Celebrating 10 Years of the Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) in the Diocese of Liverpool
Celebrate with us
Thanksgiving
Milestones are a chance to look back at the great work done by those who made it happen. Take a moment one of your services to thank;
- The Finance Team: Make a point to thank your church Treasurer and Finance team for their work in registering the church and supporting givers to use the PGS. This could be on a Sunday as part of the service.
- Your givers: Thank your givers for joining the PGS to exercise their generosity, making administration so much easier. Why not send a card, thanking your givers for their regular gifts? (template below)
- God: Everything we have comes from God, so we thank Him for the gifts that come via the PGS and for providing for our every need. Why not introduce an ‘offertory prayer’ thanking God for all the gifts made to the church, both in person and digitally.
Sharing success & busting myths
Though PGS has been a part of the way we give in Liverpool for 10 years, it is still new to many people. And with anything new, there is misinformation and misunderstandings that occur. You may want to share these statistics with your church to build trust in the scheme, where it is needed.
- Parish Giving Scheme is a non-profit charity now owned by the Church of England, and is freely available to all dioceses and parishes at no cost for givers. You can read more about this here
- PGS uses the Direct Debit system, which is safer and more secure than a Standing Order. You are always in control of your gift.
- Your church receives all regular PGS gifts in one bank transfer on the same day each month, which is easily reconciled by your Treasurer. With Standing Orders, every payment enters the bank individually, taking longer to reconcile each gift.
- The administration involved in managing gifts given by envelope and Standing Order is far more than by the Parish Giving Scheme. By encouraging people to join now, you are supporting future church volunteers by making the administration nice and simple.
- See more FAQ’s here
Growing the Scheme
We are always trying to find new ways to help engage both new givers and current givers to join the PGS. Below are some resources which you can either download to use immediately, or personalise to your church.
Pew Card/Post Card | (PDF Version) | (edit using Canva.com) |
Thank you Card | (PDF Version) | (edit using Canva.com) |
Welcome Card | No PDF available, this must be personalised to your church. | (edit using Canva.com) |
PGS Tri-Fold flyer | (PDF Version) | (edit using Canva.com) |
Giving brochure | No PDF available, this must be personalised to your church. | (edit using Canva.com) |
Posters | (PDF Version) | (edit using Canva.com) |
Social Media images | (Zip File) | (edit using Canva.com) |
PGS branded resources available here
Join the Parish Giving Scheme
As a giver:
There are 3 simple ways you can join the Parish Giving Scheme to give to your church. You can either;
- Sign up on the Website – https://www.parishgiving.org.uk/donors/find-your-parish/ Click the link, find your church, sign up to make a gift.
- Over the Phone – Call 0333 002 1260 to speak to a member of the PGS team. They will guide you through setting up a gift.
- Fill in a Gift Form – You can find this at your church. Request a paper form from your Treasurer, fill it in and send it off.
The Parish Giving Scheme is safe, secure and simple to use and the team is on hand to support you. It is simply the best way you can make your gift.
As a church:
Read through the PCC Guide for joining the Parish Giving Scheme, and get in touch with the Resources Team with any questions or hesitations you have. We would be deighted to support you in the transition to a safer, more secure method of giving for your givers.
Why not run a Generosity Week?
Generosity Week is a brilliant chance to do all of the things above! National Generosity Week will be held from 29th September-6th October 2024, but you can run a generosity initiative at any time throughout the year. The Sunday-Sunday focus enables you to dedicate your services to the joy of generous giving. Generous living is a part of our journey as disciples of Jesus, and stewarding our finances well is an important part of that journey.
You may like to use our Generous Seasons resources;
If you would like to consult the team about an approach that will work best in your setting, bespoke literature, inviting us to preach or anything else – do get in touch!
Resources Team
Email – resources.team@liverpool.anglican.org, phone number 0151 705 2180
Digital Giving Advisor – Lucia Miller