Donating to Christchurch
As Christians, giving is part of how we say thank you to God for His amazing grace and the indescribable gift of his Son to us. The Bible says that God loves a cheerful giver, because cheerful, generous giving blesses others, supplies the needs of the church, and helps to resource our Good News mission. It is also an act of obedience and trust – in doing it we are saying that it is God, not ourselves or anyone else, who ultimately provides for our needs. Giving should never be forced or grudging, but free and joyful. "Let each one give as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves a giver whose heart is in his giving." (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Giving financially is, of course, just one way of expressing generosity. If you’re struggling financially or in debt, we encourage you to express generosity in a non-financial way by serving on a team, praying for the Church, or being generous with your time towards others. We'd also recommend the Christians Against Poverty website as a great place to get further help.
Thank you so much for considering financially supporting the work and mission of Christchurch. To make a quick online donation, you can use the online giving portal here. Otherwise see below for several ways to donate as well as some special ways to further boost your gifts ...
1. Regular Giving - Monthly Direct Debit
This is the ideal option (where possible) as it enables our leadership team to plan ahead more strategically and responsibly. It also means we can automatically receive Gift Aid - the very generous scheme from the UK government which adds a bonus 25% to gifts if you pay income tax. That means, if you have signed a simple Gift Aid declaration, for every £20 you give, the church receives £25! So please use this option if you are able to.
The best way to do this is to fill in the simple online form here. The form gives you the choice of how much and how often you give.
One vital detail: In the "Beneficiary" section, start typing "Swansea" and then select "Swansea Ministry Area - Christ Church". Then your donations (+ Gift Aid) will find their way to us.
If you need to cancel or amend your regular giving at any point, just fill in your details and request via the quick online form here. (To reassure you, your request to amend or cancel will be considered as actioned immediately.)
For any further questions or queries about regular giving, just have a chat with our friendly treasurer, Angela Lloyd.
2. Regular Giving - Occasional Direct Debit
Some people - such as those who self-employed - like to give regularly but cannot give on a weekly or monthly basis.
For some, the best way is use this online form here but to choose the quarterly, 6-monthly or annual gift option using the same "Beneficiary" details above. For others, please use the same form every time you who wish to make a donation and choose the "Frequency: One-off" option.
(Please check the Gift Aid box if you pay income tax.)
3. One-off Gifts & Special Appeals
To make a one-off donation either to our general mission fund or to one of our current fundraising appeals (such as the Bible fund and Music-for-All fund), please use the donation portal at the bottom of this webpage. For a specific appeal, select from the list under the "Additional Details: Donation Use" tab.
4. Leaving a Legacy
One very generous and highly strategic way for people to invest in God's kingdom and the spread of the Good News, even beyond their own lifetime, is to leave a legacy gift as part of your will. These gifts can make an enormous difference to the church's mission, such as resourcing a new staff role that multiplies our impact, or enabling us to greatly improve our services and facilities.
You can include a gift to Christchurch in your will by the addition of a straightforward clause, using the following wording:
“I give ____% of my residuary estate free of all taxes to the Swansea Ministry Area Council (registered charity *number _________ ) for specific and exclusive use in the mission, ministry and general purposes of Christchurch Swansea in the Diocese of Swansea & Brecon, and I declare that the receipt of an officer of the Ministry Area Council or a sub-warden or treasurer from Christchurch shall be a sufficient discharge to my executors and trustees.”
*Spring 2024 note: We are currently waiting for the charity number of the newly formed Ministry Area.
5. Employer Matched Giving Schemes
Many employers offer matched giving schemes. In most cases, the company will match your donation pound-for-pound up to a specific amount; a handful of organisations will even double your gift. Perhaps ask the Human Resources or Social Responsibility Office at your workplace to find out if they operate a matched giving scheme. Some employers may not match giving for religious purposes, though most will match gifts that are restricted to special projects serving the community. Ask Angela our treasurer how to make a restricted gift.
6. At Church Services
We have a contactless giving station to enable people to give by card. We also have an offering basket and envelope scheme for those wishing to make cash donations or who have less access / confidence regarding online giving.
For more information, please get in touch with us via our Contact page.