Talking TALENTS
Cashing in on your skills and
abilities to help St Faith’s
In order to put our church’s
finances on a better footing for the future, we have in 2009 revived a
money-making scheme which we last operated very successfully at St
Faith's in the 1980s. Here’s how it works.
HERE is what is being offered by way of
goods and services.
And HERE is the latest reading
on the Talents Total Thermometer
Offering your Talents
We are looking for as many people as possible to offer their
talents to the congregation in as many ways as possible. You can make
and sell things, organise events or provide practical services which
make use of your skills and abilities. Over the page you can read a
list of possible things which you might offer – but please feel free to
suggest new ideas. You attract ‘customers’ from members of the
congregation, your family or friends, take their money, keep back any
expenses you want to claim and pay the rest to church. It is entirely
up to you what you offer to do, how you do it and how much you charge.
The underlying idea is to provide goods and services that people want
or need - or would like to try - do it for a fair price, and channel
the money to the church.
Using the Service
Of course, we don’t expect everyone to offer their talents in this
way. You can help the scheme just as much by paying for goods and
services as by providing them – without customers the idea won’t get
off the ground! And you are not being asked to make donations, or to
pay for something you don’t need or wouldn’t normally use or buy. The
idea is to divert to the church some of what you would spend anyway, by
making use of some of the home-grown talents and services –
and probably getting better value in the process, as well as having the
satisfaction of helping the church into the bargain.
Getting the Scheme
Going
Enough people have already offered their talents, and you can CLICK HERE to
read the current list of everything that is on offer, with prices and
contact details. Customers can now choose anything they would like to
buy
or use and get in touch with the provider. As well as individual
arrangements like this, there will be some talents Mini-Markets where
goods will be on sale and services and events advertised. We launched
the scheme officially at our Patronal Festival on October 11th.
The scheme will run throughout the autumn and winter and well
into next year – and maybe beyond.
What Happens Now?
If you would like to offer your talents, please let Chris Price or Maureen Madden know as soon as you
can, and join the list of those already siugned up and commissioned.
Offers from individuals, families and organisations are all
equally welcome. You can join in at any time over the months ahead,
depending on what
you have to offer and the time you have available. Have a look at the
list of what has already been offered – and feel free to ask for more
information.
There will be regular bulletins and announcements in church, in
Newslink and on this website.
We are confident that the scheme can work, that it will make money
(more than £6,000 last time!) and that it will be rewarding in
every sense to operate. We all have talents, given to us to use and not
to lie buried. Please help us to cash in on those talents now!
The Talents Handout
On Sunday October 11th, at the 10.30 am
service, those who have signed up to help were commissioned – and given
their Talents – real money to act as a starter.
They have gone forth to multiply!
The Talents Poem!
The church finance committee was formulating ways
Whereby the church might keep afloat in dark financial days.
For many thousand pounds we need to keep us up to par:
In dread we faced the prospect of another church bazaar.
Then, lo! one spake and suddenly a cunning scheme suggested
Wherein the skills of one and all might safely be invested.
And thus was born and brought to life a great and mighty plan:
That very day ’twas voted in - the Talents Scheme began.
Now folks are making marmalade, and others making wills,
Or printing things, or mending things, and ringing up the tills
With washing cars and knitting toys and offering B and B,
Or typing things or walking pets or having folks to tea.
Folk offered talents, pledging they would not inactive lie,
But grow, expand, increase, add up, go forth and multiply.
So some clean cars and some make cakes and others teddy bears,
Sing operagrams, plan busking shows or make and sell their wares
At Talents Mini-Markets, where goods are on display
For the rest of us to do our bit by buying what we may.
For all can help and all must help in this our hour of need,
That we may reach our target and the Talents Scheme succeed.
So forward one, and forward all, support all those who strive
By giving skills and services to keep St Faith’s alive.
Our soaring bills and quota costs have left things in the balance;
We’ll tip the scales and square our books by cashing in our Talents!
Chris Price, 1994
The Talents List
CLICK HERE
The Talents Total
Thermometer
CLICK HERE
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