A new way to give! JustTextGiving
It couldn't be easier - text STLA12 followed by the amount you want to give (eg 'STLA12 £5') to 70070 and press send!
Or, if you would like other ways to support this church financially, without any cost to yourself then read on ...
... for you can shop online and raise money! Have you heard about 'easyfundraising' yet? If you already shop online with any of the shops shown below (and many more!) then this is one of the easiest ways to raise money for this church!
You shop online with the retailer as you would normally but if you first click on
this takes you to the home page of 'easyfundraising'. Have a look around, see how it works and note the special offers. Then click on sign up.
This is registered with our church details as the chosen cause. Enter your own details. There is no request for any financial information as you are not transacting with 'easyfundraising'.
Once you've signed up you're ready to shop as usual - follow the link to your favourite retailer. From presents on Amazon, through weekly shopping at Tesco to airline tickets - you'll find most of the on-line websites, even eBay is there - and a percentage of what you spend comes directly to this church with no extra cost to yourself!
At this point you will not notice any difference. It takes a little while for the transaction to register with 'easyfundraising'. Once it does, two things will happen: you receive an email notice to this effect; and your own personal fundraising total will be credited with the percentage of the transaction due via 'easyfundraising' to your chosen cause. You can watch this build going forward.
Before leaving the 'easyfundraising' website for the first time, remember to save the link within your favourites. Then, and this is the most important thing, BEFORE YOU BUY ANYTHING ONLINE go in via the 'easyfundraising' link.
That's all there is to it!
Thank you.
Regular Giving to the Church
Although the Church of England has the pastoral responsibilities of a state church, and is actively engaged with the life of the whole community and not just with those who attend the church regularly, it receives no government subsidy. Each parish church has to maintain its own buildings, and pay its own running costs. Every parish church also makes a contribution to its diocesan Common Fund, which pays for the stipends and pensions of all the diocesan clergy, and serves as a means by which richer parishes can subsidise the work of those that are working in the more deprived parts of the diocese.
So we are totally reliant on our regular congregation and those who attend the church for occasional services, for the day-to-day running costs of the church. There are four ways in which you can make a difference on a week-by-week or month-by-month basis. The first two are the best for us as they can be included in our annual budget. The four ways are:
a) Many members of the congregation pledge to give a certain amount by monthly bankers' standing order. If you are a UK taxpayer, this giving can also be gift-aided. All the necessary paperwork is obtainable from Marcus Coultrup (see below).
b) Others prefer to put something into the collection bag on a Sunday morning. You can do this by using the envelope scheme, for which you make a pledge to give a certain amount, usually weekly or monthly. This can also be Gift-Aided if applicable. You are then given a set of envelopes with a number, unique to you; one envelope for each week (or month) of the year. You put the money pledged (cash or cheque) into each envelope, and place it in the collection bag.
c) You can put cash or cheques into the white Gift Aid envelopes that are left out on the pews. We are then able to recover tax on your gift, but we are unable to include your giving when we draw up our budget - because we don't know it's coming if it isn't pledged.
d) You can put cash or cheques directly into the collection bag.
It is very important to us that as much giving as possible is Gift-Aided. Any UK taxpayer can use the Gift-Aid scheme, which increases the value of a donation by 28%. The only requirement is that you must be paying an amount of tax at least equivalent to the amount of money we will be claiming from the taxman in respect of your gift (ie the extra 28%). It doesn't cost you a penny more - Gift Aid means that the Inland Revenue refunds to us the tax you have already paid on that part of your income.
Marcus Coultrup, our Planned Giving Officer, would be pleased to talk to you about any of the above ways of giving. The administration is wholly in the hands of Marcus; our clergy do not know who is contributing to the running of the church, let alone how much. Marcus can be contacted on 01923 334387 or marcus.coultrup@ntlworld.com
Marcus would also be a starting point on talking to someone about ways in which you can enable the church to benefit under your Will.
It is also possible to sponsor a flower arrangement to celebrate an important occasion or in memory of a loved one. The Church Office (01923 261795; adminstlawrence@abbotslangley.org.uk) will gladly put you in touch with the Patricia Hill, the Flower Co-ordinator, if you would like to find out more about this.
These are obviously ways you can give to the church on a regular basis and help us in our annual budgeting; if you come to visit the church in person then please use a Gift Aid envelope if you are a UK tax payer; or if you would like to give via the website then please use the appropriate strap-line which is set up on each page.
Choose products with this Mark
www.fairtrade.org.uk
Monday 20th February
2.15 pm Tiny Tots
7.30 pm Bell ringing practice
Tuesday 21st February
10.15 am Tuesday Coffee in St Lawrence
Wednesday 22nd February - Ash Wednesday
10.15 am Holy Communion including Imposition of Ashes
8.00 pm Parish Communion including Imposition of Ashes
Thursday 23rd February
8.15-8.45 am Prayers for the Parish and Local Community
8.00 pm Housegroup at 6 Kindersley Way
Friday 24th February
9.30 am Morning Prayer with Holy Communion
10.00 am Heart for Abbots Langley Coffee in the Henderson Hall
10.20 am Funeral of Ivy Cremore at the Crematorium
3.30 pm Burial of the Ashes of Colin Schutt
6.15 pm Youth Choir practice
Saturday 25th February
10.00 pm Compline
Sunday 26th February - The First Sunday of Lent
8.00 am Holy Communion
9.30 am Parish Communion with Seekers (Sunday School) and Creche
12.30 pm Sunday Lunch Club
12.45 pm Vicarage Lent Lunch
6.30 pm Evening Prayer
Donate to the Parish