On Sunday, 4th February we had our Parish In-Council meeting where we provided an overview of all aspects of Parish life, including our Parish Finances. Following this, we now wish to share :

a) Parish Finance Report for Year Ending 31st August 2023 (prior to our Planned Giving and Stewardship Campaign in September) (see pages 2 & 3)

b) Feedback on Planned Giving and Stewardship Campaign itself (see page 4)

You will recall that the focus of our Planned Giving and Stewardship Campaign was our Catechesis, with specific emphasis on the importance of having a full-time Parish Catechetical Coordinator, through which role we are seeing the benefits of having the capacity, outreach and support skills to meet that need. Parish Catechesis is the core of our Parish evangelisation and allows us to more efficiently engage with and work towards a more Synodal Church.

Thank you to all the Parishioners who got involved and supported the Parish Finance Committee over the 3 weekends. Your generosity of time and commitment was wonderful and very much appreciated! The Campaign received a great response from Parishioners and you all engaged so enthusiastically in learning about the Campaign and its consequences for the future life of the Parish. It was an extraordinary period and experience and the response was very encouraging. There have been a lot of positives which have come from the Campaign! Thank you all!

We would like to acknowledge the support and guidance provided by the Westminster Diocese Development Team, Assistant Director Helen Bright and her team, especially George Reynolds, Digital & Fundraising Manager who supported the Finance Committee in the build-up to the launch of the Campaign, during and after.

On my own behalf and that of the Parish, I want to thank all members of the Parish Finance Committee; Julie Pearce (Secretary), Liz McCorry, Stephen Balogh and Ibi Abasi (Parish Pastoral Council Chair), for their continued commitment and dedication in supporting the financial life of the Parish in 2023. It was particularly appreciated and valued for the incredible planning that they undertook to prepare for and implement the Planned Giving and Stewardship Campaign. I thank especially Betty Bonnardel-Azzarelli – Chairperson, who has stepped down from the Committee. The Parish is very grateful to her for sharing her time, advice, professional experience and expertise for over 14 years.

A Big welcome to Laura Forrest who has joined the committee (prompted by the Stewardship Campaign). We are still in need of more members and core skills in areas of engineering, construction as well as financial expertise. Do get in touch if you can help!

Thank you to all Parishioners who continue to support the Parish financially, those who have increased their donations, those who have started contributing through Standing Orders, Donation Portals and PayPal on the website https://ealingabbeyparish.uk/ – it is making a huge difference!

A special word of thanks and appreciation to Geraldine Nelson in the Ealing Abbey Trust Office who works extremely hard throughout the year as the administrator of the Parish Finances and for all her work on the Planned Giving and Stewardship Campaign forms. The Parish is very grateful for her attention to detail and diligence in all she does and thanks her very much.

I also thank Sharon Daly (Ealing Abbey Trust Lay Bursar & Parishioner), who prepares the Parish Accounts and manages the Parish Finances.

I hope you find this Parish Finance Report helpful and the feedback from the Planned Stewardship and Giving Campaign enlightening in terms of the status of our finances over the past year and the impact that the Campaign has had for the Parish.

God bless you all and wishing you every blessing as we begin our final couple of weeks in preparation for the great drama and mystery of Holy Week culminating in the Resurrection of Jesus.