1. take responsibility | be generous | have faith
2016 Seminars
Welcome,
Thank you for your interest in Parish Share.
This PowerPoint was produced for the Parish Share seminars delivered in September Further documentation, including leaflets about the approach to Parish Share and some Commonly Asked Questions can be found online at
An audio recording of the seminar lasting approximately 45 minutes is also available online to accompany this presentation.

2. Why was the approach reviewed?
Need to close the gap financially
Opportunity to reconnect with diocesan vision and values
Why was the approach reviewed?
In 2010 we moved from a ‘calculated bill’ based system to a pledge based system. This had laudable values but unsustainable results and Parish Share income has reduced over the past 5 years.

3. Parish Share vs parochial costs
Why was the approach reviewed (2)
- The gap between Parochial ministry costs and parish share income was increasing. This represents our primary costs and our primary source of income.
- Collectively we had a deficit budget, costs were not being met, the gap was getting bigger, and yet there were the resources within the diocese to meet those needs.
- We needed to address our need to invest in training for ministry for the future we need to be giving at a level that enables this. If we fail to train new clergy now we will be unable to resource ministry in the future.
- Collectively parishes have financial capacity. We have one of the lowest percentages of income in parish share of all dioceses. Collectively parishes are is surplus each year. The reality is that many parishes are choosing to spend more of their income locally and are giving less in Parish Share to meet their costs of ministry.
- Diocesan Synod, when presented with the 2016 Budget were concerned enough to request a revised budget, insist on recruitment freeze and request as interim measures and to review of the approach.

4. Why was the approach reviewed?
Growing gap between parochial costs and Parish Share
Invest in the future – shortage of clergy
Capacity in parish finances
Bring an end to deficit budgets
Why was the approach reviewed (3)
The approach was reviewed at the request of Diocesan synod to enable us to address a growing gap between parochial costs and Parish Share and to look with confidence to the future.

5. A flotilla
As a Diocese we are moving like a Flotilla, all moving together, in one direction under a common vision and understanding. However in recent years some of us have strayed or gone off course. Our new approach to Parish Share aims to draw the flotilla back together in recognition that we are stronger when we are supporting and connected to, one another.

6. Why was the approach reviewed?
Diocesan Synod
Dec 2015
May 2016
Launch
September 2016
Revised budget
Recruitment freeze
Get back on course
Why was the approach reviewed (4)
This review took place on a very tight timescale and as a result some of the tools and support that we would have liked to have in place in 2016 will not be available until The new approach will continue to be reviewed and adjusted so that is serves us all well. If you have any feedback or concerns then please do speak to us as your feedback is most welcome.

7. We each give all that we can, so that we can all receive what we need
We each give all that we can, so that we can all receive what we need (2 Corinthians 8 and 9)
Theologically grounded
Our approach to Parish Share is theologically rooted in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. Chapters 8 & 9 can be summarised as above. It is important that our approach is grounded in scripture and that our response is motivated by our faith.

8. Take responsibility Be generous Have faith 3 Principles
Our approach to Parish Share is based on 3 principles. These are further explained within the Parish Share leaflets and involves us all:
Taking responsibility; We give to fund the share of ministry and support we receive Being generous; We give to others across the Diocese because God is generous to us
and Having faith; We have faith that when we give God will provide all we need for His mission

9. How will the new approach operate?
The nature of Parish Share doesn’t change
Facilitate more informed decisions
Fair and challenging
Reasonable and realistic
Not perfect
How will the new approach operate (1)
The nature of Parish Share does not change – it is still the money that parishes give to DBF that is then spent on parochial ministry, support. This is the same across the CofE Nationally.
What is changing is the way we together consider what is the amount to give.
The old system – felt like a tax, but the previous system left many parishes asking us for additional guidance and a steer to help them understand what ‘generosity’ looks like so that the decisions taken could be better informed.
We are looking for a approach that was going to be fair and challenging, but also reasonable and realistic given parishes current situation and circumstances.
This is not a perfect system, but it is the start of a new approach and one we can improve upon.

10. The approach Minimum request, based on: Size (attendance)
Income (unrestricted, excluding one-offs)
Deprivation (IMD)
Current pledge
How will the new approach operate (2)
The approach takes into account a parishes size, income, deprivation and current pledge situation which results in 1 of 5 outcomes. Hopefully we have considered enough comparable factors without being too complex.
Size : Average weekly attendance as collected by Stats for Mission.
Unrestricted Income : One off’s, legacies, restricted income and net traded income are all considered.
Deprivation : Based on an IMD ranking produced by National church. It is a measure of levels of deprivation not a measure of affluence.
Current pledge level : Recognising where a parish is starting from.
This is all considered in light of the cost of ministry for a parish or group.
This all informs us as to what kind of parish you are in comparison to others.

11. Personalised per parish / group Characteristics
In light of:
Cost of ministry
Personalised per parish / group
Characteristics
Attempt to give you an idea of where you are in comparison with others
How will the new approach operate (3)
These indicators are then reviewed in light of a parishes cost of ministry. They are personalised for each parish or grouping and take into account the characteristics of that parish.
The approach is an attempt to give a parish and idea of where they are in comparison to others.

12. What does Parish Share pay for?
The diocese has a total budget of over £8m.
When this total budget is apportioned to each parish of grouping of parishes with a share of a full time minister, the total cost is £88,000.
What does Parish Share pay for?
Parish Share is not simply ‘spent by the Diocese’. A majority of it comes back to the parish to support local mission and ministry.
This graphic helps to explain how the Diocesan budget is spent.

13. Cost of ministry Clergy costs £47,500 Wider mission £6,500
Future ministers £14,000
Central and national support £20,000
TOTAL £88,000
Reduced by Diocesan income £22,100 (and specific grants for deprivation)
What does Parish Share pay for?
This slide breaks down the figures represented on the previous slide.
The £88,000 figure is based on dividing the total cost of ministry to the Diocese by the number of stipendiary clergy.
This figure is then reduced by a proportion of investment income, fee income and grants given to the Diocese specifically to support the funding of ministry in deprived parishes.

14. Logic and outcomes Some parishes: No increase (15%)
Inflationary (2%) increase (20%)
50% of income requested (38%)
Increase to ‘amount per member’ (18%)
65% of income requested (9%)
Logic and Outcomes
By evaluating all of this data our approach then makes a Parish Share request of each parish.
This request is one of the 5 possible outcomes listed above.
The figure in the ( %) represents what percentage of our parishes have received that request.

15. Minimum request Complex work There will be mistakes and issues
It is a request, not a bill
Easy to pick apart the numbers
…but that’s missing the point
The Minimum Request
This is very complex work and whilst we have tried very hard to check each request we know that there will be mistakes. Please feed this information back to us. This whole process needs to be rooted in dialogue and conversation.
It is easy to pick apart the numbers, but if we do we are missing the point and ignoring the principles. This is not a bill, so altering the figures will not necessarily change the outcome of the request. We must take responsibility, be generous and have faith. The Parish Share request aims to give parishes the information they need to be able to respond according to these principles.
This is a minimum request, many parishes will feel that they wish to respond above this level in order to support ministry in other parishes within the Diocese who cannot currently afford to meet their cost of Ministry.

16. Sept/Oct : PCC’s meet and prayerfully discuss their 2017 commitments
End of Oct : Please inform Matthew Hall of your commitment
Ongoing support
What next?
Parishes are asked to meet and prayerfully consider their response before informing Matthew Hall (Head of Finance) of their pledge.
Ongoing support will be made available throughout 2017 to enable Parishes to meet their commitments.

17. What challenges will this pose in your congregation?
What is positive about the new approach and documentation you have had so far?
What challenges will this pose in your congregation?
What questions has this raised for you?
Questions
Some questions to consider at the end of this presentation.

18. Thank you
Thank you
Thank you for taking the time to view this presentation. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.