A Message from the Minister

A Message from the Minister

We had a very important meeting of the Congregational Board this week at which we looked at our finances and how they have changed over the recent years. The major change has been that nine years ago we had to pay the Church of Scotland £7,582 as our share of national expenditure. This year we have been levied £39, 947 (reduced to £37,994 because of our endowments). In nine years this represents an increase of £30,412 , or over 500% at a time when the economy has been largely stagnant.

This has caused us a number of problems. First of all there is the size of the payment. We are a small congregation in a tiny village. Over the next ten years we can expect to have to pay half a million pounds to the central funds of the church. Second, we do receive an income from our weddings. But this comes, not exclusively but largely, in the summer months and we are required to pay our contribution to the central funds on a month by month basis.

It was Stewart who came up with a grand idea. There is an organisation called easyfundraising. It has a web-site at www.easyfundraising.org.uk  Anyone can go to the web-site, choose the charity they wish to support and if they go through this portal to do their normal shopping on-line then that charity gets a small percentage of the total cost. It costs the user absolutely nothing at all but Luss Parish Church will receive a payment once every few months into the Church account.

So please visit www.easyfundraising.org.uk and sign up to support Luss Parish Church (our application as a suitable charity has already been approved) and allow the web-site to put a small reminder on your screen so that when you go through this scheme (it only takes one click) then you will also be generating funds for the church. Setting up the system is very straight forward. I managed without any problem at all! I've made my first purchase (through Amazon) and I'm waiting impatiently to see the payment credited to our church account on easyfundraising!

We really need your help at this time and I appreciate those of you who are able to help us in this way. It is absolutely simple but if anyone needs any help then I am sure that Andy, Stewart or I will be delighted to assist.

With grateful thanks,

Dane