Giving to Buildings and Resources

Supporting the resources and buildings for St Michael’s Church, as we aim to be a Christian heart at the centre of our communities, via the Heart of the Community Project (the legal charity name is St Michael’s Church Centre Ltd)

How to give

If you would like to give financially to the Buildings and Resources of St Michael’s, you can do so in the following ways

By standing order or internet banking

To set up or amend a standing order, or donate a one-off lump sum, log in to your online banking or visit your local branch with our bank account details

Account name: St Michael’s Church Centre Ltd HOTC

Sort code 30-62-32

Account Number 34805560

Quote reference as: your first name and surname

Once you have set up or amended your standing order, please email us so we can identify your gift and thank you. Please also complete a Gift Aid form if you are eligible

By cheque

Made payable to St Michael’s Church Centre – HOTC

If at all possible, we would be so grateful if you could try online giving instead.

Payroll Giving Via Your Employer

Many employers offer Payroll Giving which allows you to give directly to St Michael’s from your salary before tax is deducted. This means if you give £100 per month and are a basic rate taxpayer, the gift will only cost you £80 from your net pay. If you pay a higher rate of tax, £100 a month will only cost you £60 from your net pay. To find out if your employer offers Payroll Giving, contact your HR office.

Charitable Aid Agencies

You may wish to give to St Michael’s via a charitable aid agency such as StewardshipCAFCharities Trust, or Charitable Giving. These agencies are useful for those who give to multiple charities and wish to have their giving recorded in one place or for those who wish to give anonymously to St Michael’s.

Easyfundraising

UK taxpayers can also complete a simple Gift Aid form, which means the government will donate an extra 25% on top of your giving at no cost to you or the project.

If you would like help with ways to make one-off donations or arrange regular giving, please contact the church office

St Michael’s Church Centre Limited.  Registered Charity in England and Wales 1149601; Company Number 08242432

Heart of the Community project

The Heart of the Community project

The Heart of the Community project is an amazing, ambitious piece of work, which is absolutely central to our life as a church. It’s an audacious plan to take our vision of living to make a difference to a whole new level. And everyone is invited to play a part in making it happen.

Four key ambitions

The Heart of the Community project has four specific aims, which can all enable our lives to make even more of a difference.

  • Create a spacious modern meeting place in the centre of the community
  • Restore our historic church building for generations to come
  • Upgrade our existing community rooms
  • Fund outreach and anti-poverty projects locally, nationally and internationally

Each of these four ambitions is included to help us fulfil our vision of living to make a difference, through discipleship, outreach and serving the community.

How far we’ve come

The project was officially launched in May 2012 with the initial fundraising target of £5.8m. Members of St Michael’s Church responded to the call to give generously and sacrificially. On a single Sunday, £2m was given or pledged over five years to get the project off to an incredible start.

This short video was produced after that amazing first gift day.

Since that first amazing gift day, even more people have chosen to support the project financially, and we continue to host an annual gift day, enabling each of us to review our regular giving and one-off donations.

To date (figures from 30 April 2022) worshippers at St Michael’s have given more than ÂŁ5,508,128 (including Gift Aid contributions from the government) to support the four ambitions of the Heart of the Community project. Those gifts, combined with a number of charitable loans from supportive organisations and individuals, have enabled us to press on with the work of the project.

Building work on the new St Michael’s Church Centre began in July 2013.

Derelict farm buildings in the heart of Stoke Gifford were transformed into our new church centre.

In September 2014 the shell of the new building was dedicated and the project was blessed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. By April 2015 the first phase was completed at a total cost of £4.51m – of which £2.04m was borrowed.

Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, visits and blesses the new building in September 2014.

Work to fit and furnish the first phase of the new church centre continued, with our reception and downstairs office areas, storage, toilets, a small kitchen, three meeting rooms and the ground floor of the auditorium (300 seats) ready to open by May 2015.

A church gathering on the ground floor of the new auditorium shortly after it opened in 2015.

Making a difference around the world

Of all the financial gifts made to the project, we’ve committed 10% to support our mission and outreach partners elsewhere in the UK and around the world.

More than £403,130 has so far been given to building and development projects. Projects that are making a real difference to the lives of people in the UK and several countries overseas, where the link mission partners of St Michael’s Church are working.

There are more details about these projects in the mission pages of this website.  You can also read more on the latest tithe donations made here

What next?

There’s much to celebrate, new opportunities to grow, serve and reach out, and plenty more fundraising and hard work ahead for the Heart of the Community project.

The Old School Rooms

The project has funded a new tiled floor throughout the foyer of the Old School Rooms. Our coffee shop, kitchen and the various meeting spaces in the Old School Rooms are used more than ever for church and community activities.

The Church

We aim to continue to support the refurbishment in the historic Church building. This could include levelling the flooring, renewing the seating, providing toilets and increasing visibility inside.
Alongside this, we will continue to make 10% of monies raised available for worthy causes. The latest news on this can be found here

The Centre

Seating for another 160 people was added to the auditorium in the new church centre in the spring of 2018, with the completion of the balcony. This has accommodated further growth in numbers and enabled us to host more larger regional and national events, beginning with the Diocese of Bristol Connections Conference at the end of April.

Between autumn 2016 and spring 2017 we funded the mechanical and electrical work to provide heating and cabling for lighting, power and data connections to the arched barns area and the upstairs of the new centre. That means everything is in place to complete the remaining rooms as further funds become available.

In 2020 we opened a suite of new seminar and meeting rooms along the “Arches” corridor, including a fully equipped kitchen.

At the beginning of the Heart of the Community Project, total loans were £2,040,000 were taken out to fund the construction of the St Michael’s Centre.   Since the last HOTC Gift Day, a further £237,377 of those loans have been repaid, leaving £631,775 of loans still to be repaid.   Through the generosity of the St Michael’s congregations, we hope to reduce that figure by a further £200k+ in the next 12 months, especially as interest rates are increasing.

Fundraising continues

Everyone is invited to play their part in the Heart of the Community project. That means hundreds of us committing to pray, to support in practical ways, and to consider carefully what level of sacrificial giving we could add to the growing total of funds raised.

At every stage of the project we’ve had to trust God as we’ve taken bold steps towards these audacious ambitions. We’re certain that God guides us and encourages us to continue towards that vision. And this faith-stretching challenge goes on.

What can I give?

We host a gift day for the Heart of the Community project once a year, and we have been amazed by God’s generosity and the faithfulness of his people again and again. But we can choose to make a one-off gift, or commit to a regular monthly donation at any time.

Click here for more information on how to give.

Tax-payers can also fill in a Gift Aid form which instructs the government to contribute another 25% on top of your donation, at no cost to you or the project.

We’re also delighted when groups or individuals choose to organise a fundraising activity for the Heart of the Community project. Dozens of different events have been staged over the last few years, and it’s not too late for you to add yours.

Be part of it

Some say that community spirit is a thing of the past. Our vision says the opposite. We live to restore relationships, re-build community and enable more people to come together and discover the difference our lives can make.

Together

We invite everyone to enjoy the new facilities, spread the word and to consider supporting the project. Together we can all play a part in making this vision a reality, completing every element of the project and really living to make a difference at the heart of our communities.

Registered Charity

The official name of the Heart of the Community project charity is St Michael’s Church Centre Limited.

Registered Charity No.1149601

Gift Day May 2023

This Gift Day supports the resources and buildings for St Michael’s Church

Ready to pledge? Click here

St Michael’s has a vision to be a Christian heart at the centre of our communities. And we live to make that difference through learning and growing together, sharing Jesus together, and serving together. This gift day supports our resources and our building projects.

What have we done since last year’s gift day?

At our Gift day last year we gave away 10% of all that we raised to our Mission Partners. We invested ÂŁ90,000 to complete the tiered seating in the auditorium, and reduced our loans by ÂŁ238,000.

At a recent prayer meeting, someone shared a little thought, saying “God is not finished with us yet”. It’s true isn’t it that we do now have a beautiful community building, but we are still called to build a community.

What will donations achieve this year?

We have 4 main aims this year:

1: To significantly reduce our loans on the church centre.   A ÂŁ150,000 loan repayment will help to reduce loans to ÂŁ481,000, compared to the ÂŁ2 million in 2015.

2: Honour our commitment to the church refurbishment.

3: Fit solar panels to the roof of the church centre, making us more eco-friendly, and enhance the decor and audio-visual capabilities in the auditorium.

4: Give away ÂŁ75,000 to our mission partners, having already given over ÂŁ400,000 out of the project.

How Can We Get Involved?

Please think and pray about what you might give this year. We invite everyone at St Michael’s, to sow generously into God’s work by giving. How can we each play our part to make it happen, together?

  • Make a one-off financial gift
  • Start regular giving to St Michael’s Church Centre Ltd
  • Increase your current giving to St Michael’s Church Centre Ltd

How Do I Give?

We’re inviting everyone to complete this simple online Response form  

Gathering our responses helps us to be able to plan next steps.

Please click on the button below:

For ways to give to the Heart of the Community Project click here.

Gift Day May 2022 Buildings and Resources

This Gift Day supports the resources and buildings for St Michael’s Church

Ready to pledge? Click here

We are One Church, with a Vision to be a Christian heart at the centre of our communities.

We live to make a difference, through learning and growing together, sharing Jesus together, and serving together.

We encourage these things locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. To make our vision happen, we hold 2 gift days a year. One in November to support day-to-day ministry, and this one to support our resources and buildings.

What have we done since last year’s gift day?

Our gift day last year saw 10% of all we gave given away to our Mission Partners, with a special emphasis on alleviating the effects of the Covid pandemic. We also put a serious dent in our mortgage for the Church Centre.

For 2022, this scripture seems relevant:

“Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means” 2 Corinthians 8:11

What will donations achieve this year?

We have 4 main aims this year:

  • Reduce our Mortgage for St Michael’s Centre
  • Donate ÂŁ75k to our mission partners
  • Fit retractable seating in St Michael’s Centre
  • Honour our financial commitment to the refurbishment of the Church building.

How Can We Get Involved?

We are so very close to completing the Heart of the Community project. How can we each play our part to make it happen, together?

  • Make a one-off financial gift
  • Start regular giving to St Michael’s Church Centre Ltd
  • Increase your current giving to St Michael’s Church Centre Ltd

How Do I Give?

We’re inviting everyone to complete this simple online Response form  

Gathering our responses helps us to be able to plan next steps.

Please click on the button below:

For ways to give to the Heart of the Community Project click here.

Heart of the Community Gift Day Update

Updated 3 July

There has been an amazing response to Gift Day so far with an amazing ÂŁ330k pledged, thank you! This will enable the work in St Michael’s Centre on the corridor to be completed and the kitchen to be installed, which is wonderful news!

Following a meeting of the trustees on Monday 29 June we will be giving away ÂŁ33,000 (10%) and we have now instructed to the builder to complete the kitchen as well as the arches.

If you haven’t yet pledged, please do so if you can.  We still need to repay loans of over ÂŁ1 million and would like to encourage regular giving via standing order, even a few pounds given every month will make a difference.

To set up a standing order, please use the following bank details:
Sort Code: 30-62-32 
A/C No: 348005560
Payee: St. Michael’s Church Centre Ltd HOTC
Reference: Surname


2 Corinthians 9:11: “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.”  

Of all the financial gifts made to the project, we’ve committed 10% to support our mission and outreach partners elsewhere in the UK and around the world, you can read more on the latest tithe donations made here.

Thanks to the Arches Volunteers

On a very warm Thursday the staff team was supplemented by a great bunch of volunteers to clear the arches in St Michael’s Centre (Thanks to Phil, David, Andy, Freddie, Johnny, Jacob and Dan). 

We are now ready for the builders!  The foyer is now filled with items for re-storing in the new room configuration.

The ground floor Arches Corridor (beyond the Resources and Seminar Room), is the last remaining construction phase of  St Michael’s Centre.  

Finishing this work will bring five more rooms into use, plus a kitchen. This will meet the demand from our own ministry areas , as well as from external hirers. 

At their meeting on Monday 17 February 2020, the St Michael’s Centre Trustees agreed to award the contract to Stone BCI Ltd, the company that worked with us to complete the balcony and the offices.  Work was due to start in April, however this has been postponed due to Covid-19. We hope to make a start on it on 15 June.

Next phase of work at St Michael’s Centre

The ground floor Arches Corridor (beyond the Resources and Seminar Room), is the last remaining construction phase of  St Michael’s Centre.   Finishing this work will bring five more rooms into use, plus a kitchen. This will meet the demand from our own ministry areas , as well as from external hirers. 

At their meeting on Monday 17 February 2020, the St Michael’s Centre Trustees agreed to award the contract to Stone BCI Ltd, the company that worked with us to complete the balcony and the offices.  Work will start in April 2020, and plans will be on display during March.

At the end of March, there will be an opportunity for everyone to view the space  as it currently is, to get an idea of what an amazing facility it will be once it is finuished.

There are other elements of the building still to complete (kitchen equipment, an improved air-handling system, audio equipment upgrades and retractable seating in the Auditorium) and there are still ÂŁ1.375m of mortgages and loans to be repaid.

Please pray about how you can give regularly towards the St Michael’s Centre and for the upcoming Gift Day in May this year, which supports our  buildings and resources. 

Heart of the Community Gift Day 12 May 2019







This Gift Day supports the resources and buildings for St Michael’s Church, as we aim to be a Christian heart at the centre of the community.

Living to make a difference, through discipleship, outreach and service.

Supporting:

  • The completion of St Michael’s Centre
  • The refurbishment and protection of St Michael’s Church
  • Upgrading the Old School Rooms
  • Mission in the UK and beyond.

Giving Thanks

  • St Michael’s Centre continues to thrive.
  • The Gift day in May 2018 has enabled work to start on the upstairs offices.
  • During 2018, we reapid ÂŁ280,185 of capital off our loans, and ÂŁ32,447 of interest on those loans.
  • We serve church and community groups, local and regional charities and businesses, and many more.
  • We have hosted many invitational events.
  • In 2019 we’ve donated ÂŁ100,000 towards mission initiatives.
  • We’ve invested in renewing St Michael’s Church tower.
  • We’ve resources double glazing in the Old School Rooms Coffee Shop.

One Church, One Vision

  • Our vision is Living to make a difference by being a Christian heart at the centre of the community.
  • Our vision is realised by focusing on Discipleship, Outreach and Serving Our Community.
  • To make our vision happen, we hold 2 gift days a year. One in November to support day-to-day minsitry, and one in May to support our resources and buildings.

God has told us:

Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back, lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left.


Isaiah 54:2-3

Our aims

  • Develop the arches corridor, giving access to large meeting rooms, storage and kitchen to support large events and complete the Auditorium.
  • Upgrade the Old School Rooms kitchen facilities.
  • Support the refurbishments of St Michael’s Church building.
  • Continue to meet our mortgage obligations, and, if possible, repay some loans early.

What we’re asking now

  • Gift day is 12 May 2019.
  • We are continuing our journey of faith with the Heart of the Community project.
  • Please pray about what you are able to give. Together we can play our part. We can make more of a different across our community and beyond.

This appeal is an invitation

If you’re not yet giving…..

Some of us haven’t been able to support our resources and building project as yet. Could now be your time to begin giving?

If you’re new to St Michael’s…..

Maybe you’ve recently joined church and not yet grasped the vision to be a Christian heart at the centre of the community. Would you consider giving towards the development of the buildings and resources to enable the vision?

If you can give more…..

Some of us are in a better financial position than wehen the Heart of the Community project began. Please pray about increasing your giving.

What next?

Please download a pledge form here,

UK taxpayers can also complete a simple GiftAid form, which means the government will donate an extra 25% on top of your giving at no cost to you or the project.

If you would like to know more about any of the Heart of the Community project, how the money is spent, or help with ways to make one-off donations or arrange regular giving, please contact the church office.

HOTC Gift day 2019 by Laura Thomas

Heart of the Community Update – August 2016

 Thanks to the amazing £565,000 response to the Heart of the Community Gift Day in May, work is now underway on the next phase of the St Michael’s Centre as well as improvements to the church and Old School Rooms.

 – Our architects have re-designed the proposed toilet extension to the old church and we are seeking planning approval for the new design, which is slightly smaller .

 – The main entrance lobby and toilets in the Old School Rooms will be refurbished, including new flooring.

 – Work on the mechanical and electrical infrastructure for Phase 3 of the St Michael’s Centre will begin in September, with the installation of most of the underfloor heating, cabling and utilities to the arched barns area and the balcony.

This will enable phased completion of the various rooms as further funds become available.

We are also delighted that we will be able to repay the first Charities Aid Foundation loan of ÂŁ150,000 in December.

A tenth of all money donated by members of St Michael’s is being used to support building and development projects undertaken by our mission partners in the UK and overseas and will be allocated by the Mission Action Group.

 Thank you to everyone who is supporting the HOTC project through prayer, regular giving and one-off gifts.

 

Heart of the Community Update

Latest HOTC Gift Day update…£565k including Gift Aid !

We continue to give thanks to God for His incredible provision through His people.  At the meeting of the SMCC Trustees on 6thJune, it was decided that the funds should be allocated as follows:

ÂŁ56k –  10% Mission Tithe.

ÂŁ136k – Repayment of the first element (capital) of the CAF loan (4% loan).

ÂŁ75k  – Church improvements and toilets.

ÂŁ298k –  Mechanical & Electrical infrastructural work on new centre, plus installation of the new lift to enable access from Old School Rooms.

The other amazing news is that we have managed to secure the continuation of the VAT Zero-rating status for this next phase of the construction, for which we give more thanks!   Thank you Lord for your sovereignty.

 

Heart of the Community Gift Day – May 2016

The Heart of the Community project is integral to the vision of St Michael’s Church. Every part of the project will resource, enable and advance our work as a Christian heart at the centre of the community. Last year, we celebrated the opening of our new church and community centre. But the Heart of the Community project is not about community buildings.

It’s about building community, locally, regionally and — through our tithed giving — internationally.

We have pledged to:
– Preserve, protect and increase the use of our historic church building
– Refurbish the Old School Rooms
– Complete the new centre, and
– Give a tenth of money gifted by church members to support building and development projects undertaken by our mission partners.
We have raised ÂŁ2.73m through the generous and sacrificial giving by church members. We need ÂŁ4.04m to repay the loans and complete the project.
As we use the new premises and see the church grow, we give thanks for what God is doing and pray to see His Kingdom come in this place.
Sunday 22nd May is our Heart of the Community project Gift Day. Please pray and seek the Lord about how we can give to His service and leave a lasting legacy of God’s love for future generations.
Thank you for your continued support, faith and generosity.

Simon Jones, Team Rector

Gift Day Leaflet and Response Form

Heart of the Community Spring Update

 

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