Nick Hutton Diocese of Sheffield Christian Giving Director

Nick HuttonNick Hutton

Diocese of SheffieldDiocese of Sheffield

Christian Giving DirectorChristian Giving Director

Giving for LifeGiving for Life

Our Giving experience in SheffieldOur Giving experience in Sheffield A reminder-what is the Giving A reminder-what is the Giving

message?message? Giving for Life reportGiving for Life report Giving for Life messageGiving for Life message Giving for Life toolsGiving for Life tools Use in parishesUse in parishes


Has always had to work hard at GivingHas always had to work hard at Giving Particularly over last 20 yearsParticularly over last 20 years First to establish Giving Officer First to establish Giving Officer

network in parishes nearly twenty network in parishes nearly twenty years agoyears ago

Significant support for work on Giving Significant support for work on Giving from Senior Staff, especially from Senior Staff, especially successive Bishops and Archdeaconssuccessive Bishops and Archdeacons


RESULTRESULT Consistently in top 3 or 4 Consistently in top 3 or 4

dioceses for Giving Levels dioceses for Giving Levels

2007 (latest available figures)2007 (latest available figures) £12.03 per giver per week£12.03 per giver per week = 4.5% of locally adjusted = 4.5% of locally adjusted

incomeincome

My Giving messageMy Giving message

It is right for Christians to talk about It is right for Christians to talk about moneymoney

and to talk about it in churchand to talk about it in church

Jesus did!Jesus did!


BrieflyBriefly Our Giving is both practical and spiritualOur Giving is both practical and spiritual We give to resource God’s church We give to resource God’s church and to enable His work to bring about and to enable His work to bring about

His KingdomHis Kingdom BUT BUT The The wayway we do that says much about we do that says much about

our relationship with Godour relationship with God


We should be open and transparent about money in our church

What is money used for? What work does it enable? Where does it come from? Members have a right to know – it is

their church, not the treasurer’s!


Our Giving should be consideredOur Giving should be considered Thought aboutThought about Prayed aboutPrayed about It should say something of the priority It should say something of the priority

we give God’s work and our church in we give God’s work and our church in our livesour lives

If it is only a token it is little more than a If it is only a token it is little more than a tip for God tip for God

so it should be so it should be realistic realistic and and proportionateproportionate


We are not We are not tellingtelling people they have to people they have to give give moremore

They might well be giving generously They might well be giving generously nownow

We We areare asking them to think about asking them to think about their their Giving in Giving in their their liveslives

As only they know what other As only they know what other pressures they have in their livespressures they have in their lives

Give help with some guidelinesGive help with some guidelines

Giving GuidelinesGiving Guidelines

We are each called to play our partWe are each called to play our part RegularlyRegularly As a considered part of our family budgetAs a considered part of our family budget It should be It should be realistic realistic and and proportionateproportionate giving 5% of our net income to the church giving 5% of our net income to the church

and working towards giving a further 5% and working towards giving a further 5% to other causes that build God’s kingdomto other causes that build God’s kingdom

Giving GuidelinesGiving Guidelines

Measure what we haveMeasure what we have left, left, not just not just what we what we give give (the widow’s mite)(the widow’s mite)

Given cheerfully and warm-heartedlyGiven cheerfully and warm-heartedly Given sacrificially to give it priorityGiven sacrificially to give it priority If a taxpayer, use gift aidIf a taxpayer, use gift aid

The key Giving messageThe key Giving message

It is part of the package It is part of the package

of being a member of the church.of being a member of the church.

We give both to honour and thank GodWe give both to honour and thank God

and to enable His church to workand to enable His church to work


Builds on ‘First to the Lord’ report in Builds on ‘First to the Lord’ report in 20002000

‘‘Giving for Life’ approved at General Giving for Life’ approved at General Synod in JulySynod in July

‘‘Giving for Life’ builds on our Giving for Life’ builds on our teachingteaching

It develops the work already going It develops the work already going on in many of our parisheson in many of our parishes


Gives local churches four key tasksGives local churches four key tasks

Preaching and Teaching Generous Preaching and Teaching Generous GivingGiving

Linking Giving to Mission and MinistryLinking Giving to Mission and Ministry Reviewing Giving AnnuallyReviewing Giving Annually Thanking GiversThanking Givers


The Report asks us to consider the whole subject of money in a wider Christian context

Not just to pay the bills or even Parish Share! Do we use our money as a tool to

further God’s Kingdom?

Giving For LifeGiving For Life

It is not a response to the recessionIt is not a response to the recession nor is the recession a reason to avoid nor is the recession a reason to avoid

the subjectthe subject

This is an ongoing challenge in good This is an ongoing challenge in good times and badtimes and bad

Our message should be consistentOur message should be consistent

Life GivingLife Giving Giving starts with GodGiving starts with God Giving is at the heart of God’s Giving is at the heart of God’s

character. character. ““God gives what God is – his life. God gives what God is – his life.

The gift is not a substitute for The gift is not a substitute for God. It is God, God in motion, God God. It is God, God in motion, God in action.” Rowan Williamsin action.” Rowan Williams

Jesus giving his life for us is the Jesus giving his life for us is the ultimate demonstration of God’s ultimate demonstration of God’s generosity and gracegenerosity and grace

“For God so loved the world that he gave…….”John 3:16a

God’s giving provokes God’s giving provokes ourour

thanksgivingthanksgiving All that we have, and allAll that we have, and all

that we are originate in that we are originate in God’s generosity.God’s generosity.

In what ways have we In what ways have we expressed our thanks expressed our thanks forforall that God has given all that God has given us?us?

‘Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.’ Psalm 118:1

Giving throughout LifeGiving throughout Life

Life is a journeyLife is a journey As with many aspects of As with many aspects of

discipleship, many discipleship, many Christians find that they Christians find that they are on a journey when it are on a journey when it comes to giving.comes to giving.

“But just as you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us – see that you also excel in this grace of giving’ 2 Cor 8:7

But it doesn’t just But it doesn’t just happen…happen…

We need to reflect We need to reflect regularly on what regularly on what enables us to be enables us to be generous, and what generous, and what prevents us.prevents us.

Where are Where are wewe on on ourourjourney of generous journey of generous giving?giving?

‘Becoming a Christian ….. is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ.’ Billy Graham

Two yardsticks…..Two yardsticks…..

Do we give regularly?Do we give regularly? Do we give Do we give

generously?generously?

‘On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income,’ 1 Cor 9:2

Giving in all of LifeGiving in all of Life

We are challenged to be We are challenged to be generous in every aspect of generous in every aspect of our lives.our lives.

Not just about giving of Not just about giving of money, but including the money, but including the giving of money.giving of money.

Also hospitality, time, skills….. Also hospitality, time, skills….. at home, at work, in church.at home, at work, in church.

“You can give without loving, but you cannot lovewithout giving.” Amy Carmichael, Missionary to India

What can I do?What can I do?

Give thanksGive thanks Give regularlyGive regularly Give generouslyGive generously Give ourselfGive ourself

‘Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too smallLove so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.’ Isaac Watts


Material available PCC packs Individual leaflets Clergy Guide Support on Parish Resources website

(www.parishresources.org.uk)


All PCCs are being asked to consider All PCCs are being asked to consider how to use Giving for Life in their how to use Giving for Life in their parishesparishes

Lent Study?Lent Study? Basis for Giving Renewal?Basis for Giving Renewal? As part of their Annual Giving As part of their Annual Giving

Review?Review? Involve me if you wishInvolve me if you wish


Please will all parishes Please will all parishes consider how they might consider how they might

use this to teach use this to teach generosity and help us to generosity and help us to

grow as Christiansgrow as Christians

Documents

Nick Hutton Diocese of Sheffield Christian Giving Director