You don’t go to church. So why give to the church?

I have just the one cat now. He’s sat next to me, washing away after a dish of food. He’s been driven from the garden by the onset of the forecasted storm. Slightly damp yet satiated, he brings me some delight.

Like the other two cats he used to tolerate and with whom he shared this house, he was once a stray who turned up, and wouldn’t go away.

When he first arrived at the patio doors he was in a rather poor state and I remember one day having to capture him and take him to the vets. It was a snowy day. My hand bled after he attacked my hand as I waited for the bus. He took exception to being caged in a cat carrier.

Since those days he has discovered a more serene sense of trust and is rather more content and controlled in his outbursts.

A grateful response

At the time I was grateful to the Cats Protection charity who paid for his treatment. Likewise for the involvement they had in the other two cats I adopted, and who have since died. I didn’t have to pay for their treatment or the chipping, the neutering or the spaying.

As a result, I decided to set up a regular donation to them. It was just £10 a month but I wanted to show my appreciation for them and their ongoing financial commitments.

Cats are not everyone’s thing, of course. And the £10 a month forms just one part of my regular charitable giving, ten per cent of the ten per cent. I give to others too. I’m just reminded of this particular charity because “Whitey the cat” is sat next to me, lapping away. For you, it may be the Air Ambulance or Cancer Research, a Homeless Charity or Christian Aid. There’s a whole array of charities needing support.

Giving to the church

The vast majority of my financial giving though goes to the church of which I am a part.

During Lent and Easter we’ve been encouraging members of our congregations to review and renew their giving in a regular and realistic way as part of their Christian faith and discipleship.

I know, though, there are many people who are not part of the congregation but who call on the church at times. Those who value the presence and availability of the building for celebrations throughout their life, or call on the ministry of the priest and others at times.

Maybe those who get in touch with the priest for a baptism, or the many who gather for funerals of friends and family. Those who enjoy the heritage and history and ongoing presence of a building which tells the story of a whole community, a history which clings to the stones.

But more than that, our churches are involved in the strengthening of our local communities, working with others to bring change and serve those in need. This takes many forms whether through Foodbanks or faithfully working alongside others in our communities to address issues and concerns, and to work for social justice.

Each of our church communities, the work we do and and the buildings we inhabit, incur costs and, for the most part, they are wonderfully met by those who worship there, week by week.

When I received the help of Cats Protection for each of those three stray cats, my gratitude was expressed by wanting to contribute to what they had given me, and I wanted to ensure that the charity was there for others who needed their help.

Cats. It’s not everyone’s thing, of course. But perhaps the Church, whose work is more than worship, may sometimes get overlooked or simply be expected to always be there when people need us the most.

Be the gift

You can be part of the life we lead, the service we offer, the need we try to address, the buildings we seek to maintain, being a constant presence in our community when all around us changes.

So, if that’s you, and you’d like support and encourage the work of your local church so that’s it’s always there doing what it does, to help there when you need it, you can do so very easily through the Church in Wales’ Gift Direct scheme (as well as in other ways).

Every donation will enable us to continue to be a presence in our community. It will maintain and develop a building, yes. But it will also help us to continue to be an important part of our community, reaching out and bringing change, standing alongside those in need, and playing our part in changing the world.

You can find out more about how you can give at our Giving pages below. But for those who just like a cat pic, here he is, looking far from white, but rather grey and dirty after a fun and sunny roll in the dust. He knows how to enjoy himself.