What Happens To Our Money ?
As you know , we charge a small fee for soup and bread , and cakes and slices with coffee / tea at our winter soup lunches . In the past the proceeds from these have been deposited into general church funds . However , recently it was suggested that we donate this money to an organisation which assists farmers and communities in rural areas , affected by the severe drought currently engulfing our country . Our Church Council has approved this .
I have spoken to Rev ’ d Mark Faulkner who is the Director of Rural and Remote Ministry for the NSW Synod of the Uniting Church . Mark recommended , as a recipient of the donations , the Rev ’ d Phil Matthews who runs Frontier Services for Barwon ( North / east NSW to Narrabri ). Mark said Rev ’ d Phil “ will use your donations directly . Phil is on the ground and works in some of Australia ’ s poorest and most drought affected areas .” I believe a number of you who went on the Murray Darling Basin trips have met Phil and Chris knows him from some years back .
I have written to Phil Matthews , advising him of our plans and he has replied with thanks . Following Sunday ’ s ( 20 August ) combined soup lunch with Holy Cross ( the proceeds of which will be divided between our two parishes ), the proceeds from the June and July lunches will be added to our share of this coming Sunday ’ s proceeds and Lynda will deposit this amount into the account which Mark has given me , for Phil .
In the summer months , we may hold sausage sizzles / barbecues to raise funds for this cause .
We hope that farming families and communities will be able to benefit , even if only just a little , from our donations .
- Robyn Swadling-Rope Pastoral Care Convener
14 / 8 / 18
Image from the blogspot https :// ruralchaplains . blogspot . com /
St Margaret ’ s News 6 August 2018