It is 18 months since the last Update and although I could use the most common excuse, Covid, I will not but, can simply say, ‘It is about time.’

My first comments are how grateful I am and the church should be to all the congregation for their faithful giving. We should all thank God for His generosity to us and for teaching us in return to give generously. More than we expected has been appeared in our bank account and has enabled us in our annual giving to charities to give our tithe of not the £5,000 we budgeted for but, £5,500.

Our budgeted income for 2021 will have been well exceeded and expenditure has been carefully monitored. We have been helped in our building repair costs by a grant of £10,000

Our Budget for 2022 follows so that people might have an idea of what we have planned and ask the question, “Are our plans God’s plans?” Well, it looks to me as though we need to ask Him and listen to what He has planned. So, for the time being we go ahead as best we can and don’t act surprised when we have to take a different road to our destination to the one, we aimed for.

St Mary’s, Crich.

Finance Information 2022:

                 Budget 2022      

Regular Giving GA                                       30,000

Regular Giving None GA                             12,000

Tax Recovered                                            10,000

Irregular Giving                                            10,000

Cash Collections                                            2,000

Total Income                                             £64,000   

Giving to Charities (Tithe)                              5,500

Common Fund                                             35,244

Utilities                                                           4,000

Insurance                                                       3,300

Other Expenses                                           16,800

Quinquennial                                                  4,000

Total Expenditure                                      £67,844

These figures look a bit difficult but, they are continue with the once every five years Quinquennial which looks like costing us £4,000 in 2022. We have, however, sufficient funds in reserves and if it anything like 2021 then we will once again thank God.

Although I said this some19 months ago I am going to repeat it.

‘I read the other day a prayer that included in it, ‘Heavenly Father, give us enough to live and enough to give.’ May that be the case!

Living generously is what is expected of us, not just by the Diocese and not just by St Mary’s, but also by the Bible. I am not going to preach to you now, but would ask you to look at 1 Corinthians 9:1-14; 2 Thessalonians 3:9; 1 Timothy 5:17; Matthew 10:10; Luke 10:7; 2 Corinthians 11:7-8; Philippians 4:16; 2 Corinthians 11:9;

2 Corinthians 12:14; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8; and

2 Corinthians 8:1-2.

                                    Good reading!                          Dennis Hooton