Giving for Life

Giving for Life: Continuing the Journey

Giving for Life helps parishes review their approach to issues of stewardship and generosity. The aim is to help you encourage generous giving among your church members.

Following the original Giving for Life report and resources (2009), a survey of 1,100 parishes across the country (2016) showed that most are making real progress in adopting good practice. PCCs are encouraged to allocate 20 – 30 minutes to discuss how they are doing with giving and stewardship matters – if your PCC not done this recently or would find helpful to review it again, download the Continuing the Journey PCC sheet and Leaders’ Guide for clergy and planned giving promoters/treasurers, at the bottom of this webpage.

The sheet for PCC members identifies some priority tasks which help encourage giving in the context of discipleship:-

Preach and teach regularly about giving in the context of discipleship.
Clearly communicate that giving to the church enables the mission and ministry that flows from it.
Send an annual, personal thank you to regular givers.
Hold some form of annual review of giving.
Agree a legacy policy
Claim Gift Aid regularly, including the Small Donations Scheme.
Use the Parish Buying service, to help the church take advantage of its scale.

The original 2009 materials included: a PCC discussion guide, a Clergy guide and a leaflet for individual church members, which can all be downloaded below. Copies of the leaflet for church members may be purchased from Sue Whitehead at the Diocesan Office at 4p each, 50 leaflets for £2.00.

Giving for Life further resources and assistance

Further downloadable resources are available from the national church, from which copies of the various Giving for Life leaflets can also be purchased.

Leaflets (downloadable below) include:-

Reflections: 5 daily reflections on generosity
Living a Generous Life.

View the PDFs and order copies for your congregation.

There are a range of further materials available on the national Church of England website.

Every parish is different and the resources are intended to offer a choice. They range from giving programmes best suited to small rural parishes to those for large urban churches; or materials for those wishing to look at growth or personal money management. We are happy to help parishes decide which would be of most use to you in your situation. We have a team of Honorary Stewardship Advisers available to visit and work with parishes.