Cash through Coronavirus and beyond

St Anne’s Church and the Parish Hall is a collective little jewel that plays a vital role in our community and in recent times has been the focus of keeping communication links open to quite literally hundreds of people. I quote from the last full independent survey carried out: “St Anne’s Church is a gem of Pennine Late Georgian sentiment and is a credit to the community and to those who use, love and maintain it”. A strong endorsement indeed.

Our mission and outreach is highlighted every month in the content of our excellent new magazine and has been expressed most recently in our response to COVID-19. If you haven’t done so have a look at the Vicar’s recent weekly addresses via the YouTube on our website – who would have imagined seeing him, of all people, on YouTube 3 weeks ago!!

A number of parishioners have recently contacted the Vicar asking how they might be able to donate to Church and rearrange their weekly giving when they cannot get to Church. In the very demanding circumstances of this present time technology now makes alternative arrangements possible. Richard Moffat and I recently attended a Saturday seminar hosted by Manchester Diocese.

It was very apparent throughout the whole day that we are well behind many of our colleagues locally and nationally in our IT and money collection. There are several schemes to look at and adapt but the most pressing today from my perspective is the weekly collection. The effects of this are being acutely experienced with the present postponement of services and the regular free will offering that parishioners regularly provide to maintain the Church in both the short and the long term.

We have now missed 2 Sunday services and the £1,300 of cash collections these would normally provide.

We average £470 in weekly envelopes and £180 in cash, a weekly total of £650 per week – the mathematics are easy but not good reading and get progressively worse as you project forward. The 12 weeks of the first restrictions for example will see St Anne’s being £7,800 short in just regular giving not to mention Baptisms, all the Hall income from absent hirers plus a void in any social activity. The real cost will be well in excess of £10,000

So what can we do????

1. The quickest and easiest way is to switch from envelopes to a standing order. There is a form attached please complete and send to your bank. Please also confirm you have done this by email or phone the details are listed below. The changes in the Church records can then be made. Please ensure you put your name in the reference box. That way money is still being received by the Church. It also reduces this rather antiquated, time consuming envelope system. Another benefit is we remove a considerable amount of cash from the Church and also cashes the onward transit to a bank with the very real security risk for the person carrying the money.
2. Make one off donations from monies we are saving on reduced petrol bills, meals out, weekends away holiday, hairdressers etc. Bank details are Nat West Rawtenstall 01-07-26 Account St Anne PCC 47858567.

I know we are in unprecedented times with constant and almost daily change to our lives, but this is an easy step which will benefit the Church now and well beyond this present pandemic.

If anyone has any questions I am happy to talk on the phone 07305 956 622, email roger.morley1@hotmail.com, video-conferencing using Zoom, and any other means except of course a face-to-face meeting (sorry).

PS. seriously we will get through this and in many ways be stronger, so let’s resolve to stay safe, and return to our beloved St Anne’s but with a more modern foundation and support network.

Roger Morley
Hon Treasurer