Author: Laura Thomas

Heart of the Community Gift Day 12 May 2019

Posted on by Laura Thomas







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 £280,185 of capital off our loans, and £32,447 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 £100,000 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

Digital Bells – an appealing option

Posted on by Laura Thomas

After decades of silence the sound of church bells will once again ring out across the village green at Stoke Gifford!

Reverend Canon Simon Jones said: ‘The installation of a digital bells system is a unique marriage of a medieval structure and 21st century technology.  We will now be able to call parishioners to worship, celebrate weddings, mark funerals and herald local and national celebrations in a quintessentially time-honoured fashion.’

Three years ago we shared that the existing bells  (one of which dates back to 1450) were unsafe.  They were beyond economic repair or renovation. Local residents were invited to hear a trial of electronically-reproduced bell sounds from the church tower.   The feedback from this trial was overwhelmingly positive.

The church authorities are taking a great interest in the project as St Michael’s is the first church in the Diocese of Bristol to install such a system.  It’s taken time to gain the various ecclesiastical permissions, to make safe and preserve the original three bells,  and to evaluate a modern, state of the art, digital sound system, which will be installed in the newly re-roofed and refurbished church tower.

Once the system is in place on 4 December, there will follow a 15-month appraisal period, after which an application can be made to retain the system permanently.

Simon added: ‘The new digital bells will be in operation in time for our annual Carols on the Green service on 8 December, when the hundreds of people who attend this popular event will be able to hear – many for the first time –  the sound of bells ringing out across The Green.’

The digital bells system will take a few days to install and commission. Over this period they will be tested at various times in order to perfect the sound and decide which of the many available peals will be appropriate for St Michael’s Church.

Among the many advantages of digital bells is that they are relatively inexpensive, easy to operate, virtually maintenance free, faithfully reproduce pre-set peals – and do not require bell ringing practice sessions!

We so thrilled to be able to have the sound of bells again!

 

Living to make a difference: Thanksgiving and Gift Day 2018

Posted on by Laura Thomas

” At St Michael’s, we are privileged to be part of a vibrant, growing church.  It’s encouraging to see the continued growth of our ministry and mission, both locally and overseas.  Since last year’s Gift Day, we have 4 new Life Groups, a new Youth team, new Associate Vicar starting in January 2019 and much more besides, including a repaired Church Tower. Thank you to everyone who has given their time, money and prayer support in 2018. Our November “Gift Day” is a chance for us to celebrate God’s goodness and faithfulness and to renew our commitment to living generously. How will you give in 2019 to help deliver the vision of St Michael’s?  With your support we will achieve our church’s vision and lay stronger foundations for the future.  Thank you for your generosity. “

Revd Canon Simon Jones

Our Vision
St Michael’s, Stoke Gifford is a lively, growing Anglican Church.  We share a vision of “living to make a difference” by being a “Christian heart at the centre of the community”.

Our Strategy
Discipleship: through Life Groups, Youth & Children’s groups, helping each of us grow in our friendship with Jesus.
Outreach: to creatively share the Good News of Jesus with others.
Serving the community: in a variety of ways that generate goodwill and community regeneration.

Our Investment in Ministry & Mission in 2018
Thanks to your generosity in giving your time and financial support in 2018, we have blessed many more people through evangelism and outreach.
We are thankful for our thriving ministry in Children’s, Youth and Student work; Alpha, Baptism, Marriage and Parenting Courses, Divorce Recovery Workshop; Men’s Ministry, Singleness Ministry; Over 65s; Pastoral Presence, Coffee Shop and Community Events.

 

Our Future
We have a vision for growth of our congregations and our community outreach.  We require faith, boldness and generosity in our giving according to our circumstances.  By God’s grace and our commitment we will have the resources to take hold of these opportunities.
In 2019, we’d like to increase outreach in our New Housing Areas, develop being a regional resource church and strengthen Discipleship, Outreach and Serving the Community through even more Life Groups.

Our Financial Target for 2019
In 2018, we have been blessed to receive generous lump sum gifts in addition to regular donations.
In 2019, we’d like to increase our regular monthly giving to meet our regular monthly expenditure.
We’d like to encourage everyone to join in our journey of generosity.

Together we can raise the additional £5000 per month (£60K p.a.) in regular giving required to pay for our exciting Ministry and Mission plans.

Our Giving
Our parish relies on the generous financial support from those who attend St. Michael’s. Giving and gratitude go together and we give out of gratitude for what we receive from God.
‘Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.’ 2 Cor 9:7

Our Challenge
Many of us faithfully and sacrificially give, even in difficult financial circumstances, to support the work of God and this Parish.
If you live in a household which is not yet contributing financially to God’s work at St. Michael’s, please prayerfully consider how you can change that.
‘Each one of us should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.’ 1Peter 4:10

Our Response

If you are not yet a regular giver to the Church, please pray about starting regular, planned giving.

If you are an existing regular giver, please prayerfully consider increasing your gift.

If you receive a windfall gift, for example, a bonus or inheritance, please consider making a lump sum gift to St Michael’s

If you are a tax payer, please take advantage of Gift Aid by signing a declaration form. This will mean an extra 25p on every £1 you give.

Our Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of life, love and your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us to be generous in return, and support our Parish as it seeks to serve you and proclaim the Gospel afresh to each generation.
‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God’. Philippians 4.6

Download a giving form

If you would like to talk to someone in confidence about giving please speak with Alison Volkmer or Rob Farrell.

Alison Volkmer  – Financial Controller

Rob Farrell – Treasurer St Michael’s PCC