Stewardship

Our Stewardship
We believe that it is our responsibility to be great stewards of the resources that God provides. Therefore we have several financial management processes to ensure this outcome.

Our Accountability
Hope! Church is registered with the Charity Commission and with Company’s House.

We are a Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee and our Limited Company Number is SC417097.

Our church is registered with OSCR and our Charity Number is SC010342.

Annual reports are faithfully and diligently prepared in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Hope! Church has a board of Directors.

The Lead Pastor is the Managing Director and serves as Chairman of any meeting conducted by the company. We have a Treasurer / Secretary who is a Director.

The Church’s financial records and systems are audited annually to give a true and fair view, in accordance with United Kingdom ‘Generally Accepted Accounting Practice’ applicable to smaller entities and with the ‘incoming resources and application of resources’ and have been properly prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 1985 applicable to small companies: and the information given in the Trustees Report is consistent with the financial statements.

Tithes & Offerings
Every week we receive an offering from those that attend events. We believe it is vital to give people an opportunity to give and this is our major source of income.

Bringing your tithe to God is not a legal requirement as it was for the Old Testament Jews but remains an important principle for today. The principle of tithing predates the Law of the Old Testament. From the beginning it was a principle of honouring God as the source of all we have and teaches us to put God first in our lives (Deuteronomy 14:23 TLB).

Bringing an offering is an important part of our overall giving as well. In 2 Corinthians 9: 6-7, Paul reminds us that ‘whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.’

Heart For The House
Once every year, we receive a miracle offering called Heart for the House. From the money raised at this time we are able to resource the plans and projects of the year ahead. We encourage all those with a heart for the house to think creatively to raise funds and give sacrificially as we invest in what God is doing through the life of Hope! Church.

Special Offering for Guest Speakers
We consider it an honour to have world class visiting speakers with whom we are in great relationship. At the end of every service where a Guest Speaker has spoken we receive a love offering so that we might “send them on their way in a manner worthy of God” (3 John 6). Make sure you are prepared for this opportunity to sow into the ministry of our guests.

Gift Aid
Gift Aid is a UK Government initiative that enables us, as a registered charity, to reclaim the tax you have paid on the basic rate through contributions made in the UK. To ensure that we are able to take advantage of this significant benefit, fill in the Gift Aid Declaration which is found on the envelopes available at regular events.

Standing Orders
Many people are choosing to automate their giving as a means of putting God first or just to make life easier. Standing order forms are available from the Information Point at regular events or by contacting Patricia Cripps. Please fill it out and either place it in the offering container during one of our services or hand it in at the resources centre in the foyer.

What we do to keep your details secure
Our giving envelopes can be licked and sealed to hide any personal details and these are only viewed by a count team at the end of a service. During our Sunday services, the containers are passed along rows while a member of our First Impressions team is positioned at each end of the row to watch the containers. After they are received they are kept safe and counted at the end of the service by at least 2 people, all of whom have signed confidentiality agreements. If card details are provided then the security code is blacked out and envelopes are stored in a locked cupboard and card details are then destroyed within 2 weeks.