Support

As you can imagine it is costly to keep a church like Zoar open. As a church we rely on the generosity of local people. We do not fundraise - we have very few appeals - but we do of course need money to pay the bills, maintain the buildings and support the church's ministry.

About 90% of our income comes from the direct giving. The church could not function without this. Approximately 10% comes through lettings of the church premises.

Zoar, like many local churches and charitable organizations, have been affected by the financial crisis and the increasing costs of living.

Giving

Whether you attend the church today or have done so in the past - if you believe in what the church is trying to do and want to support its life and mission, then perhaps you could consider offering a gift. This could be a one off gift - or it could be a regualar standing order.

One off Gift

Cheques can be made direct to 'Zoar Methodist Church' and either posted through the church letter box or sent to the contact address.

Standing Order

Perhaps you would like to make a regular weekly or monthly payment towards the church. A Standing Order is the easiest way.This can be arranged with your own bank or online if you do online banking. The church account is with Barclays and is called Zoar Methodist Church - (Sort Code - 20-27-17, Accout No - 90995347) However large or small - all gifts will be gratefully received.

Gift Aid

If you are a tax payer then you should be able to gift aid any donation you make. There is a simple form that needs to be completed which enables the church to claim an additional 25p for every £1.00 donated. Do contact us if you would life to gift aid your donation and we can get a form to you. Gift Aid really does make a big difference. For more information about Gift Aid then take a look at the Methodist Church Gift Aid Page.

Giving is a very private matter and you can be assured that any contributions will be treated confidentially. Thank you.

Legacy

One way we can help our local church is through leaving a legacy after death. We may be reluctant to think about such things but it is important to give consideration to how we would like our resources to be used. Legacies may be left with specific instructions on how they might be used - or they may be given as a general support to the life of the church. Perhaps this is something you might want to consider in order to continue to support the church's ministry.

If you would like to know more about any of the above then please contact us to either speak to the minister or our church treasurer.

Biblical Teaching

There is no doubt that the level of giving varies from person to person. It remains a very private and personal thing - and rightly so. However that does not mean that we should not talk about it. Jesus talked very openly about giving. There is a story in Mark's gospel (Chapter 12) about an older lady who goes to the temple and places in the offering two very small coins - all she had to live on - while the rich people around her were placing in very large amounts of money (so that others noticed!) And Jesus commended the old lady. Why? Because she did not make a big fuss of giving - and she was the most generous of all. The others gave out of their wealth - but she gave out of her poverty.

Generosity

Jesus reminds us that it is not the amount that is most important - but the proportion (or percentage). This lady gave all that she had - the others had given but it hadn't really cost them anything. Being a disciple of Jesus affects every part of our lives - not just how we live - but how we give too. Christians recognise all that we have and all that we are are gifts from God - it is only right therefore that we give back to God that which he has given to us in the first place.

Many expect the church to be there for them in their time of need - but this can only happen by people giving to its ministry. Churches can only exist if people give generously towards them.

The Lord loves a cheerful giver!

St. Paul had a great attitude towards money and giving. He wrote to the church in Corinth, "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under any compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians Chapter 9 verse 7)  What a great attitude!

There are many other passages in the Bible that speak about giving. If you want to find out more including that it says about giving and tithing then take a look at the Bible Gateway site. Enter the word 'tithe' in the search box and enjoy exploring!