Generosity is at the heart of our faith.
We believe in a generous God, and our own generosity is a testament and hallmark of our faith in action. The ministry and mission of The Church of England is largely funded through the incredible generosity of those who give to it.
Our giving, in its broadest sense, enables our churches to flourish and grow. Our financial giving is the main way we resource our ministry and mission and enables us to grow as communities of faith not just in our parish, but across the diocese. Giving our time to volunteer helps us create places of welcome and hospitality, places that make it possible for every member of our community to seek an encounter with God through prayer, worship, and fellowship.
But we don’t just give to resource our churches
By giving generously we grow as disciples. How? Well, how we use our money enables us to reflect upon our priorities in life and shows a challenge of discipleship; what should we as Christians spend our money on? Our challenge as Christians is to place God at the top of the list, rather than working out what is left over at the end of the day. We are called to move from asking “how much of what is mine do I give away,” to “how much of what is God’s do I keep”?
Giving is therefore a central component of our discipleship, our following of Jesus, and our desire and calling to be Christ-like.
Watch this
Revd Mark Miller of Stockton Parish Church explores Generosity and Giving using Luke 12:13-21.
Where do I go from here?
You’re welcome to explore the links on the left of this page, where you’ll find a wide variety of resources, guidance and inspiration for encouraging giving and growing generosity within yourself and your church. However, we have some suggestions of where to start if you are:
For more information, or a quick chat about giving in your context, contact the Diocesan Giving Team here.
Watch this
This short video animation helps to explain the vision of the National Giving Team and the Generous Giving Team in Durham. Together we are working to help “Build a Generous Church” by creating the right environment to give and cultivate a culture of generosity.