Giving
Members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church are encouraged to return a faithful tithe (10% of their income) and to give regular offerings. The collection of offering and tithes takes place during the Family Worship Service. Our choice to give represents our acknowledgement that everything we have is a blessing from God. It is also representative of our thankfulness to Him.
“Give to Caesar what belongs to him and give God what is His.“ (Matthew 22:21)
Giving our offerings is our expression of gratitude to God for the things He has provided for us. It is a response of love and commitment to the work of God.
The Purpose and Use of the Offerings and Tithe
In gratitude to God, we worship Him through our talents, time and wealth, acknowledging Him as owner. (Romans 12:1; 1 Chronicles 16:29)
We give our tithe because we are in a relationship with Jesus Christ. The tithe represents 10% of our income. It is holy, belonging to God. It is returned to Him through the church (Malachi 3:6-18). Tithes support those in ministry for Christ in our region (1 Corinthians 9:13, 14) and the worldwide mission of the church. (Matthew 24:13, 28:19 and Revelation 14:6)
We give offerings because they are love gifts in addition to tithes, expressing our gratitude for what Christ has provided. Tithes are set by God but offerings are set by the believer. These gifts support a specific department or ministry within our church, and world mission projects.
Gift Aid
Members who are tax payers are encouraged to participate int he Gift Aid programme in order to maixmise the monies given to the Church. For every £1 given by participating members, the government of the United Kingdom returns to the Church £0.25. If you pay tax at the higher rate you can claim further tax relief in your Self-Assessment tax return.
If you are unsure whether your donations qualify for Gift Aid tax relief, we will be pleased to offer guidance or you may ask your tax office for the leaflet IR113 Gift Aid. If you would like to obtain a Gift Aid form or discuss joining the Gift Aid programme contact our Stewardship Department.
Adventist Disaster & Relief Agency (ADRA) UK
The Adventist Disaster and Relief Agency (ADRA) is a humanitarian organisation. Through its financial, material and technical resources ADRA supports, rehabilitates and enhances the quality of life and well-being of communities and citizens in developing countries. Primarily, ADRA works to create lasting solutions, empowering people to make the best use of resources to reach their potential.
ADRA believes in a world without poverty. And they’re working in over 120 countries around the world to achieve just that. By giving poor people the resources, skills and opportunities they need to meet their basic needs, they can transform their lives.
Visit www.croydonadventist.org/adra for information on how Croydon SDA does its part to raise funds for ADRA UK.
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