Our fifth annual Generosity Week coincides with the start of a year of focus on how we as a diocese are collectively oriented by the value of sharing. Over the next 12 months we'll be exploring together how we share both our responsibilities and our unique gifts, not least the greatest gift of all - the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Generosity Week 2025 gives us some fresh new ideas and opportunities to kickstart this season, so the Generous Giving Team invites and encourages everyone to participate in something that suits their context and church calendar. Whilst some events are fixed in date, other resources can be used at any time of year.
Recognised Lay Leaders Generosity Reflection Day
We warmly welcome Authorised Lay Ministers and Readers to join us for a day to reflect on and deepen our response to God’s generosity to us all. This will take place on the Saturday of Generosity Week.
- 📅Saturday 4th October
- ⌚10am-4pm
- 📍St Mary's Church, Ponteland, NE20 9UH
Cornerstone Workshop
In partnership with the Church of England’s National Giving Team, we offer a free new online learning tool called Cornerstone. The Cornerstone platform individually guides churches to understand and improve their finances, their giving practice and their culture of generosity. This is done through bespoke parish data insights which are accompanied by clear actions for development. Cornerstone also gives access to a free live database of 600 grants, carefully selected by and for the Church of England.
The latest phase of our rollout is available to PCC and clergy members in September. Onboarding preparations will conclude with a two hour workshop just before the official start of Generosity Week, allowing parishes to begin the season feeling prepared and informed.
- 📅Tuesday 23rd September
- ⌚10.30am-1pm
- 📍Church House, St John’s Terrace, North Shields, NE29 6HS
Find out more and book into Cornerstone Workshop
On Site Support from Benefact Trust
Additionally on this date, Andrew Bass, Senior Grants Officer (North of England) for Benefact Trust will be joining us for an open afternoon at Church House from 1-3pm. Anyone who would like to learn more about grants available through Benefact Trust and the application process, is very welcome to come along. No booking required.
Worship Material
- The Generous Giving Team have prepared a pre-recorded sermon and downloadable sermon starter based on the lectionary reading for the opening Sunday of Generosity Week (1 Timothy 6: 6-19).
- A Eucharist to Celebrate Generosity and a Service of the Word to Celebrate Generosity are also available to download;
- The Church of England online Generosity Week service this year comes from our very own Morpeth Parish. Rector Simon White says, 'God has given us the gift of life through faith, and so we share that gift with others.' To find out more about Morpeth Parish and how generosity works out in its churches, watch the service live or on catch up.
Watch Morpeth Parish online service for Generosity Week (Sun 28th Sep at 9am)
Shared Ministry Costs Explainer
At this time of year, parishes spend time thinking about their Parish Share offer for the year ahead. It’s the responsibility of us all to work together to share this cost in order to grow the God's Kingdom in our Diocese. The concept of shared ministry costs is not new - it’s a principle that goes right back to the very early Christians (Acts 2: 44-45 and Acts 4:32-35) - nevertheless, the mechanism of Parish Share isn’t always fully understood. With this in mind, we have created a short explainer animation. We hope this will help parishes to communicate the importance of Parish Share contributions and show that without them we would be unable to pay for our clergy or provide the additional support needed to sustain our mission and ministry.
****insert new Parish Share animation***
Download accompanying explainer booklet
Additional Resources for Generosity Week from the Church of England
Celebrating Generosity Week in the Wider Community
Activities for Children and Young People
Sign up to Pre-Generosity Week Newsletters (4 issues)
