Introduction
Envelope Scheme
Standing Orders
Frequently Asked Questions
Print Christian Stewardship Personal Details Form
Print Standing Order Mandate Form

Important news for all taxpaying parishioners

Introduction:
St. Patrick's Church Dalkey operate a Christian Stewardship scheme whereby parishioners make their subscriptions to the Parish.

At about every three years or so, a Christian Stewardship campaign is run in which every home in the Parish is visited by a group of visitors. Each member is encouraged to make their commitments, not only in financial terms but also their time and talents. In this way the Select Vestry can plan and run the Parish in an organised manner, knowing the resources at their disposal.

Traditionally the main methods of subscribing were by the church plate or the envelope scheme. However in recent years more and more parishioners are now contributing by standing order.

Envelope Scheme:
Parishioners using this method are issued with either weekly or monthly envelopes, into which they place their money. These envelopes are then placed on the church plate each Sunday. At the end of the service, the envelopes are opened and counted by the churchwardens and the results logged into the computer.
      By using the envelope code number and the envelope date, the system can track each donation, while at the same time maintaining total confidentiality, even from the churchwardens. All they know is amount in each envelope, without knowing who the envelope was from. The counted money is then placed in a night-safe bag and lodged in the bank, while the data from the computer is sent to the Stewardship Recorder. From this data the Stewardship Recorder can monitor the actual donations against the pledged amount.
     Normally, statements are issued twice yearly, mid-way and at year-end. This is usually timed to coincide with the CONTACT magazine distribution, thus eliminates postage costs.  However if parishioners wish to have a detailed statement at any stage, they can do so by simply contacting the Stewardship Recorder. 

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Standing Order:
This is a simple straightforward and user-friendly solution is to commit your planned giving using a monthly standing order. A significant number of parishioners already subscribe in this way and it is most beneficial to the Parish.  It completely eliminates the costs and overheads associated with the envelope scheme. From the parishioners point of view it eliminates the task of finding cash each week and in the event of holidays or illness etc, the need to 'catch up' is removed.

Needless to say your financial support to St. Patrick's Dalkey in whatever form is greatly appreciated.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

I am new to the parish and wish to joint the Stewardship. Who do I contact?
The person to contact if you have any Christian Stewardship queries whatsoever is the Stewardship Recorder. This is currently Dermot Deverell who can be contacted  at 2859719. The Stewardship Recorder is the traditional name given to the hon. treasurer of the Christian Stewardship in St. Patrick's.

How confidential is my financial donations to the parish. ?
The only person who has access to this information is the Stewardship Recorder. Not even will the Rector know how much you are subscribing.

What is the recommended method of subscribing to the Parish?
The recommended method is to set up a standing order, whereby your regular subscription are automatically transferred to the Parish bank account without the need for any administration on the part of the Parish. This eliminates any errors counting money, security, printing and distributing envelopes etc. Your money is simply lodged directly into the bank. By examining your bank statements you can simply monitor how much you have contributed to the Parish without the need to keep records and without the worry of falling behind.

I am not sure how much I should give each week, is there a norm or expected amount I should give?
It is entirely up to each individual to decide how much to give. This obviously depends entirely on your own circumstances and priorities.  Points to ponder when making your decision is to perhaps consider how much do you spend weekly on newspapers, or a bottle of wine, or a night out at the theatre or whatever? Then perhaps this will give you some perspective and help you arrive at a figure. Please also consider the minimum amount required to qualify for tax relief for your donations. This is fully explained on the important news for all taxpaying parishioners page.

How often should I review my contributions?
As already mentioned, a Christian Stewardship Campaign is run every three years and it is at this stage we update our records and ask parishioners to review their contributions. However three years can be quiet a long period and in the mean time our parish expenses keep rising with inflation etc. We therefore suggest that the beginning of a new year is perhaps a good time to review your own commitments, but this is entirely up to you.

What if my circumstances change and I wish to alter my donations?
It is entirely up to you how much you donate at any stage. If you are on standing order then you can either inform your bank directly or simply fill out a new mandate and return it to the Stewardship Recorder. However we would be grateful if you would advise the Stewardship Recorder when you are altering your regular contributions so as to ensure no error has occurred. Indeed if your address or other contact details change, we would also be grateful if you would inform us. From time to time we send out statements of your donations so it is important we have your correct details.

Would it be possible to have my regular statements by email?
Yes, it is most certainly possible and is in fact the preferred method. Simply forward an email to the Stewardship Recorder and your email address will be added to the database for all future correspondence. This will greatly reduce printing and distribution costs.

If you have any further questions which  you feel should be added to the list, then please do send them to the Stewardship Recorder.

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Print Christian Stewardship Personal Details Form.
This form is used when you wish to make or renew your pledged commitment, or if your address or contact details have changed. To print a new form, click on the required  link below. When the form appears simply use your print button to print the form as you would use to print any other document. When printed, close the window by clicking on the X button at the top right hand corner as normal.

(click here) for Personal Details Form 

Please complete the form and return it to the Stewardship Recorder.

Print Standing Order Mandate Form:
To print a new mandate click on the required link below. When the form appears simply use your print button to print the form. When printed, close the window by clicking on the X button at the top right hand corner as normal.

(Click here) for Standing Order Mandate Form

Now complete the form, making sure to sign it and return it to the Stewardship Recorder.

If you are having any problems printing the above forms, please contact the Stewardship Recorder.