Ervie-Kirkcolm Church“Each one of you, as a good steward of God’s different gifts, must use for the good of others the special gift received from God.”
1 Peter 4:10
Finances
“Christian stewardship recognises that everything we have comes from and belongs to God. It is our duty to be caretakers for all that God has given to us.”
What does it cost to keep the church open?
The cost of supporting a Minister is shared between Leswalt and Kirkcolm churches, and subsidised by the Church of Scotland.
The church building is a listed building, Category B, and takes a lot of upkeep! We are approaching the time when the roof is going to need serious repair.
Where does the money come from?
The cost of keeping the church open is met entirely from the efforts of the congregation, through fundraising events and personal giving. Major Fabric projects involve seeking grants from external funding bodies and the wider Church of Scotland.
Giving Back to the Community
Ervie-Kirkcolm Church holds in trust various bequests that were made to the church for the benefit of the residents of Ervie and Kirkcolm Parishes.
All have certain conditions attached for their purpose:
- The Hamilton Bequest Fund
- The Carrick-Moore Bequest Fund
- The McGill Bequest Fund
Revenue from the above funds can be used at the Minister or Kirk Session’s discretion for the people of the Parish.
- The Shuttleworth Fund
- The Lochart Fund
Revenue from these two funds is for graveyard and gravestone maintenance. As the graveyard is the property of Dumfries and Galloway Council, who bear the responsibility for its upkeep, the scope of these funds has been broaden to include help with costs towards a new headstone for those unable to otherwise to afford one.
Bearing no inscription, no-one knows whether these figures are a grave marker, a memorial, or a possibly just a statue representing a Victorian-style personification of the Christian Virtue “Charity”.
If you have any information that would help us solve this mystery, please get in touch!
To ask for more information on these bequests, what we are able to (and unable to) fund, and how to apply, please use the form below or contact [email protected].
If you would like a copy of our annual accounts summary or have any other finance related questions, you can use this form to send a message to our Treasurer or email [email protected].