Generous Giving 2025: For Every Generation

“Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord God will call.” Acts 2:38-39

These words from the day of Pentecost were spoken 100 generations ago.[1] Generation after generation this promise of sins forgiven in Jesus’ name and the giving of the Holy Spirit has been a reality for people all around the world including today and it is glimpsed in our church life.

At St Luke’s, there are those who are just a few weeks old up to those who are over a hundred years old – five generations together in Christ. We seek to serve the different generations in our local communities through Café Fifty Five. St Mary’s in Stoughton meets on a site where Jesus has been worshipped for 50 generations. Living Hope Church in Thurmaston is less than one generation old.

Our passion as churches is to see new disciples of Jesus and growing disciples of Jesus in ever increasing number – of all generations but with a particular passion to reach the next generation through our work with children and young people but also the generations that will follow them.

All this, like everything else in life, costs money. Every year through your generosity we have been able to spend money on:

Parish Contribution – paid to the Diocese of Leicester that covers all the costs of having a vicar.

Staff Team – those who work behind the scenes enabling church life and leading ministry areas – this year we have increased the paid hours around children and families and youth.

Ministry Costs – the costs of running services, activities, and events in the life of the church to serve the different generations in our churches and the communities we are part of.

Mission Partners – other people and organisations locally, nationally, and internationally working to see new disciples and growing disciples of Jesus in ever increasing number.

Buildings – ensure the church buildings are kept in good condition for the generations to come.

How we used our money in 2024 can be seen in the 2024 Annual Report – available at www.thurnbychurch.com/give.

For St Luke’s along with St Mary’s, Stoughton, Living Hope, Thurmaston, and Café Fifty Five to continue to serve different generations, the next generation, and the generations to come, I am asking you prayerfully consider whether any of the three responses below might be right for you, and then for you take action.

Generous Giving 2025: For Every Generation

1.       Start giving regularly in a planned way.

Planned giving is setting the amount that you will give to St Luke’s regularly (usually each month).

The encouragement is to use the Parish Giving Scheme as it offers you an opportunity to increase your giving each year by an inflationary increase and includes the administration around any related Gift Aid. There is no cost to you or to St Luke’s for the use of this scheme.

You can sign up at www.parishgiving.org.uk using the parish code: 190619142. Or there are paper forms available in the church building.

Alternatively, you can set up a monthly Standing Order from you bank (St Luke’s PCC Thurnby, Sort Code: 40-52-40, Account Number: 00022948), give Online using the link atwww.thurnbychurch.co.uk/give, or give on Sundays during our services – when the Offering Bag is passed around or by using the Card Machine.

2.       Review your regular giving.

For many of us our financial circumstance can vary from year to year and so it is a good habit to review your giving each year. Sometimes these are small changes – working hours, a pay rise, living costs – and at other times these are significant changes – starting work, a new job, retirement.

For some it might mean reducing your giving, for others you might be in a position to increase your giving. Maybe this is the prompt you need to do this.

If you give through the Parish Giving Scheme and have opted into an annual inflationary increase, the Parish Giving Scheme will inform you when that happens. If you’ve not opted in or you want to make further adjustment you will need to log into your account at www.parishgiving.org.uk and make those changes to your giving.

If you give by Standing Order you will need to arrange any changes to your giving with your bank.

It’s also a good opportunity to make sure if you’re a taxpayer you have signed up for us (or the Parish Giving Scheme) to claim Gift Aid on any gift you make. A Gift Aid form is available in church.

If you regularly shop online, if you sign up to www.easyfundraising.org.uk and select St Luke’s Church Thurnby when you shop with one of over 8,000 different retailers they will make a small donation. You can set this up on your computer, tablet, and phone.

3.       Give a one-off gift

You might be in a position now to give a one-off gift. You can make that gift through the way you usually give, or if it would be helpful, a confidential conversation about how to make that gift, and how that gift might be best used can be arranged.

Giving a one-off gift might be a possibility at a later stage. Many people choose to leave a gift in their will. A legacy can make a lasting difference to the mission and ministry of St Luke’s Church for the generations to come. You can either leave a set amount or a percentage of your estate.

A gift for the generations to come - Legacy leaflet A5 booklet.pdf

Download PDF • 2.04MB

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional legal advice when making or amending your will but the Church of England has partnered with Farewill (https://farewill.com/cofe-web) to offer a free online will writing service or you can find recommendations of a local solicitor by searching on www.lawsociety.org.uk.

If you have already made you will but would still like to include a gift to St Luke’s, you can ask your solicitor or legal advisor to draw up a codicil – a simple legal addition to your existing will. 

A form is included for you to return to help us know what to expect in the coming months. We cannot make any changes to your Parish Giving Scheme or your Standing Orders but Ant Lount (Operations Director – ant@thurnbychurch.com | 07910843931) can help you if you’re not quite sure what to do.

[1] Taking a generation to be 20 years.