THURROCK CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP SPACIOUS PLACE CAFE
To donate or give to Thurrock Christian Fellowship or to the Spacious Place Community Engagement Cafe - simply click on the relevant PayPal button above.
We believe that we should put God first in our lives and that includes giving generously to Him through the local Church.
Giving is an act of worship that expresses our gratitude, faith and love for God. Your offerings provide for the ministry of TCF and the expansion of the kingdom of God in and around the borough of Thurrock as well as in many countries around the world.
We honour your gifts with faithful stewardship, ethical business practices and with full accountability.
AN INSIGHT
As Christians we have a tremendous opportunity to proclaim the gospel and give evidence of God's grace working in us by giving generously.
God also gives us the opportunity to proclaim to the world and our community His sufficiency and provision, and also our generous giving. It:-
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Invigorates our devotion to Christ.
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Frees us from tyranny of consumerism
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Provides an outlet for compassion
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Provides an opportunity to teach our families that money is a servant and not a master.
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Releases the local Church to do its place of mission and ministry in the world.
WHY GIVE ?
The simple answer to this question is "because you want to " Giving - like all Godly obedience, is not a matter of begrudging submission, but rather the desire of a changed heart in response to God's grace. As 2 Corinthians 9:7 says "God loves a cheerful giver"
Sometimes, as those still influenced by the sinful desires of the world, giving is not cheerful. In such cases we are still exhorted to give, whilst also seeking God for forgiveness of any selfishness, greed or covetous attitudes still lingering in our hearts. We should meditate often on His provision, especially on the overwhelming generous gift of His son Jesus Christ, who was so freely given for us. Failure to do this may lead us to forget how insignificant our gifts are in relation to all He has given !
We are also encouraged to remember that all things belong to God, and that we are simply stewards of that which rightfully belongs to Him. Failure to joyfully give is a failure to recognise His ownership. Therefore the release of our financial resources is an expression of our understanding of God and our relationship to Him.
WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN GIVE -
The scriptures encourage us to give in a number of ways:-
Tithes (Regular Giving):
These are the consistent and regular financial gifts from the believer to the church. (Originally these were set out in the Old Testament where they included giving of 10% - 'The Tithe' - of every harvest to the Lord). However, our freedom in Christ under the New Covenant no longer demands 10%, but instead emphasises Generous Giving, which in the days for the First Century Church would generally have exceeded 10% and would sometimes even be sacrificial. A wise summary of the whole of scripture leads us to conclude that 10% is a great target for some to aim at, and for others it is a suitable 'baseline' from which to increase our giving. No-one should be made to feel guilty for not reaching 10% and no-one who has already reached it should be complacent! Biblically, our giving should be: anonymous, voluntary, faith-driven, done cheerfully, sometimes sacrificial, planned, and following the example of Christ. Consider 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; and 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9.
Offerings:
These are financial gifts given over and above the regular giving. They can be consistent or spontaneous, in response to a specific need that arises. The purpose here is a worshipful recognition of God's goodness and a desire to bless others. Listen to the Holy Spirit and ask Him how much to give, and to whom!
Sacrificial:
A sacrifice is what it says - a desire to give something up for the sake of others. In 2 Corinthians 8:3 Paul writes to the Macedonian Churches who gave "...beyond their ability. Entirely on their own ... pleading for the privilege of sharing in the service".
God's Promise to Us:
2 Corinthians 9:11 NIV. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
WHO DO WE GIVE TO ?
In some senses we are to give to anyone in need. At the same time we must recognise the role God gives the local Church. A considered approach to giving should always set aside 'tithes and offerings' to TCF in light of its responsibility to support its leaders, share with widows and the poor, and also ensure equal support for the work of Mission.
We believe that all who are part of TCF should begin by giving tithes and offerings to the local Church, and in this case the central finances of TCF, as an important regular spiritual discipline. This is our "first fruits" offering.
Through the mission of the Church there may be many opportunities that arise where we can give beyond our tithes and offerings as we learn to share our possessions together and as God leads us to bless and minister to people in our community.
In addition we urge people to have a lifestyle defined by generosity and sacrifice. This question is never "How much should I give ?" but rather "How much can I give" Our desire should be to give generously to family, friends, neighbours and strangers in addition to - not instead of - our local Church.
WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS FOR GIVING IN TCF ?
There are a number of ways you can give to TCF:
Regular Standing Order:
This is by far the simplest way of giving and proves very helpful for us as it provides a fixed minimum income every month. This can easily set up online with your bank, or you can contact us for a Standing Order Form.
Our bank details are:
Thurrock Christian Fellowship
Lloyds Bank Corringham
Sort Code: 30 - 18 - 34
Account Number: 00164657
At Any Sunday Gathering:
There is an opportunity to give at any of our Sunday Gatherings. We call them "First Fruit" offerings and there is an opportunity to give our normal tithes and offerings and well as to the work of Thurrock Foodbank, Spacious Place Community Engagement Cafe, our Compassion Fund which helps the poor aqnd needy in our community.
Here you can give by cash or cheque (made payable to TCF).
On Line - via PayPal:
Simply click on relevant button on top of page
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