Churches across the Diocese have now received over £4 million in regular gifts through the Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) since it launched in 2019.
Thanks to the generosity of givers over £4 million has been given in regular gifts over the past four years, all of which has gone to churches in Worcester and Dudley to help towards ministry, mission and buildings.
Stewardship Officer Robyn Rooney said: “Generosity is at the heart of our faith. We believe in a generous God and our own generosity is a testament and hallmark of our faith in action. The ministry and mission of The Church of England is largely funded through the incredible generosity of those who give to it and it is fantastic to see this generosity within our churches.”
“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:11
Over half the churches in the Diocese have joined PGS since it was introduced in 2019, enabling parishioners to give regularly to their church via Direct Debit. It is simple for churches to join, and individuals can give their donations via the PGS website or the dedicated phone line. Gift Aid is claimed for the church and treasures can easily see their regular donations. Churches don’t pay any fees on these donations.
The Parish Giving Scheme makes it easier for individuals to increase their regular donations in line with inflation. Each year, all those who have opted in receive a reminder and have six weeks to decide if they feel able to increase their gift. Over the last year we saw the average donation increase by 2.4%.
St Philip & St James’ Church in Whittington has seen a big growth in regular giving through PGS since the start of this year. They said it was straightforward to set up the PGS and they have had a good response from their congregation so far. St Nicholas’ Church in Pinvin are one of the newest members of PGS and have commented on how easy it was to get started. They are looking forward to seeing the generosity grow in the church.
Robyn continued: “Since starting the role in January it’s been great to see the impact the scheme is having. PGS is so simple to set up and use and yet it is really making a difference. I am looking forward to more churches making the move onto PGS and seeing the difference this can make.”
Learn more about the Parish Giving Scheme here or contact Robyn Rooney.
