Who pays for your church?

In the past it was often a rich land owner or industrialist who would have paid for a priest and the running of their local church. However, things are very different today and it's you who now pays for your church. 

The total cost of a Parish Priest is currently £43,888 a year. As some parishes in poorer areas are not able to support this expense, the burden is shared under a system know as the parish share.
This annual £43.888 is divided into:
Training = 19%,
Housing = 12%,
Pension = 15%,
Stipend = 47%,
National Insurance = 3%,
Other = 4%.
'Other' is made up with items like removal and resettlement grants and life assurance.

The current years total costs of the clergy in the Winchester Diocese will be almost nine million pounds. Parish Share contribution will be in excess of ten million. Administration costs are under half a million, which is proportionally in line with many well run charities.

If you would like to make a donation directly to your church you can use the envelopes provided in the churches with the Gift Aid declaration, which enables the church to claim an additional 28p for every one pound donated, from the Inland Revenue. This represents the amount of tax that would have already been paid on the donated money. You can also print off a Gift Aid form, see links on right.

You might like to set up a standing order with your bank to make regular monthly donations. Again, if you are a UK tax payer, a gift aid declaration should be completed when you set up the standing order so that tax element can be claimed back by the church.

A bequest is another way of ensuring some of your money goes to your church. This involves a simple addition to your will, bequeathing a certain amount to your church.

Parishes do not contribute to:

The stipends of Bishop Trevor and Bishop Paul who are both paid by the Church Commissioners.

Many people assume the church has large cash reserves and income from land and investments but this is far from the truth. One big cost is pensions for previous clergy who's life expectancy is now considerably longer than ever before.

Because the church now has to pay its own way in this Diocese, the Parish Share system ensures even the poorest parishes have the same amount of money to pay its priest.

Without your weekly contributions, the Parish Share system could not work and some parishes might not be able to afford a priest and the living church could not continue in those areas where it is possibly most needed.

The money you contribute through plate collections and standing orders, is used for various needs of your church, candles, electricity, communion wine and buildings insurance are just a few examples and a proportion of this money goes to the Diocese in the form of the Parish Share.
The Parish Share ensures we share resources around all of the parishes. The principle is in Galatians 6:2
"Help to carry one another's burdens and in this way you will obey the law of Christ."

Bishop Paul

Winchester Cathedral, the Church Commissioners pay the Dean and the Resident Canons. The Cathedral itself is supported by income and gifts, mostly from worshippers and visitors.

The Bishops House, part of which is rented out to local businesses, this rent and contributions from the Church Commissioners, pay for the upkeep of the house.

Bishop Michael