Christ Church BromleyGiving
All of our ministry, in Bromley and further afield, is entirely reliant on the giving of our church members - we do not receive funding from any external source.
What form of giving is most helpful?
The most helpful way to support Christ Church Bromley financially is to set up a monthly Standing Order with your bank. They will then process your gifts each month automatically in accordance with your instructions. This saves you time, means that you don’t forget when life is busy and, significantly, it helps the church with its financial planning.
How do you get started?
If you'd like to setup a standing order please contact our Treasurer who'll be glad to help. There are also links below to make online donations using a credit/debit card, and gift aid forms to help us reclaim tax from HMRC.
If you are a UK taxpayer, please complete a gift aid declaration to enable us to increase the value of your gift by reclaiming the basic rate of tax on your gifts from the government.
Printable Gift Aid Form for CCB
Please return printed forms to the Church Office or to the Treasurer.
Online giving
It is now also possible to make a secure online donations to CCB by credit or debit card.
What we believe about giving
By God’s grace, as our ministries have grown and the costs have increased, we have seen a corresponding growth in giving to cover those costs. However - especially in these difficult economic times - to continue to grow our ministries and to do all that we can to proclaim Christ faithfully, we face a constant financial challenge!
All church members are encouraged to keep their giving under review. Sacrificial giving for gospel work is a mark of spiritual maturity and therefore every Christian should aim to be giving regularly for their church ministries at home and abroad. It will be costly, but it pleases our Heavenly Father and many at our church can testify to the joy that comes from giving generously and seeing the fruit in people’s lives.
A wonderful Bible passage on the grace of giving is 2 Corinthians 8 & 9 and it is worth church members studying these chapters prayerfully when considering their giving. Some key principles are that we should give:
- Sacrificially (8:1-2) accepting the personal cost
- Generously (8:3-7) as much as we are able for the salvation of others
- Gratefully (8:8-9) for Christ became poor that we might be rich in Him
- Realistically (8:10-12) according to our capacity
- Equally (8:13-15) giving of our plenty to help others
- Carefully (8:16-24) so that we are good stewards of God’s money
- Actually (9:1-5) to ensure that our practice matches our claims and promises
- Freely (9:6-7) without compulsion or reluctance but cheerfully
- Confidently (9:8-11) knowing that God will always supply our genuine needs
- Encouragingly (9:12-17) so that others give praise to God for what he does through us
'For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.'
2 Corinthians 8:9
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should I give?
The Old Testament required God’s people to give 10% of their income and most churches around the world would expect something like that level of commitment. Yet the New Testament doesn’t impose any law - it is matter of freedom - we can give less or more as an expression of our gratitude to God. Although we are, materially speaking, very well-off compared with the rest of the country and the world.
What if I set up a standing order and my circumstances change?
You can change or cancel a standing order at any time. Therefore, if you receive a pay increase or a bonus, you can increase your standing order using your online banking or by writing to your bank. Likewise, if you face redundancy or a period of reduced income, you can cancel your standing order or reduce your monthly donations. If you can, please let the Treasurer know about any changes as that will help them keep track of your giving and keep their budgeting in order.
How often should I review my giving?
Most Christians will want to increase their giving each year if that is possible. You will probably find it helpful to review your giving a couple of times a year (perhaps in April and in October) to check whether it is sustainable and whether it could be increased.
What if I am a taxpayer?
If you are a UK taxpayer, then it is vital that you complete a Gift Aid declaration and return it to the treasurer. Once you have done so, every time you make a gift to the church we will be able to increase the value of your gift by claiming back income tax from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). For example, if you give the church a gift of £100 together with a gift aid declaration, we will be able to claim back another £25 from HMRC. Therefore, the cost to you will be £100, but because of the tax being paid to CCB from HMRC, its value to us will be £125! These tax refunds form an important part of the church’s annual income so please make sure that the church doesn’t miss out!
If you are a higher rate taxpayer, then please note that we can only claim back the basic rate portion of tax. However, when you complete your annual tax return, you should be able to reclaim the higher rate portion of tax from HMRC which you might then choose to donate to the church.
We can only benefit from the Gift Aid scheme if you complete a declaration so please download a form now (available on our Giving page) and either complete it electronically, or print and return it to us at church or via email.
Can I speak to somebody to get more advice or more information?
Our Treasurer will be pleased to speak to you in confidence. They can be contacted via email by clicking here.
'Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver'(2 Corinthians 9:7)