You may have recently received a letter from the Parochial Church Council regarding the ongoing need for funding for St Nicholas Church.
Throughout its history St Nicholas Church has served our village in a number of vital ways – taking a lead role in community activities – offering occasions for regular worship – arranging services to mark significant life events of parishioners – baptisms, weddings and funerals. Thankfully that work and the maintenance of the building have always been generously supported through financial giving not only by the church congregation but also by members of the community and those visiting the church through its connections with Jane Austen and the forthcoming celebrations of the 250th year of her birth here.
However, the costs of maintaining that level of service and the maintenance of the building and beautiful churchyard continue to escalate year on year. We are reaching a point where not only day to day costs are increasing but we now have a large increase in maintenance costs. This year we are committed to repairs in excess of £50,000 to keep the building and its surroundings in a satisfactory state of repair. You may recently have seen scaffolding erected as external repairs have already begun. This will then be followed by internal redecoration. Although we are hoping to raise some of this from charitable grants, the bulk will have to come from the church community through your generosity and through the generosity of others who may not be regular attenders but support us financially throughout the year.
In addition to these costs, we also have to raise a considerable amount of money for the ongoing running of the Church. This is money well spent. None of this comes from the government or from the Diocese.
We write therefore to seek your help to enable the Church to carry on its work in the future and to ensure that it is well cared for as by previous generations.
Please consider donating to our church in one of the following ways:
A regular amount through the Parish Giving scheme, which automatically collects gift aid at 25% if you are a UK tax payer. You can donate on a regular or one off basis via the Parish Giving Scheme Link: www.parishgiving.org.uk (Parish code 410641159).
A one-off gift either to the church directly or through the Friends of Steventon Church who help to maintain this lovely building.
Thank you for your generosity and support.
With best wishes on behalf of the Parochial Church Council (PCC)
Marilyn Wright Shona Gruzelier Julian Pilcher
Church Warden, Treasurer and Chairman of Friends of Steventon Church