Responding in Grace

Our parish development programme was launched in January 2007 and is ongoing.

We all receive so many blessings, practical and spiritual, both directly from God and through our membership of the Church, Christ's body here on earth. All that God gives us is entirely undeserved. It is his generous gift.

Our response should mirror his generosity. Meeting together to offer worship and thanksgiving is part of that response. Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with other people is another. Using our particular gifts and abilities in God's service and caring for our fellow human beings and the world and all its resources is yet another.

The programme falls under three headings:

1. OUR CHURCHES

During past years we have carefully maintained our buildings and grounds;

we have used our churches for worship, concerts and recitals, educational and social activities; and we have supported a variety of charitable causes in this country and abroad.

We have continued this good work by

• substantially improving the heating of Christ Church,
• setting our parish finances on a more secure footing, and
• attempting to extend the pastoral care offered by both our congregations to older people and young families.

2. OUR CONTINUING CHALLENGE

To re-examine our commitment of our time, our abilities and our resources to the life and work of our churches.

Our giving of time, talents and money helps to maintain our church buildings here - they are sacred places dedicated to worship, prayer and witness, and service to the community.

Our giving helps to maintain parish clergy across the diocese and to train new ministers.

Our giving helps to maintain parish ministry; measured by every sick person visited, every confirmation course run, every school assembly taken, every bereaved family comforted, every baptism celebrated, every sermon preached, every Eucharist celebrated, and every person shown the love of Christ through our care, comfort and compassion.

Our giving helps to maintain mission, both here in our diocese of St Albans and overseas, for people we may never meet but to whom we are able to give practical support through our ministry of giving.

Achieving these aims and maintaining the ministry of worship, witness, service and mission in our parish is expensive and costs are continually rising.

But together we have substantially increased our financial contributions and are meeting the £2000 per week needed.

We are rising to the ongoing challenge and praying about our giving of time, abilities and financial resources.

We are constantly reminding ourselves that

20 people increasing weekly giving by £2.00 brings £40.00 extra
17 people increasing weekly giving by £2.50 brings £42.50 extra
18 people increasing weekly giving by £3.00 brings £54.00 extra
16 people increasing weekly giving by £4.00 brings £64.00 extra
10 people increasing weekly giving by £5.00 brings £50.00 extra
10 people increasing weekly giving by £6.00 brings £60.00 extra

Managing this of a regular basis would match our needs.

When it comes to deciding how much money to contribute to the life and work of our churches there is no easy formula. Each person must make up their own mind. But everyone is encouraged to

• increase their giving whenever possible
• join the planned giving schemes if they haven't already
• be sure to use the Gift Aid Scheme if they pay income tax, and
• give a fixed % of income to fund our parish work and wider ministry

3. OUR CHOICE

We can rise to the financial and personal challenges that we face together, and encourage all church members to do the same,

or

We can see the life and work of our parish falter through lack of personal, practical and monetary resources.

Our programme of worship, education and study, recreation and refreshment throughout the year is designed to promote our aims.

You can find out more about 'Responding in Grace', and how you might play your part, by contacting the Parish Office and requesting a copy of our leaflet. Please leave your your name and contact details with

The Parish Office, St Mark's Church, Leggatts Way,
Watford , Herts. WD24 5NQ
Tel: 01923 681972

Click here to Email us

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