Ecclesiastical Fund
and manses within the Synod's region. Priority will be given to the upgrading or expansion of buildings which are well used, have a thriving community mission focus, and have been identified as strategic assets and the upgrade of manses to ensure a reasonable standard of accommodation for the minister.Routine maintenance and repairs are no longer considered a Synod funding priority.
Ecclesiastical Funding Application
Download and print the application form:EcclesiasticalFundApplicationform2012.pdf
Eccelesiastical Fund 2011 Annual Report
In spite of the fact that the essential roles of the Synod’s Ecclesiastical Fund Committee are to assist parishes to acquire, repair and maintain churches, church buildings and manses it has a missionary heart; above all it has an eye to the cost effectiveness of furthering God’s work in our region. Rest assured that the committee takes its work very seriously, always conscious that we are handling precious resources in difficult days.
This year we met on Thursday the 3rd of February. After a short Bible reading and prayer we set about our work. Each project was looked at carefully and after informed comment from presbytery represent
atives there was careful discussion before the committee made the allocations as set out in the schedule. This year we funded 73% of the applications we received to an average level of 43% of the amount requested. The very large church extension in the Upper Clutha received a second year of funding. I thought it might be helpful to look at these allocations and compare them with those made over the past seven years. Over this time the Ecclesiastical Fund Committee has received 130 applications for grants, 95 (73%) of which have been funded to an average level of 37% of the amount applied for. Over this time period we have given 12 grants of $100,000 or more. Although we did not allocate more than $150,000 for any project in a single year we did extend funding for another year for 3 very large church extensions that we thought had real missionary potential.
What might we learn from these data that might help your project to get Synod funding? First and foremost it must be a project that furthers the work of God’s Kingdom and if it does it is likely to be successful. Secondly, for very b
ig projects of $100,000 or more, it is quite acceptable for you to apply for more funding in the subsequent year if that becomes necessary. One negative point though; if you have significant church funds to complete your project it is unlikely to be successful.I would like to thank each committee member for their wisdom and good humour and Fergus Sime, Executive Officer, for his help.
Graham Hill
Convener
