Doesn’t the government pay?
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
Cathedral Newsletter – 11 December 2025
Friends in Christ, years ago when I was a Student Minister, an older lady joined our church, having never attended before. When the offertory plate was passed around, she asked what it was for. We explained that the money donated paid the Minister’s stipend, kept the electricity on and the building maintained, and bought resources such as Scripture and Sunday School manuals. She asked, “Doesn't the Government pay for it?” When we said “No”, she asked, “But doesn’t the Minister have another job?” And we explained it was his full time job, and it took a lot of time to prepare sermons and services, to take weddings and funerals, to care for people, and to organise ministries and volunteers.
Last Sunday I was reminded that not all attenders at the Cathedral realise how much it costs for our regular activities (e.g., breakfast costs for the Community Chaplaincy, or something as simple as bathroom supplies) the employment of our ministry, admin and caretaing staff, organists, and some choral musicians, and also our Cathedral conservation and maintenance. These are all largely dependent on your free-will offerings and gifts to the Cathedral.
We receive a modest amount of income from bequests, and the Synod gives us a grant to assist with our city- and diocese-wide ministry functions. Very occasionally we are successful in obtaining a government grant. For example, when the eastern sides of the Chapter House stonework were repaired this year, we obtained a grant of about $130,000 towards the total cost, which exceeded $800,000. The rest we paid out of our own saved funds.
Now we are just in the process of signing a contract for ls essential repairs, maintenance and updates to our Cathedral organ, which will be several more hundred thousands.
By the way, the Cathedral’s audited finances are tabled every year at the AGM, and are scrutinised every month at the meeting of our governing body, the Chapter.
Maybe you’ve never realised this before, or tend to take it for granted that the Cathedral is always open when you expect. But how much ministry and care of the facilities we can do depends on how much income we received.
That’s why the offertory boxes (or bags) and tap&go credit card stations are at the doors when you arrive and leave. That’s why I include the cathedral bank account and PayPal details at the bottom of every one of these emails.
In the New Testament, when he sent out his disciples on missions of teaching and service, Jesus states a general principle that “workers deserve their wages”. So his disciples can expect to eat from those who receive their ministry (see Luke 10:7).
Paul writes: “the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel” (2 Corinthians 9:14). Elsewhere he adds that we work to share with those in need (Ephesians 4:28). And the standard for figuring all this out is generosity, not rules or demands. “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 6:7).
For Karyn and myself, we simply add up all our sources of income, pre-tax, even down to the small amount of interest our savings earns, and then decide to give a percentage away to church ministry here and to Christian charity and missions (like CMS, Moore College, Anglicare and Anglican Aid, etc.) That percentage has been in excess of ten percent for many years.
However you are all in different circumstances. All I ask is that you consider the information above, and act in response to how God has worked in your life. You can also read more on our website.
Warmly in Christ,
Sandy Grant
Dean of Sydney