Giving at High Church, Hilton

The General Fund - including all 'loose cash' given through the Sunday offering bags - goes towards maintenance of our parish church costs.

By far the largest portion of this income is used to meet our allocation for the Church of Scotland. Our allocation for 2009 is over £85,000. It is from the National Stipend Fund that Church of Scotland ministers are paid, and from these central funds that the other schemes and committees of the Church of Scotland are funded.

Our congregational general fund also pays for our property maintenance and repairs, our general mission work and our ongoing costs as set out in our accounts. Our staff team are paid from this fund too and this, increasingly, is one of our most significant and worthwhile costs.

High Church, Hilton's Ministry & Mission Fund is a separate fund, set up in 2006, to fund mission associated with our congregation and beyond, where our members are serving in ministry and gospel work.

We do need sufficient income to support our running costs through general giving. However, our commitment to expand and develop mission and evangelism, both locally and worldwide, remains a priority. To this end we encourage members and friends to think about giving directly to the Ministry and Mission Fund with the express desire that the gifts be used for the sole purposes of this fund. All our church funds are managed by the Finance Committee of the Deacons' Court which is responsible to the Kirk Session.

The most helpful thing for the team of people who look after the church's finance is for giving to be recorded giving, this helps with issues of budgeting and cash flow.

We would encourage members and friends of High Church, Hilton to give, wherever possible by Gift Aid and by a standing order set up through their own bank.

As you set your standing order up it would help if you write to the Gift Aid Treasurer stating that you have done so, informing us how much you intend to give in the first place, and sending in a completed Gift-Aid form. Please also state what proportion of your giving you wish to go towards the General Fund and what proportion you wish to go to the Ministry & Mission Fund.

If you are not using internet banking you may wish to set up a standing order by sending your request in writing to your bank, or by visiting your branch and setting it up.

Thanksgiving Offerings

In addition to our regular giving to the church we also have Thanksgiving Offerings which are taken up three times each year for various Ministries and Charities at Easter, Harvest & Christmas each year. In 2008 we gave over £25,000 to Christian work through these additional offerings.

We commend these offerings to you as a means of expressing our gratitude to God and supporting local and international Christian Work which we pray for regularly and support. Please use the Gift Aid Envelopes which you will find in church for this purpose.

The Benevolent Fund

The Church has a Benevolent Fund which is used at the Minister's discretion for the purpose of helping those who are in particular need in the church or parish. The help given through this fund is greatly appreciated.

We have two retiring collections per year for the Benevolent Fund. These are at the morning communion services on the first Sunday of April and October.

Gifts can be made to the Benevolent Fund at any time by way of a Gift-Aid envelope placed in the offering bag. Simply write on the outside of the envelope that the gift is for this fund.

Specific Giving

From time to time people want to make a specific gift for a named purpose or purchase and people should feel free to do this at any time by way of a letter along with the gift, explaining the intention with which it is given.

You may want to discuss this possibility with the minister or one of the elders to find out what specific needs are.

Confidentiality & information

Please be assured that the details of your giving will always be handled with great care and confidence. There are only a handful of office bearers in the church who ever know the details of the giving by members.

We are happy to help with any aspect of giving to the Lord's work and you should feel free to contact us at any time if you would like to discuss your giving:

finance@highhilton.com