At St Giles, for the next month, we’ll be thinking together about generous giving. It might surprise you to know that parish churches receive no funding from the central church. So in order for us to keep our building open (and pay for a vicar!), we rely on donations from our community. We are very lucky to have the Friends of St Giles who support the care of our wonderful building, but it is down to us to find money for the day-to-day costs of keeping the doors open and the people warm. We are a church for everyone in Codicote – whether you come once a year, or every week. Those who give regularly to St Giles make it possible for us to keep doing what we do – conducting weddings, baptisms, and funerals, opening every Tuesday morning for our baby and toddler group, holding café church in the PMH on the first Sunday of the month, Giles Café every Friday, celebrating important milestones in the year with our village school…the list could go on! At this time of year when we think about all of the blessings in the world around us and the generosity of God, might you consider committing to supporting St Giles financially? The best way to do that is through the Parish Giving Scheme. You can find out more by clicking HERE , or by emailing Christie (vicar@stgiles-church.org.uk). If some were able to give even £5 a month, it would make an enormous difference to our ability to plan for the future and keep being a church for the whole village. Of course, generous giving isn’t just about money. We remain grateful for all of the different ways that people generously give to our church and our village, by volunteering their time and their skills for the sake of others. To donate via The Parish Giving Scheme go HERE
The Theme for this year is 'Animals of the Bible27th July: Ayot St Peter: WHALES3rd August St Giles, Codicote: SNAKES10th August St Mary's Welwyn: OXEN 17th August St Michael's Woolmer Green: LEVIATHAN24th August All Saints, Datchworth: EAGLES31st August St Peter's, Tewin: DONKEYS
Last year Bike 'n' Hike, raised £103,607 to help local churches. This Year's Bike 'n' Hike event is on Saturday 13 September. Would you like to take part?Get sponsored to visit historic churches on foot, by bike or other means. It's a fun way to fundraise for your own local church too. Half the sponsor money goes to the church named by the person taking part. Why not get together with some friends and join vital fundraiser, because while churches continue to need repairs, building costs have soared. Contact Judith Coxell for details 07800 947899Visit the Herts and Beds Historic Churches Trust website HEREThe poster can be viewed by clicking on the download button.
What is the Electoral Roll? It is the list of names and addresses of every person who can vote at the Annual Parochial Church Council meeting (APCM). At St Giles we also use it to help in planning, and for the clergy and others involved in running the church to have contact details of our parishioners at their fingertips. St Albans Diocese uses the numbers on our Electoral Roll to help determine our Parish Share (see below). This is the Ecclesiastical Electoral Roll and not to be confused with the Civic Electoral Roll administered by the Council – they are two different things! Who can be on it? Anyone who is baptised and over 16 provided they live in the parish or have worshipped at the church regularly for six months. Every six years a new Roll is prepared and those currently on it informed so they can re-apply. If you are not resident in the parish but were on the Roll as an habitual worshipper and have been prevented by sickness, absence or other essential reason from worshipping for the past six months please indicate this on the form, together with the reason. There is no clear definition of ‘Regular Worshipper’ but as a guide it probably means at least once a month. Does it commit me to anything?No!How do I apply?Download the form from this page or pick up one in church, fill it in and hand to Jan Raper our Electoral Roll Officer by Sunday 27th April.
