The Use of FWO Envelopes Come to an End

FWO envelopes have been a very common sight on Sundays at church, almost the tangible trade mark of Sunday worship. However because of the circumstances and the days we live in their days have been numbered.

If you currently donate to the church using the Freewill Offering envelopes, then this article affects you.  We have taken the decision not to renew our purchase of the envelopes for a number of reasons; 

  • firstly, they are expensive (who’d have thought buying a stack of wee pre-printed envelopes would cost nearly £100!!);
  • secondly, in this time of covid, when church attendance is restricted, and handling cash can spread the virus, for the sake of everyone’s safety we really want to encourage as many of our church family as possible to set up standing orders to the church to minimise the use of cash;
  • thirdly, it used to be that the envelopes helped with claiming gift aid, but we are now able to claim gift aid automatically on up to £8,000 of cash donations without any donor details, so we can still claim the gift aid without the envelopes.

So, if you need any help with making standing order payments to the church, please do just ask – it’s very simple and either Sarah Robertson or I can support in any way you need (contact the church office and they will put you in touch with us).  If, however, you do not wish to use standing orders but to continue to donate using cheques or cash, please just continue to put your cash in the offering bags as they are passed around.  There is even a stock of leftover envelopes at the back of the church for anyone who would prefer to put their cash into one before putting in the bag.

Thank you to all of you for your faithful financial support of our church.

[from Alison Franks, Finance Convener]

Contact the Finance Committee at finance@comelybankchurch.com

(updated on 14 April 2021)