PLANNED GIVING
AT ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, ROME

FROM THE STEWARDSHIP SUB-COMMITTEE OF
THECHURCH COUNCIL

TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE ELECTORAL ROLL

1. Much has been achieved in recent years to strengthen the finances of All Saints, but there is still a lot to be done. Despite increases in income from our properties, charitable donations and concerts, we still owe more than £60,000 to the Diocese. We want to achieve a positive balance as soon as possible. As part of an overall review of our finances, the Church Council has decided to introduce a Planned Giving Scheme. The purpose of this letter is to explain the Scheme and invite you to participate in it.

2. The object of the Scheme is to increase the overall value and predictability of voluntary donations to All Saints. In 2002 such donations - consisting very largely of what was put in the collection plate - amounted to some Euro 22,000, or about 11 per cent of total income. By way of comparison, in the Church of England and Wales in 2000 the proportion of income from this source was 47 per cent.

3. The Stewardship Sub-Committee has been given the task of trying increase the total of voluntary donations by members of the Church by a significant amount; and to ensure that it continues to increase by at least the rate of inflation. To enable us to achieve this we ask you to do three things:

• first, review how much you give to the Church. The Church of England recommends that everyone should give five per cent of their disposable income (ie income after tax) to or through the church, plus another one per cent for overseas development. The Church Council has decided to give five per cent of All Saints' income to charity over the next year, and would like to increase this to a 10 per cent biblical tithe over the next few years. But this largely depends on the success of the Scheme.

• secondly, contribute regularly through the Planned Giving Scheme, either by envelope or standing order.

  Envelopes: we think that most people will opt to make their donations in cash in weekly envelopes. Starter packs of envelopes are now available for collection at the back of the Church. These are intended to help you establish a weekly routine of giving, even though you may not come to church every week. The envelopes can then be put in the collection plate when you do come. We shall also offer envelopes to visitors to church services who are UK taxpayers, since we can recover tax on their donations as well. Those who contribute through envelopes can stop or start as they choose and can of course vary the amount of their donations.

  Standing Order: the simplest arrangement for All Saints would be for everyone to make a single annual donation or to contribute by a standing order. Please consider this very carefully. You can set up a standing order from a UK bank account by filling in the enclosed Bankers' Order. If you want to do this for an Italian bank account, please speak to one of us for details.

• thirdly, if you pay tax in the UK, let All Saints recover the tax on your donations. You can do this by signing the enclosed Gift Aid Declaration

4. If you decide to complete a Bankers' Order and/or a Gift Aid Declaration, please return the form(s) to the church in an envelope clearly marked 'Planned Giving Scheme'. You can do this by post (All Saints' Church, Via del Babuino 153, 00187, Rome) or by handing them to one of the sidesmen on Sunday.

5. We plan to launch the Scheme over five Sundays starting on 18 May. The fifth Sunday - 13 June - will be Thanksgiving Sunday. On the preceding Sundays Jonathan Boardman will preach on different aspects of the subject and lay members will speak briefly about the Scheme in the notices slot at the end of the 10:30 Service (except for 25 May, when we shall be joining St Paul's within the Walls). But you don't have to wait until Thanksgiving Sunday to decide to join the Scheme. You can start as soon as you like!

6. Finally, we should explain that we are not going to ask people to commit themselves formally to the Scheme. Some planned giving schemes work this way but we think it is a step too far, at least in the first year.

7. We have planned the Scheme with care but cannot claim to have thought of everything. If you have queries, please button-hole one of us in church or - better still - send an email to the Planned Giving Scheme enquiry slot which you will find on the home page at www.allsaintsrome.org.

Sara Brain - Jane Castrucci - Anthony Beattie