THE ESSEX CLERGY CHARITY
| Clergy give a great deal
- but sometimes they are the ones who need to be
on the receiving end. It can be so hard to cope with
personal difficulties when you live and work at the heart
of the community. The Vicarage doorbell continues to ring
even when the clergy have problems of their own. Family
and friends may be a long way off, since ordained
ministers find themselves moving through a variety of
parishes during the course of their working life. Fortunately, help is at hand: the Essex
Clergy Charity offers an immediate response to the needs
of hard-pressed clergy and their dependants. Our reach is
very broad - the single as well as the married, the
non-stipendiary as well as the stipendiary, the inner
city as well as the rural clergy of this vast Diocese of
Chelmsford. Retired clergy and clergy widow(er)s
can also receive help, and substantial assistance is
given to the holiday grants fund administered by the
Archdeacons. Emergency and compassionate grants offer
help at times of sudden stress such as accident or
illness. Do you support this vital work, through
your parish or as an individual donor? Each year the size
of grants paid out is directly dependent upon the amount
of giving received. To those who give increasing support
to the Charity, our grateful thanks. To others, a
request: that your Parochial Church Council reviews its
response to the needs represented by the Essex Clergy
Charity, with a view to maximising donations from all
sources. The inauguration of a new ministry is
also a good opportunity to devote an offering to the
Charity. In the absence of any other pressing need the
Archdeacons commend that collections at inductions and
other services of welcome should be directed towards the
Essex Clergy Charity. In each Deanery the Charity hopes to
have two stewards, one ordained and one a member of the
laity. They will be pleased to receive donations and are
able to speak about our work. Equally any of our four
volunteer officers can always be called upon to answer
questions or provide a brief presentation during the
course of a service, a meeting, or a fund-raising event.
Maybe you could help to organise a coffee morning, quiz
night, wine & cheese or beer & skittles event? We
would be delighted to hear from you!. Remember - the Essex Clergy Charity is always close at hand. In cases of pressing financial need we have been known to respond within a matter of minutes, because we travel light and are not burdened by yards of red tape. Do help us to continue with what we have been quietly and effectively doing across the County of Essex for more than two hundred and fifty years. Our annual report explains all - copies are available on request from the Hon Sec to the Essex Clergy Charity Corporation:
The Revd Paul Haworth 18 Victoria Road South Woodham Ferrers CHELMSFORD CM3 5LR
Telephone 01245 322134 Or visit our website: www.pewend.org/eccc
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