OK, so I read your mind! You think this page is a sneaky way of trying to get you to give your hard earned cash to the Church. Well, admittedly further
down there are suggestions of how you may do just that, but I hope you will continue reading to see how 'GIVE and TAKE' applies just as much to a church family as
it does to members of a normal loving family.
Since it was opened in 1897, St Mark's has been the centre for the community. (The picture shows laying the foundation stone in 1896.) I hear you say that many people are not
religious and are not bothered about churches. Even assuming they do not want
the church for the odd baptism, wedding or funeral, for 100 years many have made use of the Henley Community Hall for all manner of meetings, clubs and recreational
activities. The Hall, built and maintained by St Mark's, has proved a valuable asset for all.
CHRISTINGLE FOR
CHILDREN'S SOCIETY
These days, the family of St. Mark's continues the tradition of supporting a wide range of charities, local, national and international.
In the past year, we have raised thousands of pounds and provided
goods (such as socks, toiletries, tinned food etc.) for Framework, "opening doors to homeless and vulnerable people". Our particular concern is the
Framework hostel in Sherwood Street, just a couple of streets from
St. Mark's. Members of our congregation have also helped at the winter night shelter for the homeless at the Methodist Church by Water Meadows.
Other charities that have benefited from the generosity and efforts of St. Mark's family include Nottingham based Family Care, "positively shaping children's futures".
Looking further afield, the Children's Society, Christian Aid and WaterAid have also received substantial donations. In the run up to Christmas, the folk of St Mark's
fill shoe boxes with children's gifts to be distributed around the world by Samaritan's Purse
St. Mark's is a FAIRTRADE church. This means not only do we use FAIRTRADE products wherever possible, we encourage others to seek out such goods in the
supermarkets, so ensuring a fair wage for those in other lands, far worse off than ourselves. We also have our own FAIRTRADE stall at 11am in the Henley Community Hall, usually on the
last Sunday of each month.
In the recently refurbished Henley Community Hall (below), St Mark's provides facilities for
Brownies, Guides, Boys' Brigade, not forgetting our own Young Lions. If your child attends
High Oakham or Sutton Road Schools, you will know that the children visit St Mark's for hands-on learning as well meeting to worship on special occasions.
An amazingly successful venture is the Thursday Indoor Car Boot Sale, with all profits going to St. Mark's Church (thousasnds of pounds a year). Its
success is not just in raising money. It has become quite a social club where people enjoy passing the time of day over a cup of tea and a sandwich. Why not pop along to the
Henley Community Hall one Thursday between about noon and 2pm and join the 'regulars'? It's good, but don't be in a rush!
Get the message? Many benefit from St Mark's.
Now the bit you've all been waiting for . . . (not)
WAYS TO HELP ST MARK'S WITH MONEY
- Make a one off donation
- Make regular payments either by putting the money in an envelope week by week, or by bank standing order
- Join the 100 Club for one pound per week
- Support the Thursday afternoon Indoor Car Boot Sale in the Henley Community Hall
- Leave money to the Church in your will
- Support collections for good causes from time to time
If you are a taxpayer, by filling in a simple form, you can GIFT AID your donations. This means we can add around 28% extra to your gift.
So where does all this money come from?
Well, it does NOT come from the government or the Council.
Some has been left over the years, usually in people's wills for particular purposes. The rest comes from the pockets of generous people alive and kicking now!
The Church building and the Henley Community Hall cost a considerable amount to maintain. The Parish Share (money paid by St. Mark's to the Diocese of Southwell
and Nottingham) comes to a staggering 30 000+ pounds this year.
So, yes, if you able to give, we would certainly welcome it. See on the right for suggestions.
So you're only interested in rich people?
Absolutely not! St Mark's just could not function without time given freely and willingly by all sorts of people.
Many people sing in the choir, join the serving team, read the Bible, lead the prayers, help with the flower arrangements, become a sidesperson,
serve / clear up Sunday morning refreshments . . . the
list seems endless.
However, many more take on all sorts of tasks which many of us are not even aware of. The box below lists some of them, but there are many, many more. For more information, please
CLICK to ask a question or tell us something.
We would love to hear from you