Dear friend,

  Ever thought about our church closing down? That's right, St Laud's Church in the village. Perhaps you don't go there, or have never been inside even but think about this: if it closed down your daughter or granddaughter couldn't get married there and your children or grandchildren couldn't be baptised there either. The church building would no longer be maintained and would fall into disrepair; the new facilities (grant funded) would no longer be available. This is not alarmist, it's a real possibility. Put simply our outgoings have exceeded our income and, whereas in the past we have been able to make up the shortfall by drawing on our reserves, we are now at the point where these are exhausted.

  Our congregation is getting quite small and can no longer pay our entire share of ministry costs or insurance and heating costs. The daily cost of running a church like ours is at least £65; insurance costs around £3000.00 a year and heating costs are about the same. Our contribution towards ministry costs, including Mandy's stipend, is about £19000. As for the church building itself a building of this size and age means maintenance costs can run into tens of thousands.

  We get no outside help towards these costs from the Church of England or the Government; we have to find all the money ourselves. In the past a good deal of this has come from fund raising but there are too few of us now to mobilise or promote the kind of fund raising campaigns that are needed. For example, this year we have had to abandon the annual bazaar

  We feel that it is our duty to tell everyone in the village about our financial position. That the future for St Laud's is at risk - as a place of worship, as one of the centres of communal activity in the village and as a fully operational and maintained building.

  To put it in a nutshell we need help. Could you make a regular donation, preferably gift,- aided? Could you sponsor a part of the maintenance costs - insurance, heating and lighting? Or would you be able to organise a fund-raising event in aid of the church? A safari supper, a silent auction, a bridge or cheese and wine evening or some other event?

  There are many other good causes out there and times are hard we know but before you throw this note away think what the village would be like without the church. Perhaps its loss would not be felt so immediately as the closing of the post office and shop has been but its closure would, nevertheless, create a huge void in our village's life and diversity.

  St. Laud's District Church Council

  Contacts:-

  Rev. Mandy Marriott The Rectory, School Lane 01908 610521
  Emlyn Williams 19 Filgrave 01234 712343
  David Hyde 32 Carters Close 01908 616404
  Mark Vale Knoll Cottage, The Knoll 01908 216543
  Ella Field 4 Park Road 01908 610560
  John Osgood 18 Water Lane 01908 610762

  Cheques should be payable to : Sherington PCC