Thank You By Numbers

St Marys Church Billingsley Interior

A Letter to God

Dear God,

We’ve done it! Our challenge to raise £55,000 for essential restoration work has been completed in just a couple of years and we are all here together this evening to celebrate completion of the work and re-dedication of the bells by Bishop Alistair. I bet you’re wondering how we did it, so let me tell you…

£42,275 came from grants and donations from organisations. Thank you Lord for these significant contributions and the generosity of those concerned which gave our appeal a massive boost.

10,000 is the number of feet skydived by daredevil Billingsley resident Amanda Prescott. Thank you for giving us such crazy parishioners who really will go that extra mile to support us.

3705 is the amount in pounds raised from individual donations to our appeal. The individual names are too many to mention, but you know who they are and I ask that you bless each and every one of them tonight for their kindness.

1500 is the amount of eggs laid by Rebecca’s hens. Thank you for their dedication to duty, their amazing laying capabilities and for the fact that we all like eggs!

£726 was received as a result of Gift Aid and £296 was received through re-claimed VAT. Thank you for the support of HMRC in continuing to maintain these schemes for the benefit of charities and appeals such as ours, even in the face of national financial difficulties.
115 packets of seeds have been sold to boost our appeal. Thank you for our green-fingered supporters and we hope that they grow beautiful flowers and delicious crops from their purchases.

106 is the distance in miles walked collectively by our Bridgnorth Walk team. Thank you Lord for our sponsors, for the support of my fellow team members Hayden, Liam, Francis and Ed and for giving us the strength to finish despite the torrential conditions, having blisters on top of blisters and very sore legs!

For our more sedate supporters, 34 second hand books were sold to raise funds. Thank you to Cairen Stedman for organising this, to The Cape of Good Hope Pub for housing the books, and for all those avid book-worms out there!

Ever conscious of the beautiful planet you have given us Lord, 9 kilograms of jewellery have been recycled for our appeal which would have otherwise ended up in landfill. Thank you for this eco-friendly and innovative scheme and for all of those who gave so generously.

5 is the number of Parochial Church Council Officers. Thank you for giving us the confidence to take on this massive project and for the dedication and team working ethos of the entire PCC. A particular thanks to my fellow church warden Rebecca Hadley without whom this project would not have got off the ground! She has become an expert in grant applications, project management and faculties and has worked tirelessly to secure the much needed funds and organise the work. Please give her an extra special blessing tonight.

The 4 Parishes Heritage Group have become our good friends and supporters throughout this campaign. Thank you for their knowledge, wisdom and guidance without which our work would have been so much more difficult.

3 is the number of varieties of seedling plants sold during a recent church service. As my Nan used to say to me Lord, “take care of the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves”. Thank you for everyone who contributed to this small, yet still important fundraising project.

2 is the number of Quizzes which have been held to further boost funds. Thank you for everyone who was involved in organising and attending these events, to Revd Clive Williams for compiling some very challenging questions and to his wife Sue who checked my adding up of the score sheets as the evenings progressed and my alcohol consumption increased!

And then we get to the number 1 which is you Lord. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to come together on such as massive project and for the love which has shone throughout from everyone who has been involved. It really has been a team effort with you at the helm and we are all here tonight to celebrate our efforts and success. If I can just ask one thing of you Lord as I end this letter…… can we all rest for a while now?