and envelope requests should be sent to the treasurer, Mr Philip Johnson. How to give? Abundantly The apostle Paul stresses the abundant nature of God s giving towards us so that we may give abundantly in response. God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. The Old Testament commanded a tithe (10% of income). The New Testament is far more radical: we are to be generous givers of all we have. Some will give far more than 10% of their income, others less. Thoughtfully Each of you must give as you have made up your mind. We need to think carefully about what we have been given, what our responsibilities are and how we can give money in the most effective way. Joyfully God loves a cheerful giver. It s easy to give for the wrong reasons - to relieve our guilt, to avoid other avenues of Christian service, to be seen to be generous by others. The apostle Paul tells us that God loves a joyful and big-hearted response to all that he has lavished on us. 20 9

10 How much should I give? The amount we give to our local church is a decision to be made honestly between us and God. There is clearly no right answer and many church family members will be giving both to the church and to other organisations. However, three practical suggestions might be useful as you prayerfully consider: Even if you are on a restricted income, perhaps as a pensioner or student, it is still good to develop a habit of giving - perhaps a Standing Order of a small amount each month. Standing Orders provide discipline and help us to prioritise giving, even when our budget is limited. Those with higher earnings might like to give at a level to fund specific projects or church resources. The Old Testament suggested that the Tithe (10%) was a place to start yes, start and Jesus was often even more challenging. The Church of England suggests that if you take that as a basis then allocate half of your total giving through your church. The good thing about this figure is that it is both a proportion of income most people have found they can manage to give (many give more) and a way to ensure you give adequately as your income increases. ministry of the church they could make more money but would not be able to help the church as they do (e.g. paying for ½ Sally-Anne s salary and providing free space to church groups). Thirdly, it is hoped that they trade for profit. This profit will be gifted to the church at the end of the financial year. A small provision has been made in 2015 but it is hoped that this may grow!! How can I be confident that money is used appropriately? The PCC has responsibility for our finances. This task is delegated to the finance team on a day-to-day basis. The Finance team, led by our Treasurer, Phil Johnson, is a highly experienced team with many years of accounting experience. As a registered charity we have to submit financial information to the Charity Commissioners for examination, our accounts are professionally audited each year and these accounts are available on request. How can I give? By Standing Order each month, quarter or year Using regular giving envelopes Payroll Giving Single donations by cash, cheque or charity voucher Putting money in the church collections Gifts of shares and other listed investments Including the church in your will How would you like me to give? Standing Orders transfer money from your bank to the church regularly and automatically. This provides the church with regular, predictable income, which helps in two ways: it enables us to budget effectively and it is simpler and cheaper than cash, cheques or envelopes to administer. So, if you can, please give by Standing Order. Complete the enclosed Standing Order form with whatever amount and whatever frequency you choose. You can cancel by calling your bank at any time. However, if a Standing Order isn t for you, please use any of the other methods above. We are grateful for each and every given. How can I change my level of Standing Order? Simply fill in a new Standing Order Form and indicate in the space provided that you want to cancel your existing Standing Order. Please don t instruct your bank without letting the church know Standing Order forms represent an important link in the evidence required for Gift Aid reclaims. 19

11 FAQs Giving made simple Frequently Asked Questions If you feel able to give 5% or 10% of your income (after tax) to the church, this table will help you to work out how much to give each week or month. Isn t the Church of England wealthy, why does it need my money? The Church of England is not wealthy. It has been living on borrowed time, on investments that arose from gifts hundreds of years ago. The church has been drawing on these ever since they were given and they are running out. Every church is being encouraged to become full-cost aware. This is hard for many because we have been protected for so long, but the only way to ensure a continuity of ministry in the 21 st century is to be financially viable and self-sustained. Is the Parish Share just a tax from which we see no benefit? NO Parish share is good news for St Thomas 70% comes back DIRECTLY to us in the way of clergy allocation. 30% helps to support our ministry indirectly by covering our proportion of central diocesan church costs (e.g. clergy training - from which we benefit by having a curate). Also in this money we rightly contribute to support poorer churches. What about Church savings, do we have any? Following Charity Commissioners guidance as a church we operate a three-month reserve policy which means we try to hold a 3-month buffer of funds in reserve for 2014 this would mean a reserve of around 55k. We estimate we will begin 2014 with approximately half that in reserve. Consider also we will start 2014 probably owing about 41,000 for previous building works (centre & suite). What about the coffee shop and centre, don t they help? The coffee shop (which has now been set up as an independent limited company owned by the PCC called STB (Chesterfield) Ltd) and the centre clearly bring in significant revenue to the church but they also have lots of expenses associated with them. The simple financial objectives of these two entities are firstly to trade not for loss, secondly, to fulfil the ministry of the church, and thirdly, to trade for profit. This means that both the coffee shop and centre should meet their full costs of operation out of the money they generate (e.g. staff costs, heating, maintenance, cleaning, etc.) this they do. They are then tasked to be about the Your Annual Income from working, pensions or investments Annual Take Home Pay after paying tax & NI 4,000 15,000 20,000 40,000 50,000 4,000 12,732 16,132 29,732 35,779 If you give 5% ,487 1,789 This would mean you give each week Or each month should be If you give 10% , , , , This would mean you give each week Or each month should be This table is for illustration only. It does not account for any benefits or other kinds of income. It is designed to help as a guide and not to be directive the amounts maybe too much or too little for you to give only you and God can decide what the right amount is for you to cheerfully contribute. What is my level of giving? The tip level small change for God. The entertainment level pay when I go The emotional level give when I feel like it The good intentional level I will do better when I ve got more to spare and it won t interfere with anything else The Christian level I will give as I have been given, systematically and sacrificially in proportion to my ability, gladly and ungrudgingly 18 11

12 St Thomas VISION Local Church LOVING JESUS Changing Lives A tagline is simple and easily remembered but what does it mean? At St Thomas our vision is to equip God's people to live confident, effective Christian lives on 'the frontline' of life. We do this by: Local Church [Community Outreach] Creating a God-centred community that welcomes and draws in others. Loving Jesus [Worship] Experiencing the life changing presence of God in action, prayer and worship. Changing Lives [Discipleship] Equipping God's people with 10-key discipleship skills that they can use in everyday life and teach to others. A legacy is a great way to thank God for all the gifts of a lifetime and to hand on undimmed the legacy we ve received from past Christians (our building, our faith) to future generations. Leaving a gift in your will is tax efficient and can reduce the amount of inheritance tax you pay. We welcome all legacies, however large or small, and we promise to use them to fund significant development projects in the parish, whether buildings, equipment or staff. As circumstances change over the years, it may not be possible to fulfil specific donor requests, so church members are encouraged to leave gifts in their Wills for the general purposes of the parish. The PCC will discuss with executors the most appropriate use of the gift in the light of current projects and the donor s known areas of interest in the church (e.g. children & youth, music, buildings). A legacy might help us consider. Employing a missioner to support our work with seniors. Information about how to remember the church in your will is included at the back of this booklet. Carry out essential quinquennial repairs ensuring our building is preserved for future generations

13 Making a lasting difference through legacies Our Church & Finance Some key Facts and Figures: A gift in your Will can keep our Church alive in our community and transform its future. Many of us give a proportion of our income to support our church every week. But we are stewards of everything we own, not just our income. As Christians, we should consider giving a proportion of all that we have to support the mission and ministry of our church too. For nearly five hundred years the Church of England has encouraged its members to keep their Wills up to date. The Book of Common Prayer instructs clergy to remind those who are sick: let him be admonished to make his Will, and to declare his debts, what he oweth, and what is owing unto him; for the better discharging of his conscience, and the quietness of his Executors. But men should often be put in remembrance to take order for the settling of their temporal estates, whilst they are in health. Writing a Will helps secure the future of the people you love. Leaving a gift in your Will helps secure the future of our church. A legacy might help us consider. Buying a house for our interns or church workers which will support ministry at St Thomas and create a valuable asset. Installing an economical ecoheating system which will save energy usage and keep the church building warm all year around. Consider this: it costs 550 per day to keep St Thomas Open for business. That s EVERY hour of every day!! Our Church operating budget for 2015 is 200,500 As a registered charity we need a reserves policy (which sets a level below which our reserves should not fall for most charities this is 3-months operating costs). The PCC s reserves policy for 2015 is 50,000. In addition to our church operating budget we have budgeted 46,000 in order to operate and maintain the Parish Centre. The centre is cost neutral to the church as booking fees & rent from the coffee shop cover these costs. As a church we currently owe 12,000 for the work done to the St Thomas suite. This loan is interest free and is being repaid over the next 3 years from revenue from the parish centre. As a parish (including both our churches, our parish centre and trading company) we expect a parish turnover of approximately 381,000. Using resources wisely How we spend money on God s work Local is our focus The work of the church family in and around this parish is the bedrock of our activities. We use the funds you give to maintain our buildings, pay the staff that work here and enable the many activities of our church life to occur. This includes the many Sunday and weekday events for children, youth, singles, families and older people. In addition to this we support the Diocese of Derby as well as other partners around the world. 13

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