Season of Gifts

From Pentecost to The Transfiguration of our Lord 2020

Our church building still remains closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and all public worship is not possible while we await new instructions from our Bishops.

The Guidance received so far from the Government suggests a target date of 4 July for the re-opening of some community centres and halls, but this does not necessarily mean business or worship as normal on that date: it is currently only a target.

It remains our prayer that in future weeks, as the lockdown eases further and levels of public safety are maintained, our church building will be opened for individual devotion. Small gatherings for public worship will hopefully follow, but are still some way off.

We are not without hope or resolve and we are still a church, but meeting in different ways: for prayer and fellowship in the loving care given to those in need of practical support.

We also continue to welcome all your contributions and involvement in the life of our Church Family in other virtual ways while we are unable to gather in person, and do hope you have enjoyed the weekly updated worship resources on our website.

Since the closure of our building, we have not held collections in church, nor received any income from all those usually renting one of the various spaces we have to offer. Like so many other organisations and charities, this substantial loss of income means we need support at a level never before experienced in our lifetimes.

Put simply, our income has dropped by 60% and the anticipated shortfall from March to September is £53,000.  We therefore now rely on your generosity as never before and welcome any financial support you can manage during the Season of Gifts from Pentecost, 31 May, to The Transfiguration of our Lord, 6 August.

In these two months we would love to receive gifts amounting to £30,000 which would meet part of our shortfall. This sum would significantly help secure our ongoing (and reduced) running costs of £7,000 per month, while there will likely still be little or no rental income from the church building.

We daily hear and read that these are unprecedented times of crisis. Please do give as generously as you are able in what we fully appreciate are extremely difficult times for so many whose livelihoods have been severely impacted during this pandemic.

We do hope you will welcome the opportunity to donate in one of the various ways available and found on our website as follows:

On that joyous day when our church building re-opens, we will also continue to welcome warmly any regular support or one-off gifts in cash using the blue envelopes available and our donations box.

And please do remember that by completing a Gift Aid Declaration you can increase your financial support by 25% without any additional cost to you. Once completed the Declaration can be returned by hand or post to the Parish Office, or by email to communications@hisj.co.uk.

We are so grateful for all your invaluable support for the Church, family and community we love and miss so much and long for the day we can all be together again. Until then, our Pentecost Prayer for us all is this:

Almighty God, from whom all good things come, guide us this Pentecost by the power of the Holy Spirit and make us willing to give freely from the things which you have given us and that we continue to enjoy.

May we prove faithful stewards of all your gifts to us, working for your Church not only at this time of global crisis, but also in the years to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.