Giving for God's work
The Bible encourages us to give our time and money to Gospel work. Redeemer is reliant on the congregation giving generously to fulfil its vision.
Giving ourselves
First, we need to give our hearts in response to God’s love for us in Jesus
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”
Matthew6:21
Giving for others
Many in Edinburgh and beyond do not know Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. We need to give for God’s glory and others’ growth in Christ
“God so loved the world that he gave his only son”
John3:16
Giving systematically
The Bible speaks of 10% – a tithe; the poor widow gave 100%
“Each…is to put something aside...as he may prosper”
1 Corinthians16:2
Giving joyfully
It is a privilege to give joyfully for the Gospel; and the work at Redeemer needs our generous support
“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!”
2 Corinthians9:15
How to give to Redeemer
There are three ways of giving to the work of Redeemer:
Regular Giving
Planning your giving is a good spiritual discipline. Through this we demonstrate that we are serious as Christians, and we want the Lord’s work to go forward.
It also helps the church - knowing the number of people truly committed to the congregation helps us to see God’s will for the future.
It is a straightforward process to make regular payments to Redeemer. First work out the amount you wish to give and then either fill in the Standing Order form (download page 8) or set up the payments through online banking.
If you are a taxpayer, please see the important section on Gift Aid (download page 4). This can greatly enhance your giving for the work of the gospel
One-off Giving
The Bible encourages us to be cheerful givers and offer thank-offerings to God. We have the opportunity to do this each service through the
offering. This may be a small amount above your regular planned giving, or it may be larger in response to God’s blessings on you.
From time to time, Redeemer may make specific appeals to finance
important gospel work outwith the regular cost of the church. We may ask you to consider giving a modest amount or occasionally a sacrificial amount. These appeals are not made lightly.
Legacies
Don’t forget God’s work when you make your will. Leaving a legacy to
Redeemer can help grow our gospel work.
General information
Gift aid
If you pay tax in the UK, we can reclaim 25p for every £1 you give to Redeemer. This allows your giving to go further for the gospel at no cost to you.
You do not have to commit yourself to any set amount or to give for a fixed period. However, there are some important criteria:
- You have to fill in a Gift Aid Declaration, which will cover any donations you make to Redeemer Church Edinburgh, and
- You need to be a UK taxpayer, and
- You have to give money in a way that you can be identified as the donor, and
- You must pay an amount of tax (Income and/or Capital Gains) for each tax year that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all charities or Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCS) that you donate to will reclaim on your gifts for that tax year. The tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April the following year. Other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify.
There are three ways of making donations so you can be identified as the donor:
- You can set up a standing order so that regular payments are made from your bank to ours – either by filling in the attached form or through online banking, or
- You can use the Gift Aid envelopes (available as you come into the church and in the back of the church Bibles) or
- You can make donations by cheque
Higher tax rate payers
You continue to get additional relief on the difference between the basic rate (20%) and the higher (40%) rate. This is claimed through your tax return. In addition, it is possible to claim higher rate tax relief against Capital Gains Tax liability as well as Income Tax.
Further information
The Elders are responsible for the finances at Redeemer. While key financial decisions are made at our Elders’ meetings, many of the day-to- day financial responsibilities of the church are administered by the Finance Team.
If you have any queries about giving, or any other financial matter, please don’t hesitate to contact the Finance Team.