Parish Share
As well as supporting the work of your local church, a part of your donation goes toward the costs of the 700 ministers working in diocese. Support for clergy includes their ongoing education and other support costs. About 300 clergy also have housing, pensions and an income called a stipend to be paid for.
Some of your donation may go towards supporting the 130 less well off churches in the diocese. A system called Parish Share calculates how much money wealthier churches should donate. This idea is called mutual support and is a key feature of Church of England finances where giving and spirituality meet.
During 2008, 188 parishes paid their parish sgare in full and the total Parish Share receipts were £7.2 million. This sum is a great tribute to congregation members who have vision and gratitude for the ministry of the Church.
During 2008, all parishes paid something towards their Parish Share and only five parishes paid less than 20% of what was asked for. This left us £1.3 million short. The Bishops and Archdeacons are working with all parishes to make sure that the spirituality of contributing to the costs of ministry is seen as a priority.
For a detailed breakdown of diocesan finances, see the Financial Summary.
