Hard up Axminster Praish Church needs every member of the congregation to give £10 per week

Midweek Herald: Axminster Rector Rev John StreetingAxminster Rector Rev John Streeting (Image: Archant)

Officials at cash-strapped Axminster Parish Church are calling on worshippers to: “Let us pay”.

They say every member needs to give at least £10 a week to keep the Minster’s finances afloat and they are urging people to help meet the target.

Presing the congregation to increase its giving treasurer Roger Liddiard revealed they came close to going deep in the red last year.

“Had it not been for a timely windfall we would probably have had unpaid bills of about £8,000,” he writes in the parish magazine.

“We need to insure that this doesn’t happen in 2013.”

Mr Liddiard said that £10 per week per person is what it costs to run the Minster, with help from the Friends group.

A similar amount is required to cover the expenses at Holy Cross, Woodbury.

The income is needed to meet the cost of a long list of items including maintenance, heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, candles and communion wine - as well as paying for a full time minister.

“Some members of the congregation increase their giving every year. If you haven’t increased your giving recently could I ask you to pray about it?” he continued. “We desperately need to increase our income.

“I realise that not everyone can achieve the £10 per person per week target but please give what you can. And gift aiding contributions means the government adds £2 to every £10 – provided you are a taxpayer.”

For people on fixed incomes struggling to cope with the rising cost of living he suggests they might like to consider leaving the church a legacy in their will.

Anyone wanting to increase their giving is asked to contact Mr Liddiard on 01297 34036 or Nicola Russell, the planned giving officer, on 01297 443219.