001 booklet

A Message from Diane Dear Friends, Since my arrival here it’s been great to discover that the roots of St Mark’s have grown from such a rich heritage. As a result of this and the presence of Jesus’ love working within our lives we are a warm, caring, welcoming and faithful church family. However we are more than that; we are witnesses to the presence of God in the City Centre where people can and have found solace, companionship and a purpose in life.

As a part of God’s amazing Church system each one of us brings a unique quality and contribu(on that ensures and enables us all to share God’s love with each other, the local community and the wider world community. What we give, in terms of our (me, skills and money is in gra(tude to all that God has done for us.

This booklet is a reminder of all the good work done by St Mark’s Church. It shows how our money is raised and more importantly how it is spent and how you, as a member of the St Mark’s Family can contribute prac(cally and financially.

The Stewardship Programme logo on the cover symbolises St Mark’s.

It’s about Our Gi/s to God which surrounds an image of our Pulpit Fall, a familiar object in St Mark’s. Our Gi/s to God help the Church na(onally and locally to do its work.

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Inside there is informa(on on what we, as God’s people, do as a result of everyone's contribu(ons.

You will see where our money goes and how we can review our giving.

This is not about Fundraising and we are all well aware of the financial restraints we are all living under in this present economic climate. We are asking everyone to review their contribu(ons to God and to Christ’s con(nuing work through St Mark’s and the wider Church When we became members of the church we promised to give a fi4ng propor(on of our (me, our talents and our money for the church’s work in the world. The Stewardship Programme is invi(ng all of you to prayerfully review your individual response through your regular offerings, bearing in mind that they are (or should be) a grateful response to all that God has given and is giving to us.

As St Mark’s we want to con(nue sharing God’s love with each other and with those people who don’t have the joy of knowing Jesus Christ and who find life a challenge. In other words we want to follow our calling to make a posi(ve difference to the people of the City Centre, the Parish and the wider world community.

You are all very much a part of this calling from Jesus. The Kirk Session and myself certainly thank everyone for their contribu(ons over the years. St Mark’s is here because of you!

Look over the page at just some of the things we do.

Diane 3

The Life of St Mark’s Church

The indoor Garden Party

and in the Garden

The Drama Group in ac(on

Easter at the Well of Spa

Sunday School in charge

OAK at Christmas

The Olympic Holiday Club

Heart & Soul - Edinburgh 4

St Mark’s Income 2012 The charts below show where our income in 2012 came from. The total amounted to £114,483 and just over half, £61,378 came from offerings.

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Where did the money go?

The charts below show where our total expenditure in 2012 went.

The total was £112,219. We ended the year with a surplus of £2,264 which was mainly due to one off fund-raising events and investment income.

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*Other Miscellaneous costs include contribu(ons to City Centre Chaplaincy and Grouping, the Quinquennial Survey of St Mark’s, FWO envelopes, Adver(sing, Licences and other items, including Dona(ons of £50.00 each to six chari(es at Christmas. Three hundred pounds isn't very much to help out the very poorest in society and the sad fact is we could do considerably more.

What does your money actually do?

During 2012 St Mark’s Church was assessed by the Church of Scotland to be able to make a contribu(on to the Ministries and Mission Fund of £59,798 and a further £1,085 to our local Presbytery.

Of the £59,798, 86% or £52,024 was used to meet the costs of ministry, including our own minister’s s(pend, na(onal insurance and pension costs along with a contribu(on to meet the costs of over 1,000 Parish ministers across Scotland. Churches, like St Mark’s which contributed more than £46,390 directly support other churches with much more limited means.

The remaining 14% or £7,774 was used to support the Mission and Renewal Fund which meets the costs of Social Care, Mission and Discipleship, World Mission, Church and Society as well as legal and safeguarding services etc to congrega(ons.

World Mission

Social Care 7

Safeguarding

The rest of our expenditure amoun(ng to £51,386 is spent locally by St Mark’s on hea(ng and ligh(ng, buildings insurance, staff salaries, other building costs, administra(on costs, adver(sing and for charitable dona(ons to worthy causes. All of this to enable us to reach out to share the gospel and the good news of Jesus Christ.

Our individual giving Our recorded weekly offerings (FWO, Standing Orders and Gi/ Aid) can be broken down to show how many members actually give. The graph below shows that 199 individual members actually gave at some point during the year, many quite regularly. (These figures do not include eg ‘smar(es’ or ‘talents’ or bap(sm etc dona(ons or the open plate.)

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What the graph on the previous page does not show is that 187 of our members gave nothing through recorded means although some may have given in the open collec(on. However of those members whose offerings were recorded, 62 individuals gave less than £2.00 a week.

Money isn’t everything and we can all recall the story of the widow’s mite but what can you buy these days with the £2.00 a week (or less) that these 62 members gave last year?

Well, one answer is that for just £1.50 you can enjoy a pot of tea or a mug of coffee and three eats at the St Mark’s Saturday Coffee Shops but try having that somewhere else. In many places you’ll get less than a cup of tea and certainly less than a cup of coffee for your £2.00 and with nothing to eat.

One local hotel charges £18 for a/ernoon tea, sandwiches, cake and scones for two. Ever thought of giving that much as a Gi/ to God, every week?

As you can see from the graph on Page 8 the number of members giving fell as the amounts given increased. Where do you sit on the graph and do you feel comfortable that this is how you support your church through your gi/s to God, knowing all that he does for you?

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Think about it. Compare your own Gi/s to God with the many other things you spend money on each and every week that are just for you. How do they compare? Are you pu4ng your love for God first, or a very poor second?

And remember, if you give as a couple what’s in your offering has to be divided by two to see where you are on the graph.

How we give just now The members of the St Mark’s Family give to God in a number of different ways just now.

Standing Order Using a Standing Order where your bank pays your offering as instructed by you every week or month means that your giving is guaranteed, regular and reliable. It’s easy to set up and can be changed at any (me, the Treasurer will give you a form.

Free Will Offering Envelopes You get an envelope for each week of the year so even if you can’t come every week you can lay your offering aside and bring the filled envelopes next (me you come.

Gi- Aid If you are a UK Taxpayer all you have to do is complete a simple form. There is absolutely no cost to you but St Mark’s can claim back 25p for every pound you give through Standing Order, FWO, cheque and other recorded means.

In 2012 we claimed back £10,846 from offerings and other dona(ons.

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Think about your giving to God. Find where you are on the charts below and think prayerfully about moving up.

Move on up the arrow

I don't give

I give when I come to St Mark’s

I use the weekly offering envelope

I give by I give by weekly Standing offering Order and use envelope and Gi/ Aid use Gi/ Aid

Step up your giving We each give in different ways, and this chart gives an idea of how you could increase how much you give, by moving up a step, or more, or even by half a step in your weekly or monthly offerings. The amount we give makes a real difference to what we can do as a church, locally, na(onally and interna(onally to spread God’s word.

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£1

£2

£3

£5

£7

£10 11

£15

£20

£30

£50 There is no limit

So what next?

If you came to one of the Gatherings you will have received a copy of this Booklet and a Response Card. You may complete the Response and leave it in an envelope in the box provided. If you prefer you can take it home and it will be collected within two weeks.

If you didn’t make any of the Gatherings the Booklet and Response Card will have been delivered to your home and it will be collected, again within two weeks. If we miss you when we call we will be in touch to ensure that we get as many completed Responses as possible.

Our Stewardship Programme is important to St Mark’s and it is important to you. Whilst many members already give faithfully, regularly and as efficiently as they can we want to make sure that every single member has this opportunity to review how they give, what they give and when they give. So please pray about this decision as it will impact upon the life and work of St Mark’s for several years.

And one final thing. If a/er careful and prayerful considera(on you find that you cannot give more than you already give please don’t be upset or worried. Recording of members’ giving is highly confiden(al, so please, con(nue to come to St Mark’s and just give what you can, when you can.

However you respond we hope everyone will come to the Thanksgiving Service on Sunday 3 November at 11.00am.

Aberdeen St Mark’s Church of Scotland is a registered Sco4sh charity No SC015451 12 This Stewardship Booklet has been produced at no cost to St Mark’s Church