The Psalms and Hymns Support Fund - 100 years of help 

April marks the centenary of the founding of a small Baptist charity that has been able to offer support in later years to those who have lived sacrificially in serving the Lord and his people and mission. By Ian Millgate

The Psalms and Hymns Trust was involved in publishing Baptist hymn books for over a century, but it was on 17 April 1925 that the charity known as the Psalms and Hymns Support Fund (PHSF) was established. Its aim was to use the income generated from the sale of the books to benefit people needing help. Originally aimed at widows and orphans of ministers and missionaries, its remit has now been expanded to cover also retired ministers and missionaries themselves, as well as bereaved family members.

In our digital age there are no longer any denominational hymn books being printed, but careful looking after of resources means that the assets still enable the Fund to give support to those entitled to benefit.

There are three main ways in which support is offered:

• Through bereavement grants to those widows and widowers whose spouse has died, unless covered by the grant made by the Baptist Union's Ministries Team – and in all cases a further grant is sent by the PHSF around the first anniversary.
• Through annual grants made to assist those on particularly low income meet their living costs – for example where pension provision has turned out to be inadequate or in the case of widows and widowers bereaved young, where the state pension is not yet available.
• One-off grants to help those with limited resources meet exceptional and usually unexpected expenditure.

The current trustees are pleased that the stewardship of earlier generations enables them to continue to give what is often a lifeline to those who have served the Lord and the denomination sacrificially, and invite our Baptist family in this centenary year to join in giving glory to God for this opportunity to serve his servants at their time of need.

If as you read this you think the Fund could help you, or someone you know, there’s more information including links to the application form on the PHSF page of the Baptists Together website.

Ian Millgate, a retired minister and former member of the Ministries Team staff, currently serves as Chair of the PHSF Trustees