giving

Volunteering

Each week, many people at St Thomas' give of their time and talent to serve. Many areas are unseen, but each area is significant to how we minister effectively. Our ministries here at St Thomas' and in the local community, help change people's lives because people invest their time and energy to help and serve others. Will you join us?

You might be interested in visiting people who are in hospital or just need to have a cuppa while they're convalescing, or just want to have some company. There are many ways to show fellowship and service and it's a great way to get to know other members of the Parish.

Please call Fr Tom Sullivan if you are interested in finding about some of the areas in which we need volunteers. You can also contact the Rector to let him know the areas you may feel you can contribute. We can put your name on our Volunteers' Roster.

Some of the areas where we have volunteers are:

• Morning tea preparation after 8.30am Sunday service
• Gardening
• Welcoming
• Bible readings at services
• General maintenance
• Working bees
• Events
• Opening the church for Quiet Time during the week
• Office administration

Thank you again for your support.

Stewardship

The meaning of stewardship has been debated for quite some time with definitions surrounding time spent focusing on the Lord, building relationships with others and using the gifts God has given. The meaning of Christian stewardship has focused many times on tithing, but this is not the priority definition when discussing the subject. The priorities involved are how time is spent, how relationships are retained, and then how money is spent. There are a lot of things that have to do with this responsibility that many people have never been aware of. Most agree that a good idea is to spend time studying ways to become a responsible Christian. The Lord gives a few thoughts on the subject in the Bible, but those who were good stewards, were incredibly blessed. The meaning involves how the precious gifts that God has given to all are used and cared for. The good steward is someone who is doing the best he can with the things that God has given him. The reality shows up in how a person reacts in situations and how much they are willing to sacrifice to retain their responsibility.

Wasteful actions are contradictory to being responsible with what has been given. Rather than doing things that are glorifying to the Lord, a wasteful person does things that are glorifying themselves. The Lord calls all to be good stewards in everything that is done. This is why it is so important to honour God with time, relationships, and money.

The true definition of stewardship is a person using every talent and repeatedly sacrificing desires to do the right thing. The meaning of Christian stewardship has been completely confused over the years. People must understand that Christians are called to be good stewards all the time, not just on Sunday morning. The meaning of stewardship, when it comes to relationships, means that a Christian is not taking another for granted and instead is giving 100% to the relationship. It shows the utilization of everything that the Lord has for each member in that relationship. When it comes to money, using it and spending it wisely, in a way that would honour the Lord is the best course of action to become a responsible Christian.

Bequests

Leaving a bequest to your Church is a very private matter. What you do with your estate is in your hands. This short passage being a simple explanation of what a bequest is and explains how a bequest would be used in this Parish.

Over the years in this and in other Parishes, challenges of maintenance and growth arise constantly.

In addition, there are about two dozen other tasks that can be pursued for the maintenance and growth of our Parish. These projects add up to several hundreds of thousands of dollars. We do what we can as good stewards. In the past, many developments have flourished here, such as the roof restoration and much more. A bequest left to a Parish can often be used to undertake such tasks as these, or at least help get things moving.

After death, naturally enough, financial support for the Church stops. A bequest is one way of ensuring that, for a time, a contribution is made that helps your Parish. The policy at St Thomas' is to ensure that a bequest is used in such a way that the person(s) who left the bequest is remembered.

A bequest in a will ensures that your wishes are followed and your support of your Parish is remembered in a tangible and useful way.

A bequest, once received by the Church is administered by the Wardens and the Minister. The family is always consulted carefully and given a range of options that the Church needs, so that agreement is reached and goodwill is fostered. The Wardens and the priest then talk with Parish Council, so that everything is out in the open and done for the best interests of the Parish and the family concerned.

To avoid having funds tied up by complicated wording in a will, the following wording is provided by the Diocese, and is as follows:

I give and bequeath the sum of $....(or the rest and residue of my estate) to The Corporation of the Synod of the Diocese of Brisbane for the general charitable and religious purposes of the Parish St Thomas' Toowong, and the receipt of the Diocesan Registrar shall be a sufficient discharge to my executor or trustee.

It is important that you obtain legal advice about making your will.

The Diocese sends the funds from the bequest to the Parish and a project is selected and completed for the future generations of the Parish and community to use and enjoy. Each year, there are several pages in the Diocesan Annual Reports to Synod listing the dozens of bequests left to Parishes in wills from that year. It is a common practice that may appeal to some Parishioners.

If you would like to discuss a bequest, or just want more information please contact Rev'd Tom Sullivan.

Donations

These are our bank account details for Donations.

Account: Toowong Anglican Parish Overdraft Account

BSB: 034 844

Account No: 000 047 107

Thank you.

ParishDirect
Now you can show ongoing commitment to your Anglican Church community, in a way that's convenient for you and your family. ParishDirect allows you to make regular contributions to your Anglican Church community through a convenient and secure electronic funds transfer (EFT) system. When you choose ParishDirect you can relax knowing you're making it easier for your Church to plan for the future needs of the community.

• Weekly, fortnightly or monthly Donationss
• Payroll deductions timed to correspond with your pa cycle
• Complimentary gifting certificates to place in your weekly offering plate
• No fees or charges*

For more information please contact AnFin.

Partnership Plan
Now you can personally help an Anglican parish, school or community project through an ANFIN Partnership Plan. Choose to receive no income on your deposit in an Easy Access Account and we'll credit the interest you have earned to your nominated Anglican agency. You retain your capital, while others benefit from your interest.

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• Full exemption from pension deeming rules
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