A number of enquiries have been made by parishioners as to how they can continue to give financially during this period in order to support the ministry of the parish. As the churches are not open it is not possible to receive any Free will Offering envelopes or cheques.
A Community Church with a Pastoral Heart
Firstly, and most importantly, our core values state that ‘we are a community church with a pastoral heart’. This is expressed in how God’s love reaches out to us, and we show that through our love to all within our parish and across our community. Therefore in light of the current difficult circumstances we are very aware of parishioners who now cannot afford to give, or maybe cannot afford to commit in the way they have done. If you are in this position, then please do not feel any pressure to support us financially. In fact during this time we would ask you to get in touch with Revd Jonny confidentially on 07808 479649 who will be more than happy to help you in your current situation.
Ways to give
If you can give, and would like to give, here are some ways in which this can currently be done
Freewill Offering Envelopes
If you use Freewill Offering envelopes, you could every Sunday place your giving in the envelope and leave it aside for whenever the church is open again. We have no idea of when things will return to normal, and whilst the Government policy on lockdown may change, it is highly unlikely that people gathering together in large numbers will be prohibited for many months to come, which is why we would strongly recommend the next option ;
Regulary Standing Orders
A number of people have found the Standing Order scheme very useful. Most regular payments for house bills are already done this way through the banks, and therefore it is the simplest way to budget effectively in your giving to God.
Most banks allow you to set up a new standing order via online banking or via the telephone. You are in full control of the standing order and can stop or alter it at any point by contacting your bank.
If you do not have online banking, then you can complete a Standing Order form which can then be sent directly to your bank. Download the form below
You will be asked for some information during the process, including our bank details. Here they are :
Sort Code: 95-02-27
Account Number: 90102768
Bank Name: Danske Bank
Reference: Please use your name as the reference so we know who it came from
Our church account is UNITED PARISH OF BALLYNURE & BALLYEASTON (BALLYCLARE)
One-off donations
You can also make secure one-off donations by using your debit or credit card. To do this, click on the Online Giving button below. Follow the instructions for making a one-off donation. There are different funds you can give to, but please select Main fund. A small transaction fee will be applied to cover the provider’s administration overheads – you can either pay this yourself or deduct it from your overall contribution to the parish.
Gift Aid
In all cases, if you are a UK taxpayer, please consider completing a Gift Aid form. You can download this form below
It is completely free to you, but it allows the United Parish, which is a registered charity, to claim an additional 25% of what is given from the Government. This can be posted to the Parish Office (St John’s Church of Ireland, 3 Doagh Road, Ballyclare, BT39 9BG) and will be dealt with once the Office is operational again.
Thank you
We want to thank you for your continued support to the parish, and whatever your situation at this time please be assured of our prayers for you at this time. If you have any questions about giving, please feel free to contact Revd Jonny on 07808 479649 or our new Honorary Treasurer Lawrence Stanford on lawrencestanford@yahoo.co.uk