Our pattern, since April when we introduced this suggestion, has been to pray
specifically each month for two of our twenty plus Gift Day beneficiaries, highlighting
the work of one from the UK and an International one. Even though there may be
requests for prayer from our beneficiaries on other occasions, which will get prayed
for when we receive them, this has been designed to ensure that the church as a
whole prays for each of them at least once during a twelve month cycle. Indeed, it is
one of the main reasons, why, two years ago, the PCC decided to slightly reduce the
larger number of charities we had previously been supporting.

However, with Rev Paul Thaxter until recently Director for International Mission at
CMS coming to preach this Sunday and with our whole focus in September building
up to its climax three Sundays later, it seemed better this month to be praying for
God’s blessing on the overall outcome of Gift Day, rather than for any individual
beneficiary.

Some charities have survived the worldwide pandemic better than they dared to
hope, perhaps because of the furlough scheme or because the impact of lockdown
meant that they were able to spell out their appeal causes with greater clarity.
However, the overall picture is very inconsistent with many smaller charities having
suffered hugely. This may have been caused by a big reduction in donation income or
an inability perhaps to hold their normal fundraising events or perhaps this year
because of the gradual ending of furlough. In reducing the numbers of beneficiaries,
we have been careful to retain these smaller ones. Last year, with Gift Aid, we were
able to give away more than £63,000 and in response, we received many heart-warming
expressions of thanks.

Please therefore, in this coming month, prayerfully consider your own Gift Day
donation, as many of you so very generously did in 2020. If you want to know where
your money will go and to pray for each beneficiary, then please go to our Gift Day
web pages. Details of the charities, 12 International ones and 13 based in the UK, can
be found in our online leaflet Who Your Gift Will Be Helping.