Give Us This Day Our Daily Donation

The Church of England is up to interesting things lately. I just reported on the surprising wedding-baptism combos the Church has started offering to unmarried people with children.

According to Philanthropy UK , they're now further stirring up the waters of what it means to be the faithful in the UK by encouraging members to donate 10 percent of their yearly net income to charity. Five percent of that amount is to be directed to the Church.

This new practice of encouraging members to generosity is official policy, decided by the Church's National Stewardship Committee in July. The General Synod, the Church's governing body, published the policy in a report called Giving for Life.

Church members currently give an average of 3.2 percent of their income, an amount that totals in excess of £600 million every year and funds more than 50 percent of the Church's costs. If 5 percent of their income were directed to the Church, these donations would total an estimated extra £300 million to support Church operations. In an era when participation is rapidly declining, this would mean a remarkable invigoration of the faith.

And then of course there's the other 5 percent that each member would be giving to other good causes, which would add up to millions for organizations that sorely need the help.

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