Old Gourock and
Ashton Parish Church

Offerings for the Work of the Church

In common with all congregations of the Church of Scotland, Old Gourock and Ashton relies on the generosity of its members, in response to their membership vows, to provide the income necessary to pay for the church’s work locally, nationally and internationally throughout the world.

In Old Gourock and Ashton, part of our worship involves the individual members of the congregation providing their offerings. This takes place during each service following the sermon when the duty office-bearers pass collection bags round the congregation. The offerings are then brought forward to the Communion Table for the Minister to give a blessing for them to be used in the work of the church.

In Old Gourock and Ashton, we have several methods available for folk to make their offerings. These are:-
a) Freewill Offering Envelopes
b) Bank Standing Orders
c) Open Plate

Freewill Offering Envelopes

This is the traditional method of providing offerings in which the member is provided with a set of offering envelopes in which there is one envelope for each Sunday of the year. Members put their offering inside the envelope and place the envelope into the collection bag. Each set of envelopes has a number printed on it so that the amount inside can be recorded against the envelope number. It is a necessary condition imposed by HM Revenue and Customs before the congregation can recover Gift Aid that the donors can be identified with the amounts given and hence the amount of Gift Aid claimed.

In our congregation, only the Freewill Offering Convener, David Whyte, has the information to link members’ names to the envelope numbers. If anyone not already using the Freewill Envelope Scheme would like a set of envelopes, David can be contacted on 632830.

Bank Standing Orders

This has become a popular method of giving and is especially suitable for members unable to attend worship regularly but who, nonetheless, want to support the church’s work. The one drawback of this method of giving, both from the point of view of the donor and of the Congregation, is that the member has to complete a fresh standing order form in order to change the amount given. Once again confidentiality is imposed by the information regarding givings by standing order being restricted to the Treasurer and the Gift Aid Convener.

A Standing Order form can be obtained at the church vestibule areas or from the Kirk Treasurer. Contact the church.

Open Plate

As the collection bags are passed round, the congregation is able to drop their offering into the bag, either a Freewill Envelope or cash on its own. All loose cash is known as Open Plate.

Gift Aid

Gift Aid is a Government scheme available to charities which enables them to recover income tax on donations deemed to have been paid by the donor at the basic rate. This tax recovery can only be made on offerings recorded against individual members and therefore offerings by Freewill Envelope and Standing Order are recorded against the donor. As stated above, this information is confidential to the Freewill Offering Convener, the Treasurer and the Gift Aid Convener.

The effect of Gift Aid is to increase the individual offering by approx. 28% at no additional cost to the donor. In fact, for donors who pay income tax at the higher rate, Gift Aid provides a method of saving some income tax as the donor’s basic rate income tax band is increased by the value of the annual offering provided.

Gift Aid is a very important part of our congregation’s income and the Finance Committee encourages every tax-paying member to sign a Gift Aid form in favour of the congregation. Our Gift Aid Convener, Bob Burns, can be contacted via the church for further details. Gift Aid mandate forms are available at the church vestibules. Completed forms should be returned to Bob Burns either directly, by being placed in the collection bags or by being handed to the duty office-bearers at the church doors.

Special Collections

In addition to our normal offerings for the work of the church, we take special collections at particular times in the year for specific purposes e.g. at Communion, Maundy Thursday, Harvest, Remembrance Sunday and on Christmas Eve. The total amount collected is subsequently distributed to the charities concerned.

And Finally

Finally, thank you to everyone who contributes in any way to the income of our congregation. It is very much appreciated by the Congregational Board and we look forward to receiving your continued support in the future.