Eurobishop

St Michael's Paris held a "Thanksgiving Day" on Sunday 26th June. The target was to raise €100,000 for the support of the chaplaincy's ministry and mission - an ambitious goal. The Council and church leadership prepared by serious and focussed prayer and even fasting. In the end, in the words of the chaplain, the Revd Philip Mounstephen, "God did something remarkable!" He wrote to his parishioners yesterday with the following news: Dear Members of St. Michael's 'This is the Lord's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes' (Psalm 188:23) I have wonderful news to share with you. The total of our Thanksgiving Day - taking together all the gifts and pledges of gifts to come - was not the €100,000 we had prayed towards - but an amazing €164,132! Truly our God is good! And I want to thank you so much for responding so generously yourselves. You truly have 'excelled in this grace of giving.' Philip reports that the support came not f...

The Diocesan Finance Officer, Mr Nick Wraight (above), recently reported on the income made available to churches in our diocese through the UK Gift Aid scheme. Through Gift Aid, donations made by UK tax payers are augmented by an extra 25%.  To date in 2010 over £72,000 of additional funds have been made available to our parishes through the scheme and the total amount for the year is expected to be more than £95,000!  Donations under the UK Gift Aid scheme can be made on a one-off basis, at irregular intervals or by regular pledging. However, presently less than 50% of our parishes avail themselves of the scheme, so there is clearly room for further benefit. Any who wish to support financially our congregations who are UK tax payers should consider taking advantage of this way to make their donations more tax efficient. It could increase the amount given to the parish by 25%, at no cost to the donor! Donors do not need to be resident in the UK but must be UK t...