Where the Money Goes

It costs about £55,600 per annum - over £1,000 per week - to run Seal Church, of which about 90% is unavoidable expenditure.  The chart below shows where the money goes, broken down as follows:
  • Away Giving (£102 per week) comprising donations to our link missionaries and various UK and overseas charities.
  • Repair Fund contributions (£29 per week) towards major repairs to the Church.
  • Running Expenses (£272 per week) such as heating, lighting, cleaning and insurance of the Church and Church Hall and maintaining the Churchyard.
  • Music (£55 per week), which includes the cost of the organist and a contribution to the bell ringers.
  • Every Church makes a contribution to the Diocese - ours is Rochester - (£177 per week for 2006) according to its means and based on average Sunday attendance.
  • The cost of Services (£9 per week) includes candles and communion bread and wine.
  • Clergy costs (£426 per week) include our Vicar, visiting preachers and a contribution to the upkeep of the vicarage.
  • Our Away Giving committee also raises a further £2-3,000 per annum approximately through a number of fund raising events, which is donated direct to various charities.
Where the Money Comes From

In an average year we raise between £50,000 and £55,000 per annum – often less than we spend - from the various sources as shown in the diagram below.  Of this, about 60% comes from regular contributions from members of the congregation.
  • Wedding and Funeral Fees will generate about £77 per week in 2006, but this can vary widely.
  • Our Church holds various Fund Raising events throughout the year (£45 per week) towards our Away Giving target.
  • We rely heavily on our Investment Income (£71 per week) to try and balance the books each year.
  • Another key part of our income is the Tax Rebate from the Government (£139 per week in 2006), which we can claim on Gift Aided donations.
  • Most of our money of course comes from regular, Planned Giving from members of the congregation (£523 per week).
  • Weekly Collections account for a further £81 per week.
  • Other income is generated from special appeals, grants, miscellaneous donations and income from Church Hall lettings (about £64 per week in 2006).

The Church is Grade 1 listed and also receives support from the Friends of Seal Church, a separate charity set up to raise funds towards major capital projects as well as the Church’s annual maintenance and repair costs.
How Can I Help?

As with almost everything else in life the Church’s costs continue to rise and, without continued support from our congregation, the village and the wider community we could not continue.
There are various ways of contributing towards the upkeep of our Church and maintaining the Mission within Seal:
  • Collection plate:    Cash donations at regular Sunday services and also at Weddings and Baptisms.
  • Planned giving:    Most people promise to give a regular amount each week/month/quarter/year – either through the envelope scheme or by standing order.
  • Gift Aid:    This has replaced the old covenant system and, for taxpayers, enables us to claim 28% from the Government on top of individual contributions.
  • Donations:    Ad hoc donations are always welcome and can now be done via the Gift Aid scheme using the envelopes provided in Church.  Some people also donate via the Charities Aid Foundation scheme.
  • Legacies:    Our Church relies very heavily on investment income from past legacies in order to pay its way each year.  Many people like to provide for the Church in their will, to replace their regular giving or in memory of a loved one.