1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

 THE VALUE OF FRIENDSHIP Encouraging life in community How to… Establish & Sustain a Friends Scheme 2013 Robin Brunner‐Ellis, Christian Giving and Funding Adviser Department of Mission, Diocesan Church House, Oxford 26 August 2014 The Value of Friendship
CONTENTS Introduction 1.
“The clue is in the name” The Value of Friendship A warm welcome A prayer for friendship 2.
What do we have to offer? Our parish context: a Christian presence in every parish Serving our communities Quiet place Sacred place Community anchor and social identity Rootedness 3.
What God is Calling Us to Be Living Faith for the Future Encouraging life in community 4.
Our Legal Context Legal changes relating to Friends Schemes 5.
Types of Scheme Advantages and disadvantages Option 1: Sub‐committee of PCC Option 2: Independent charity ‘Connected’ charities Option 3: Perpetual Fabric Fund Informal schemes 6.
Critical Path What a PCC needs to do before voting Questions for a Working Party SWOT analysis Decision‐making Option 1: Sub‐committee of PCC Option 2: Independent charity (a) Terms of Reference (b) Constitution Public benefit Naming your charity Examples of charitable objectives in existing Schemes Option 3: Perpetual Fabric Fund 7.
Potential Friends Recruiting members Programme of events Making the case for support 2 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme Reviewing progress Financing the Scheme 8.
Membership 9.
Services to Members Events for Friends and Guests Website Fundraising Exclusive benefits 10. Services by Members Involving Friends as promoters of your church’s heritage 11. Subscriptions Business packages 12. Finance, Giving & Gift Aid Accounting Setting up a bank account Giving online Claiming Gift Aid Using the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS) Insurance cover CASE HISTORIES C.1 Small and rural Ewelme, St Mary the Virgin, Oxon (2012) Padbury, St Mary the Virgin, Bucks (2007) Wytham, All Saints, Oxon (2009) Electoral Roll no. 142 31 19 C.2 Medium and rural Haddenham, St Mary, Bucks. (2011) 140 C.3 Market town Burford, St John the Baptist’s, Oxon (1946) 162 C.4 Town or city centre Bicester, St Edburg, Oxon (2011) Windsor, St John the Baptist, Berks. (2012) 180 117 C.5 Suburban Ascot Heath, All Saints, Berks. (2011) Chalfont St Peter, St Peter, Bucks. (2012) 276 284 APPENDICES I II III IV Option 1 Scheme (PCC sub‐committee): Terms of Reference Option 2 Scheme (Independent charity): Starting up a Charity Option 2 Scheme (Independent charity): Constitution Option 3 (Perpetual Fabric Fund): Draft Trust Deed FURTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES 3 The Value of Friendship
Introduction The key to a successful Friends Scheme is to find and motivate people who share a commitment to the local community in which your church is located. For almost two decades church communities seeking advice on establishing a Friends Scheme have turned to Susan Rennison’s excellent booklet, A Friends’ Scheme for a Parish Church. First published by Canterbury Diocese in 1994, the booklet has undergone four revisions, including the latest 2010 edition by Liz Mullins. In 2012 the Church of England provided an online version on its Parish Resources website. Encouraging life in community Whilst this Oxford Diocese booklet was inspired by the Rennison/Mullins Canterbury booklet and draws heavily on its form and content, its principal difference is that it seeks to draw attention to the mission opportunity that a Friends Scheme offers to strengthen and grow a sense of community across the residents of their parish. In addition, the new booklet reflects changes in charity law, culminating in the Charities Act 2011, which have altered the legal context within which Friends Schemes may exist regardless of whether such a Scheme is registered as a charity or not. Acknowledgements Principal thanks must go to Susan Rennison and Liz Mullins of Canterbury Diocese whose booklet has helped hundreds of churches across the Church of England. To Rebecca Evans of Truro Diocese for their Friends Scheme outline, Vision, Mission, Money: The value of Friendship; to Ruth Reavley, formerly of Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance and Deborah Whitfeld of the Friends of St Mary’s, Ewelme for the latest insights into establishing independent ‘Friends’ charities, and to Kathy Day‐Dawson for sharing her experience of the Wytham Friends Scheme. To Beryl Packer who generously shared her Cuddesdon School of Theology & Ministry Portfolio essay analysing a local Friends Scheme as missional engagement with the world around. Finally, to the many clergy and lay leaders in the churches of Oxford Diocese whose goodwill, discussion and practical feedback have enabled this new resource to be written. Robin Brunner‐Ellis, Christian Giving and Funding Adviser (June 2013) Living Faith in the Future In 2009 Bishop John initiated Living Faith – a new mission framework: I believe firmly that the future health of any diocese lies in the vitality and imagination of the local parish or arena of ministry. Energy resides at local level, and there is plenty of evidence in our diocese of prayerful planning of local mission. Just as with other forms of local mission, Friends Schemes can derive much inspiration and strength from the dynamic framework that Living Faith offers us. This vision provides a touchstone by which our churches may release local energy to build friendships and encourage life in community. I commend this endeavour, founded on the values we try to live by and the major directions we need to take if we are to be faithful to Jesus Christ in this our day. 4 +John Pritchard, Bishop of Oxford How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme 1. “The clue is in the name” The Value of Friendship The principal purpose of a Friends Scheme is to make friends and support friendship with those across your community and from further afield who might share an interest in your church. By developing and maintaining positive links with these friends you can hope to grow a support base in addition to your regular worshippers. The most important outcome of such a scheme is to encourage life in community. Your friends are those for whom your church building and churchyard have some meaning. A Friends Scheme is designed to provide activities and communications that sustain and develop that meaning for them. By developing a Friends programme you are providing opportunities to build social fellowship. If undertaken with the Kingdom values of community, fellowship and care this network of support will happily grow to support your PCC in its task of maintaining and developing your church building. This is particularly critical when local schools, shops and pubs are closing: there is a role for our churches to work in partnership with the Parish Council and other local groups to hold their community together. Many churches encourage life in small rural communities without the need to set up a Friends Scheme. Indeed, for churches in some of the smallest communities, a Friends Scheme would only duplicate the limited resources already focused on building community. Many PCCs are prompted to consider setting up a Friends Scheme when facing the cost of maintaining the fabric of their building or because congregational giving has not risen with the cost of living. However, this misses the great opportunity that Friends Schemes offer us as Christians to reach out to members of our wider communities and share with them what makes our churches very special places. A warm welcome A natural development as any family grows is for them to develop a circle of friends with whom the family members gain mutual support: Communities of warm, welcoming, caring people are deeply attractive. When that community is also non‐judgmental, very accepting and with a positive and joyful feel, then it becomes part of the Gospel message. When a church becomes a family then it becomes a church.1 A prayer for friendship God, you have blessed us with the gift of friendship. Help us to reach out and share your love with those around our community, especially the lonely, isolated and bereaved. May they feel valued and supported. Bless the relationships we develop across our community, that people may come to know you through the care and love they experience from our church community. We ask this through Jesus our Lord. Amen 1
Robin Gamble, small but GROWING: 12 Steps into Evangelism and Church Growth for smaller churches, 10. 5 The Value of Friendship
2. What do we have to offer? Our parish context: a Christian presence in every parish Our 818 churches collectively form the Diocese of Oxford – part of the ‘Established’ Church. This means that, in historical and ecclesiastical terms, our local churches have the “care for every soul in England, and demonstrates the latitude that this implies”.2 So as Anglicans we are called to serve all residents of our parish, whether they are Christians, those of other faiths or those of no faith. We know from anecdotal evidence that churches across our diocese and beyond are supported by many individuals and families who are not regular worshippers or who even share our faith. Serving our communities Our churches hold different meanings for different people across our communities – whether they are worshippers, supporters or potential supporters. Every two years the National Church carries out a survey that provides us with hard evidence of what a wide range of people think about our local churches. The surveys open a window on the range of social ‘benefits’ that parishioners see as deriving from having a church in their locality. The latest survey (2010‐11) released the following headlines statistics:  85% of people in Britain visit a church in any one year for many reasons apart from services of worship. Weddings, funerals, school services, concerts and special events attract people to these centres of community life.  At Christmas 35% of people in Britain attend a church service while 20% attend a normal Sunday or mid‐week church service over the course of the year. For Church of England churches this brings more than 1.7 million people over a typical month into their regular services.  65% of the British population regard themselves as Christian. In 900 Church of England parishes more than 10% of residents are from other faith communities. In 80% of these the church buildings are used by other faiths.  More people do unpaid work for churches than for any other organisation: outside their local church time, churchgoers contribute 23.2 million hours each month to the local community. In our own diocese we have 818 church buildings of which 80% are in rural settings. 26% of the churches are Grade 1 listed buildings, with a further 35% listed as Grade 2* and 17% as Grade 2. 279 Church of England schools (including two academies) educate 50,000 children in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Our churches bring Christian ministry to every neighbourhood, to industry, education, hospitals, prisons, armed forces and community centres. There are 849 licensed ministers, of whom 625 are ordained clergy, and 224 are licensed lay ministers. In addition around XXXXX people serve as lay members of our PCCs. 2
Linda Woodhead, professor of the Sociology of Religion, Lancaster University ‘ ‘Nominals’ are the Church’s hidden strength’, Church Times 26 April 2013. 6 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme Quiet place Sacred place We know from successive National Church surveys how many people appreciate the opportunity that our churches provide as a quiet place to go when life is difficult, or when someone they know is ill or dying, or just to get out of the mad, busy world that surrounds us constantly in the 21st century. We offer our places of worship as sacred spaces set aside from the secular world where anyone can find peace and quiet. For many people it is the numinous otherness that they find in our churches – touched by God and filled with prayer – that most speaks to them. Whilst church attendance has fallen since the 1960s, spirituality, ie. “belief in a ‘spirit or life force’ has doubled, 41% of British people now believe in angels, 53% in an afterlife, and 70% in a soul”.3 Community anchor and social identity As well as places of worship, our church buildings are also ‘storied’ places which speak of a multitude of memories that connect our current parishioners with the baptisms, weddings and funerals of their family and friends. There are also all those memories of church fetes, outings and other social events that cement friendship. Alongside these are memories of time‐honoured stories they learned at their parents’ or grandparents’ knee, at school and at Sunday School: stories from the Old and the New Testament about God, Adam and Eve, patriarchs, prophets and kings, the Holy Family, the Apostles and disciples. These deeply familiar stories live in our church buildings through stained glass, carvings in stone and wood, on banners and paintings, and bound in our Bibles. Such stories also play a significant part in our national identity because those Biblical figures appear in our nation’s literature, art and music – they are part of our national story. Rootedness Every resident lives in an Anglican parish so our churches represent in stone and brick and wood part of our on‐going, local stories, from the feudal Middles Ages, through the strife of the Black Death and the Reformation, to the bloodshed of the English Civil War and beyond. More recent buildings reflect the expansion of our town and cities during the Railway Age, post‐war rebuilding or the economic booms of the late 20th century. How we and our fellow residents view ourselves and our place and role in community can be closely wrapped up in how we engage with the extraordinary buildings that are our churches. people are looking for community, for something bigger than themselves.4 +Colin Fletcher, Bishop of Dorchester Our churches offer a rootedness to a growing number in our society for whom rootlessness is becoming the norm. This is nowhere truer than for those moving into the extensive estates that are sprouting up across our diocese; churches in our Diocese are growing new expressions of church to serve the newcomers in these new communities. 3
Mark Vernon (16 May 2013), ‘Viewpoint: When did people begin stop thinking God lives on a cloud?’, BBC Online News (www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine‐22480793), quoting British Religion in Numbers (www.brin.ac.uk). 4
Bishop Colin Fletcher (May 2013) reflecting on the most recent church attendance figures (2011) which chart a 3.1% rise across Oxford Diocese. 7 The Value of Friendship
3. What God is Calling Us to Be In Oxford Diocese we have been exploring Bishop John’s Living Faith vision which seeks the transformation of all human life under God. We are invited to respond to the purpose that God has for each of our church communities by joining with Him to create a growing, caring and sustainable Christian presence in every part of the diocese. Living Faith for the Future This partnership will enable every Christian and every Christian community to live and share the love of God, seen through the life and teaching of Jesus Christ. As followers of Christ we are each called to live lives based on His Kingdom values, being attentive to God and to the kind of church he is calling us to be for our village, town or city, and for the wider world beyond. Our Christian lives should be rooted in scripture, faithful to the traditions we have received, and seeking to give them fresh expression in this 21st century. The fourth theme within Living Faith – Creating vibrant Christian communities – (diagram top right) is about shaping 'communities of grace' which exhibit the character of Jesus. Such attractive communities are genuinely hospitable, deeply engaged with their communities, and passionate about God. Relationships lie at the heart of our faith: God is a trinity: three persons in loving relationship. To take forward his mission God brings into being communities, from the tiny community of Adam of Eve to the national community that he called Israel. Jesus himself gathered about him a travelling community of his disciples who, through the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, carried the Good News out to grow new Christian communities the world over. Encouraging life in community A Friends Scheme offers us the opportunity to engage with people who live locally or have some connection with our parish, bridging gaps (especially where homes may be spread out across a wide parish) and growing bonds of friendships through social fellowship. The Holy Spirit will aid us in releasing and harnessing all the gifts of these friends. Our model for this is the church of the first Christian centuries which was based on the domestic household – not a single unit but including the extended family, slaves, the family’s trading clientele, and friends of the family: The first church… was not a once‐ or twice‐a‐week association but rather a community of continuous interaction that included a range of activities related to every aspect of life. The community supplied a circle of people who provided both identity and security.5 5
Eddie Gibbs & Ryan K Bolger (2006), Emerging Churches (SPCK), 99‐100 8 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme 4. Our Legal Context The legal responsibility for decision making in your church lies with the Parochial Church Council. If your church has a DCC (District Church Council) the legal responsibility for your church, its building and its activities still resides with the PCC of which you are a ‘district’. God gives to all of us the responsibilities of stewardship for that which he has entrusted to us. This is true individually, but it is also true collectively. As a local church community, and as a PCC, we are stewards both of the mission of the church in that place, and of the resources available to the church.6 PCCs are charities governed by Church of England legislation: the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956, and the Church Representation Rules 1969 (both as amended). NB. Whatever kind of Friends Scheme you decide to establish, your PCC remains legally responsible for the care, maintenance, repair and insurance of your church. And all work done to the church building and surroundings is still subject to faculty jurisdiction. Legal changes relating to Friends Schemes Over the last few decades some churches have set up Friends Schemes that were informal and ‘independent’ of the PCC and organised within their local community. However, changes in charity law since then mean that this route is no longer an option. Furthermore, the Charity Commission is now very vigilant about the connectedness of charities and so care must be taken about the natural close links between a PCC and a Friends Scheme (see 5. Types of Scheme, below). 5. Types of Scheme There are three main Options: Option 1 Sub‐committee of PCC A scheme set up under the PCC’s authority, being in effect, a sub‐committee of it. This is the simplest scheme to establish and operate, and as such is the recommended option for most parishes. The sub‐committee organises the events, its own membership list and reports to the PCC. Advantages 1. Under full authority of the PCC. 2. Charity status as part of the PCC. 3. Tax efficient donations and subscriptions through Gift Aid. 4. No separate constitution, AGM etc. required. 6. Some functions can be delegated by the PCC as it is a sub‐committee. 7. Its events and personnel may be covered by the PCC’s insurance. 6
Trusteeship: An Introduction for PCC Members (2008), Archbishops’ Council and Charity Commission, 3. 9 The Value of Friendship
Disadvantages 1. May not attract a wider membership, particularly leadership, if perceived as a sub‐set of the church’s leadership. 2. Organised by existing church members. 3. Officers must be on the electoral roll. 4. Has no executive powers. (See also 12. Finance, Giving & Gift Aid below for accounting issues.) Option 2 An independent charity registered with the Charity Commission An independent organisation with charitable status and its own constitution, officers and funds which exists to help to maintain the church building and raise funds for that purpose. Advantages 1. May attract wider community support. 2. Seen as distinct from the religious activity of the church. 3. Possibly easier to find a ‘patron’. 4. Organisation does not fall on the church members. 5. Tax efficient donations through Gift Aid. Disadvantages 1. Length of time to establish. 2. Requires its own constitution, AGM, bank accounts and officers. 3. Under the Charities Act 2011, once your charity’s income passes £5,000 you will need to register with the Charity Commissioners. 4. Requires all the reporting and accounting procedures dictated by the SORP7 for the submission of charity accounts. 5. The committee are the trustees and must take on the responsibilities of trusteeship. 6. Will need to separately insure its activities. 7. May fall out of the control of the PCC in respect of its activities. 8. Is divorced from the core purpose of the church building. ‘Connected’ charities Although there are very natural and practical links between a PCC and the Friends Scheme that supports the fabric of the church building, the Charity Commission wishes to see an organisational separation of a Friends organisation from the PCC, with the Friends independent of the parish and diocese. 7
Statement of Recommended Practice: Charity Accounting (2005). 10 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme For example, the Charity Commission do not wish to see the parish priest or minister nor any PCC officers acting in an ex‐officio role as trustees of the Friends charity. That is not to say that clergy, PCC members or church members may not be trustees as these people will be able to act as an informal bridge between the Friends and the PCC. Option 3 Perpetual Fabric Fund Some churches have set up a Perpetual Fabric Fund (PFF) to create an endowment that funds the on‐going care of the church building and/or the churchyard. The PFF provides a capital fund to which anyone can contribute in the knowledge that their money can only be spent on the fabric of the church concerned. It is an arrangement which may attract substantial gifts or legacies from non‐churchgoers ‐ people who would not naturally contribute to general PCC funds, but who may be willing to support the ‘bricks and mortar’ of a particular church. The initial funding may derive from a generous gift, a sale of property, a legacy or a situation where more funds have been raised for a project than were needed. The capital is invested in property and/or shares with the income generated being used to fund work required on the church or churchyard. The Fund can be added to over time by further fundraising and legacies. NB. In some cases, provision may be made for 20% of the capital to be released as a loan and paid back over a set period. Advantages 1. Attractive to anyone who wishes to donate money only to the church building. It has the safeguard that the capital will not be exhausted but always maintained. 2. Can attract gifts, legacies, grants and Gift Aid 3. Easy to run once in place as it is not labour intensive. 4. Capital is always there with the facility to use 20% of it as a loan and repay later. 5. The PCC can receive interest from the capital annually for use on the fabric of the building and other objects named by the Trust. Disadvantages 1. A Trust Deed is required to set it up (see APPENDIX IV below). 2. A considerable sum must be invested to enable the income to be sufficient for major repairs. 3. If there is not a capital sum available to set it up it may take some time for the funds to be sufficient to produce a reasonable income. 4. Only the income can be spent on the fabric as the capital is protected. 5. A decision will need to be made about where the capital should go in the event of the church being made redundant, or the Fund is wound up, and incorporated into the Trust Deed. 11 The Value of Friendship
Informal schemes Over recent decades some churches have set up Friends Schemes that are informal, ‘independent’ of the PCC, and organised within their local community. However, changes in charity law now mean that this route is inadvisable for the following reasons8:  “The objects and terms of reference are likely to create a ‘charity’ whether stated as a charity or not, and if income exceeds £5,000 the ‘charity’ must be registered with the Charity Commission.  If the ‘friends organisation’ has no formal constitution the funds are open to risk of fraud and misuse.  There would be no clear boundaries as to where responsibilities of the PCC began and the activities of the Friends’ Scheme ended.  There would be no mechanism to ensure that the PCC was represented on the committee.  If the objects of the ‘Friends organisation’ are not charitable the Friends Scheme could be classified as a club existing for the benefit of its members who gave donations to the church. It would be liable to tax on the income from its activities and to have tax deducted at source on any bank interest.” 8
Vision, Mission, Money: The value of Friendship (An Outline of Friends’ Schemes), Truro Diocese, January 2012. 12 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme 6. Critical Path What a PCC needs to do before voting Initial discussion about a Friends Scheme is often prompted by seeing another church in the deanery or diocese establishing a Scheme, by a church member visiting a church that has a successful Scheme or hearing about the successes of such a Scheme elsewhere. Step One: Working Party (Getting started) This is a critical stage: if your PCC is to address the potential for establishing this kind of outreach activity, it should ask a group of 2‐3 PCC members to explore the opportunities for such a scheme. This allows for a healthier decision‐making process than if such an exploration is undertaken by a single individual. Questions for the Working Party to consider (Exploring the potential): (a) How would this activity fit in with our church’s plans9 for growth and outreach? (our mission and ministry plans) (b) What do we expect such a Scheme to deliver? (Terms of Reference) (c) Can we do this by another means? (alternative/more effective forms of outreach) (d) Does our church offer enough community engagement or heritage characteristics to attract the interest of potential friends? (attractiveness) (e) Who would be invited to become friends? (potential support constituencies) (f) Why would they support this idea? (g) What things can we offer them when they become friends? (friends’ motivation) (benefits) (h) Have we canvassed the idea of a Friends Scheme with those whom we might expect to join? What was their reaction to this idea? (social audit/feedback) (i) How will we connect with our friends? Do we need a newsletter, a web presence? Who will keep it updated? (communications) (j) What might we expect them to do for us? (friends’ involvement) (k) How many individuals/families might support this Scheme? (critical mass of potential supporters)? (l) Are there existing local organisations/activities that already call on the energies of those who might become friends? (local or district competition) (m) Is the time right, set against other PCC priorities, to create a Friends Scheme? (critical timing) (n) If the scheme is launched, how is it best organised? Who would run the organisation? (governance/resourcing) (o) Do we envisage being able to sustain the scheme beyond its initial phase? (resourcing/programme of activities) (p) Might the Friends Scheme reach an income threshold of £5,000 pa? (charitable status) 9
See Further Helpful Resources below: Robin Gamble, small but GROWING. 13 The Value of Friendship
SWOT Analysis A simple way to review the answers is to place them in a SWOT analysis: Strengths eg. what things can we offer those who might become Friends? Weaknesses eg. what things do we not have enough of to make a Scheme viable? Opportunities eg. is there an important anniversary coming up soon for our church building, community or historical figures associated with them? Do we have major building restoration/development plans? Threats eg. do other local clubs or organisations (including other Friends Schemes close by) already attract attention, energy and support? Decision‐Making Step Two: PCC The legal responsibility for forming a Friends Scheme lies with the PCC, incumbent and churchwardens. The critical issues they need to address are:  The people running the Friends must not be the same people who are already responsible for most of the life of the Church – though some may wish to join.  The Friends must be capable of drawing in additional people who are not currently part of the church fellowship, drawing on energy and support that might otherwise not be available. If they do not, or cannot, there is little reason for their existence.  The PCC must identify what benefits Friends can ask for and what decisions Friends can make about their activities and communications.  Friends’ events should be organised by the Friends so that they do not become an additional burden on the Church Family.  Care needs to exercised that there is no expectation raised that the parish priest/ minister and her/his family are expected to attend absolutely every Friends’ event. Step Three (a): Working Party (Revisiting questions) If the PCC feels that they have not been provide with enough information upon which to make a decision, for instance on the Terms of Reference, the Project Group should be asked to undertake more work. Step Three (b): PCC (Putting the idea on hold) If the PCC feels that at the present time a Friends Scheme is not appropriate, it should vote not to move forward yet. It may then or at a later date invite the Working Party to revisit specific questions. Step Three (c): Working Party The Working Party may bring revised plans to the PCC months or even several years later. Step Four: PCC If the PCC then votes to inaugurate the Friends, it must decide whether to create the Friends Scheme as a sub‐committee of the PCC or begin the process of establishing a registered charity. Alternately, it may decide to create a Perpetual Fabric Fund. 14 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme Option 1: PCC Sub‐committee The PCC forms a sub‐committee and designates two or three people to set up a Planning Group. This Group should first draw up for the PCC a simple but clear PCC Resolution which states exactly what the Friends Scheme will be and its relationship to the PCC. For example: The X PCC resolved on [date ...] to establish a “Friends of X” scheme as a [sub‐] committee of the PCC. The objects of the scheme are to advance the mission and ministry of the church by strengthening a sense of local community through the links between older and younger people, established and recently arrived residents. The activities of the Friends will seek to develop the value people place on the church building and its environs by sharing knowledge of the architecture, art and archaeology of the church and the role it has played in the history of the locality. Any funds donated by or raised by the Friends will go to funding the repair, maintenance, restoration, preservation and development of X Church and associated buildings, and of the fixtures, fittings and ornaments in the Church, churchyard and associated buildings. The Friends may raise funds by any lawful means consistent with ecclesiastical purposes, and invite and receive contributions from any persons whatsoever. The Friends will pass all funds raised (after paying reasonable expenses) to the PCC. The membership of the Friends committee shall be a maximum of [number], including ex‐officio [X Incumbent], [a churchwarden], [PCC Treasurer] and [[number] [PCC / church] members]. The normal rules for PCC sub‐committees shall apply. Next the Group, along with the priest/minister, should identify members of a founding committee. NB. This committee should include people from outside the Church Family as well as from within it. Someone established in the community may be needed to give weight to the Friends and to help to attract members in the first instance. WATCHPOINT Fundraising by and through the Friends should not be to provide funds for general housekeeping as these remain the responsibility of the worshipping community. Members of the worshipping community may wish to join the Friends but their primary contribution to the work of the church should be through regular planned giving to general funds to contribute to the day‐to‐day costs of the parish. Option 2: Independent charity The PCC forms a Project Group tasked with drafting: (a) Terms of Reference (see Appendix I) (b) a Constitution (see Appendix II) Both of these documents needs to be adopted by the PCC, and the Friends organisation registered with the Charity Commissioners (see Appendix II below). (a) Terms of Reference The Terms need to be made very clear at the outset and enshrined in the Scheme’s founding documents. The Charity Commission’s guidance is that the Terms of Reference must not 15 The Value of Friendship
fight shy of the fact that the Church exists for the practice and advancement of the Christian religion. The following represent a cross‐section of objects appropriate to Friends Schemes: 
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[Where a church is still active] to advance the mission and ministry of the church by strengthening a sense of local community. To hold social events and disseminate communications that promote a sense of community and connectedness for members. To assist in the upkeep of the church for the benefit of the community. To help towards the cost of the preservation of the fabric of the church. To help towards the cost of the insurance of and cost of repairs to the building. To help towards the cost of the replacement of major items, for example heating systems, rewiring of circuits, or organs. To help with the maintenance costs of ornaments and furnishings. To raise funds for the above purposes. To help with the maintenance costs and upkeep of the churchyard. Where appropriate, for members to give their personal services for the promotion of the above purposes. NB. For a full example of ‘Terms of Reference’ for a Friends Scheme, see Appendix I below. (b) Constitution If your Friends’ Scheme is likely to exceed £5,000 per year it is advisable to draw up a Constitution that will be acceptable to the Charity Commission so that when you reach the £5,000 pa threshold you will be ready to register as a charity. If your Friends Scheme has a governing document which has been approved by the Charity Commission you can apply for registration as a charity online. This means of registering is easier and faster than using a paper application form. Public Benefit The Charity Commission advises that “public benefit is at the heart of what it means to be a charity. The Charities Act 2006 requires all charities to have aims which are, demonstrably, for the public benefit.” Two principles must be met to show that an organisation’s aims are for the public benefit: (a) There must be an identifiable benefit or benefits.10 (b) Benefit must be to the public or a section of the public.11 This means that before you apply to register a new charity, you must have read the Charity Commission’s Public benefit guidance which can be accessed at: www.charitycommission.gov.uk/Charity_requirements_guidance/Charity_essentials/Public_
benefit/default.aspx 10
It must be clear what the benefits are, that they relate to the aims and are balanced against any detriment or harm. 11
The beneficiaries must be appropriate to the aims. Where benefit is to a section of the public, the opportunity to benefit must not be unreasonably restricted, eg. by geographical or other restrictions. 16 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme Naming your charity No charity may have a name which is already in use by another charity. If you decide to call your Friends’ Scheme ‘The Friends of St Mary’s’ it is very likely that someone else will have got there before you. Distinguish yourselves by adding the name of the parish “The Friends of St Mary’s, AnyPlace”, and if your placename is relatively common, the county as well. Examples of charitable objectives in existing independent Schemes St John the Baptist, Burford (established 1980) 
to unite all those who love and value Burford church in a ‘Company of Friends’. 
to undertake improvements which do not come within the scope of funds for maintenance of the fabric of the church. 
to help, if necessary, with grants towards other essential work in the church or churchyard which, in the opinion of the friends, could not otherwise be undertaken. St Mary the Virgin, Ewelme (established 2011) 
to support the church of St Mary the Virgin in the parish of Ewelme in the County of Oxford by assisting in the process of keeping and maintaining in good repair the fabric, monuments, furnishings and precincts of the church and making improvements to any of the same so far as approved by the relevant authorities. 
otherwise to assist in the upkeep of the church for the benefit of the community of Ewelme. 
to found study and knowledge of the church and its history for the purpose of assisting in the discharge of the foregoing objects and generally for the public benefit. St Laurence, Warborough (established 1990) 
to provide financial support towards the restoration, maintenance and repair of the fabric and furnishings of St Laurence Church, Warborough. Option 3: Perpetual Fabric Fund The PCC should approach the Diocesan Trustees – D T(O)L – to ask them to set up the Fund and with them decide the figure to be invested. (See Appendix IV for an example of a Trust Deed.) The Trust is then set up with the approval of the Diocesan Trustees who seal the Deed and register the Trust with the Charity Commissioners. The PCC may need to plan how further money is to be added to the capital as necessary. This may include: • A sum transferred from the budget each year. • An initiative to encourage legacies to the trust. • A decision that general donations received over a set period will be put in the Fund. • How the wider community can be encouraged to donate to the Trust. • A decision that a percentage of the income pa will not be spent to counter inflation. 17 The Value of Friendship
NB. English Heritage has begun to advise PCCs to calculate the amount of money they will need to set aside each year in order to maintain the fabric of their church building. Such a sum may be calculated by adding together the costs of the items identified over the last three quinquennia: (a) any work on the fabric identified by your Quinquennial architect (whether or not it was carried it out), PLUS (b) any additional work carried out on the fabric during the same period. By adding (a) and (b), then dividing the sum by 15 (ie. three quinquennia) you can gain a rough estimate an annual cost. If you have a Friends Scheme your PCC might then apprise them of this annual sum as a target towards which to work. Clearly where larger‐scale work is necessary the PCC should work in partnership with the Friends (with their enthusiasm for the building) and with grant‐making trusts to help complete each phase of work. 7. Potential Friends Decide the kind of people that you will invite to become Friends. They may include: • local residents living near the church. • local residents in the parish. • individuals of standing in the community. • relations of residents who have moved away, for example adult children whose parents are part of the church family. • former members of the church family who have moved away. • members of local societies with an interest in history, archaeology or architecture. • people with relations and ancestors buried in the churchyard. • pilgrims who visit the church. • visitors to the church. • organisations linked to any person or interest connected with the church including nationally or internationally recognised historical figures such as authors, poets, musicians or artists, eg. the Jane Austen Society. • local businesses. Recruiting members When you have decided whom you think may be interested you can work out the best way to approach them to become members. Methods might include: • An open meeting or social event to launch the Friends. • A personal face‐to‐face request. • Brochures to be handed out at a meeting. • Leaflet drops to local homes and businesses. • Leaflets/notices/posters in the church and local shops. • Leaflets to pass on to others. • Advertisements in local papers/magazines. 18 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme Programme of events Plan a suggested programme of events for the first year which will attract the people you have identified. It need not be overwhelming but should be attractive and catch their interest so they may wish to join. Try: • a social event in some desirable/unusual venue, • a fun fundraising event. People showing early interest in such activities can be involved as organisers and helpers. An open meeting Organise an open meeting for a launch to propose the foundation of the Friends. If possible, the meeting should be chaired by someone outside the Church Family. The meeting can adopt the constitution if necessary and elect officers. It can appoint planners of the proposed events, and accept suggestions and ideas for promoting the future programme. Making the case for support In any publicity produced, or talks given to individuals or groups you need to make a strong case stating very clearly why setting up a Friends’ Scheme is a worthwhile thing to do. Reasons for supporting the Friends might include: • Supporting the Friends helps ensure the church will remain as a community resource for future generations to enjoy and for their use from time to time. • Our local church is unique because.....early stained glass, Saxon door, X’s Tomb (or whatever is special about your particular building). • Supporting the Friends helps to support the history and heritage of our past. • There is no funding from the State for the repair or restoration of church buildings. It is the responsibility of the local community. • There are some grants available for the repair of church buildings, through English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund, for example, but these funds are scarce, and will generally only cover a small proportion of the costs. • The age of the building and the future scale of repairs, insurance, restoration that will be necessary in the near future. • Whilst the local Church Family carries the responsibility for financing the on‐going mission and ministry of the church to the parish, it is seeking support to help maintain and insure this important resource at the centre of our community. WATCHPOINT The running of the Friends Scheme is NOT another task for the PCC to organise. Friends are different people working alongside the Church Family to share the task of caring for the building. Reviewing progress Option l: One year on the Parochial Church Council should review progress. Option 2: The Friends’ Annual Report should be passed to the PCC for the APCM. 19 The Value of Friendship
Financing the Scheme All Friends’ Schemes will need to have funds available to run the administrative business. These will include publicity, postage, maintenance of the website etc. Pump‐priming money for fundraising events such as advertising, booking fees or expenses for speakers may also be needed. It will also be raising sums for its main objects ‐ funding for specific projects – to pass on to the PCC as necessary. Surplus funds and funds which won’t be used in the immediate future should be invested, and appropriate independent financial advice should be sought if these sums are significant. WATCHPOINTS All money paid to contractors etc. should be paid by the PCC who have the responsibility for the work. NB. It is not the role of the Friends Scheme to apply for grants from trusts or other sources of funding. The PCC should be responsible for such applications. 8. Membership Membership of the Friends should be open to anyone who would like to join and is prepared to support its objects. Friends should be drawn from a much wider circle than the Church Family. It is essential to show the people of your parish that there is a partnership in which they are being invited to share. Friends can include, for example, people who: • see how the church serves those in the local community. • wish to see the building there for future generations for whatever reason. • want to sustain the church’s service for family occasions such as baptisms, weddings, and funerals, who may have experienced this service first hand, but do not worship regularly in that church. • visit and enjoy the church’s beauty, history or architecte etc. and who can be persuaded to create and maintain a link. • have family ties in the parish or have used the church in some way, but who themselves have now moved away. • may not support the ministry of the church but are happy to support the upkeep of a historic and/or beautiful building. • see the village church as part of the rural scene and wish to see its continued use and existence. WATCHPOINT Friends Schemes are a means to deepen friendship and develop new relationships right across your local communities. It is natural and right that the Church Family should be able to join any Friends Scheme. Equally, it is important that, where possible, church members who are not Friends attend at least some Friends’ events to help develop relationships. 20 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme 9. Services to Members Services which are offered as part of the membership of a Friends’ Scheme will vary according to the kind of people who join. So you need to assess where your membership is likely to come from. Are they: (a) local residents? (b) people living outside the area, but with local connections, including church members who have moved out of the area? (c) visitors local, national and international who wish to support you and keep a memory of a beautiful day or pilgrimage visit? The three groups will need different kinds of services as members of the Friends Scheme:  Local residents or visitors will be in a position to attend events, enjoy the building and be active fund‐raisers.  People supporting the Friends from a distance will need information to keep them up to date and in regular contact to maintain their interest and so continue their support.  All members will want to feel that they belong to a good organisation and are valued as members of the wider community, as people willing to get involved in helping sustain the church as a community resource and as donors. Here are a few suggestions and points to consider: • Keep the Friends in touch by sending out a newsletter of magazine once or twice pa. • Consider cutting down on postage costs by sending a PDF by email. • The newsletter/magazine needs someone to take charge of the writing and/or editing, and gathering together information and photographs. • Decide whether the newsletter needs to be profit‐making, or whether it will be provided as a service to members. Costs need to include printing and postage expenditure. Content might include: • message from your Incumbent and/or Chairman re work of the Friends during the year. • progress reports on major works to building. • articles on your church/village/town. • report of the Friends Annual General Meeting. • Annual Accounts. • future work or projects under consideration. • reports of events held by Friends. • major events in the church life during the year. • renewal forms for subscriptions/gifts. Always include a Gift Aid Declaration. • photographs of the church, and of people and events. Letter from Incumbent/Churchwardens/Chairman of Friends’ Send out an annual letter. The content might include: • a general update of progress in building works and future plans/needs. • something about how the Friends’ and their work are really valued. • thank you to Friends for their support. • renewal forms for subscriptions. 21 The Value of Friendship
WATCHPOINT Any literature circulated to all members needs to be costed inclusive of printing and postage within the membership rates so that it is self‐financing. Consider circulating information electronically or via a website. Events for Friends and Guests Business Annual General Meeting Social Wine and cheese Coffee evening Church Treasure Hunt Quizzes Informative Talks on subjects of interest Tour of building Visit to other places of interest, churches, castles, museums, homes, gardens Visits to other churches where similar projects are in progress or completed Work of the Historic Churches Trusts in our diocese. Training Days, such as those run by SPAB (Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) or NADFAS (National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies). Website A website is a really important means of communicating with the Friends. It should be a stand‐alone website. You may wish to add a link to the parish and church websites, but if you are a separate organisation and want to appeal to people whose interest is primarily in the fabric of the building, you really need your own website. The website might include the following elements: • the purpose of the Friends. • information about the church and its history, including plenty of photographs. • a list of works which have been funded or part‐funded by the Friends. • information about work and repairs which need to be done to the church fabric, including the costs. • news about forthcoming events. • reports and pictures from events which have happened, including the annual meeting. • copies of the newsletter or magazine. • details of how to become a Friend, including any forms, and a Gift Aid declaration. • links to other websites ‐ the church’s website, or village/town website, for example. Fundraising Events organised specifically to raise funds can be very wide ranging, from antique fairs to book and flower sales, concerts to dog shows. Fundraising can also be included in social and informative events. 22 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme Funds to support and sustain the church building may be raised by various routes, including: • Friends’ subscriptions, • fundraising events, • donations for particular projects, • legacies, • Gift Aid. Thank you The PCC may wish to express their thanks by entertaining, in addition to the normal thanking of supporters by letter or other means, perhaps by holding an Open Day or a special service. Exclusive benefits Membership of the Friends Scheme may bring invitations to exclusive events only open to members, for instance a dinner with guest speaker. Friends should be encouraged to invite guests to enjoy the occasion and share in the fellowship. It is critical not to create a sense of divided loyalties between church members and Friends: if the PCC annual budget is planned properly, it should be easy to demonstrate that church members do themselves contribute to sustaining this important community resource through their regular Christian giving. 10. Services by the Friends The main service of the Friends is to help develop a sense of shared community by reaching out to all those who either have an existing interest and enthusiasm for the church building in their parish or to those who have to the potential to develop such an interest. This work of outreach is achieved through networking, social events, communications and fundraising: each of which activities seeks to cement a sense of communal fellowship in those who get involved. Each member may bring skills, experience, or training which can add to the rich and creative experience that Friends Scheme activities can bring to a local community. In addition, they can involve those in their own personal network of friends. The activities of the Friends should be organised by a small group of the members themselves. They need to be people enthusiastic and committed to the Friends and its objects. Whilst they are most likely not to consider themselves part of the local Church Family, they can use their enthusiasm for the church building and what that means to them to access other circles of support through business or social contacts. Involving Friends as promoters of your church’s heritage If your church has a higher level of heritage value or unusual or unique historical or literary links, this can offer Friends the opportunity to become involved in more than just fundraising for the building. They could help to promote: • knowledge and understanding of the church, • any rare or unusual architectural and artistic features, 23 The Value of Friendship
• its role in the Christian faith, • its historical associations, • the development of the community around it. Friends might therefore become involved in guiding and interpretive work for visitors, undertaking research on the architecture and history of the church and its locale, and in publicity designed to attract visitors to the church. WATCHPOINT Whatever their precise role the Friends must be capable of drawing in additional people and support than might otherwise be the available. If they do not, or cannot, there is little reason for their existence. 11. Subscriptions The kind of subscription and cost need to be decided. There is a variety of options to choose from. These may include, for example: • No fixed fee, but suggested amounts with encouragement to complete a Gift Aid Declaration, for instance: £15, £25, £35, Other amount £ ....... • An amount which will include the cost of mailings to members of correspondence and/or the cost of a newsletter. • An amount which will cover costs of membership and a percentage for funds, make this a realistic figure. Do not “undersell” the Friends. Once again the kind of membership will determine the level of subscription. If members are drawn locally a lower subscription is possible with fundraising used for building up the reserves to pass on to the PCC to use on the building and for special projects. If the membership attracts people who are infrequent visitors from a wider area, then the subscriptions may need to include correspondence and literature costs and a donation for funds. Members from further afield (and from abroad) are likely to support the Friends through annual donations rather than working for fundraising events locally. Business packages You may wish to consider asking local business to make an annual donation and so to become ‘corporate’ or ‘business’ friends. You will need to explore with such Friends what benefits they might expect from this relationship. On the other hand, if your church and/or any church rooms or hall provides amenities for meetings or events which might be attractive to local businesses, you should explore the possibility of renting your venue(s) to a business and have a rental contract in place. 24 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme 12. Finance, Giving & Gift Aid Accounting Option 1 Sub‐committee of PCC In this type of Friends scheme, the total funds need to be fully accounted for in the PCC’s Annual Report and Annual Accounts as a Restricted Fund. The funds will need to be independently examined or audited with the rest of the PCC. Usually the activities of the Friends are mentioned appreciatively in the annual report, with the Friends accounts provided in a detailed note. As the Friends’ activities and fundraising increases, it may be sensible to appoint a Treasurer from among the committee, and open a separate bank account. Gift Aid on donations can be recovered under the church’s HMRC registration. Membership subscriptions to Friend’s Schemes are subject to Gift Aid in most circumstances unless the donor derives benefits from membership. A magazine sent to Friends’ Scheme members does not count as a benefit. HM Revenue and Customs state “Where a charity sends literature to its donors, HMRC will accept that the value is nil provided the material is produced for the purpose of describing the work of the charity. The material must be relevant to and distributed in furtherance of the objects of the charity.” Literature includes newsletters, bulletins, and annual reports. Option 2 Independent charity An independent charity falls directly under the regulation of the Charity Commission and must have the form of Independent Examination or Audit appropriate for its size. To recover Gift Aid on donations it must be registered with HM Revenue and Customs. NB. An independent friends’ charity should be disclosed as a connected charity in the PCC’s Annual Report, with a brief report of its work and the support given to the church in the year. An informal friends organisation “A Friends scheme that is not under the PCC ‘umbrella’ might not have its own charity registration number. If it has exclusively charitable purposes and a gross income below the registration threshold of £5,000 it is not required to register with the Commission but (if only to prove its charitable status) it should still have a written constitution and, like any other charity, must prepare annual accounts and behave charitably.” If its income is above the registration threshold then those managing it must follow charity law by either registering it as an autonomous charity or coming under the control of the PCC.12 Option 3 Perpetual Fabric Fund The PCC treasurer should maintain (a) a record of gifts and donations and keep (b) quarterly statements from the Diocesan Board of Finance on the Trust’s investment progress. The treasurer should submit a written record of (a) and (b) for inclusion in the PCC’s Annual Report and Annual Accounts. 12
Archbishops Council (2012), PCC Accountability: The Charities Act 2011 and the PCC (4th edition). 25 The Value of Friendship
Setting up a bank account Option 1 Sub‐committee of PCC A separate bank account is not necessary as long as the rules for accounting for restricted funds are followed (see Accounting above). Option 2 Independent charity An autonomous charity must set up its own bank account in line with the SORP on charities accounting. Option 3 Perpetual Fabric Fund Smaller gifts and donations to the Fund should be made via the PCC then transferred once a quarter to the Fund. Larger gifts or legacies made by bank transfer should be transferred direct to the Diocesan Trustees – DT(O)L who will invest them in the Fund. Giving online For further information, please see Funding Guide 18: Online Funding and Social Media, provided by the National Stewardship Committee of the Church of England at: www.parishresources.org.uk/funding Claiming Gift Aid Gift Aid allows charities to reclaim the tax paid by UK taxpayers who have donated to your charity. This means that for every £1 donated the charity will receive another 25p back. All a donor needs to do is complete a Gift Aid Declaration, in ink, giving Christian name, surname, address and postcode, and date it. Option 1 Sub‐committee of PCC Gift Aid can be claimed via the PCC. It is good practice that any Gift Aid recovered should follow the gift to the PCC’s Friends account. Option 2 Independent charity The Friends charity should apply to HMRC to register as a Gift Aid entity to enable the trustees to reclaim Gift Aid from gifts by donors who pay enough UK tax. See HMRC’s detailed instructions on ‘Applying for recognition as a charity for tax purposes’ at: www.hmrc.gov.uk/charities/gift_aid/reclaim.htm#1 The charity’s treasurer or designated Gift Aid person should then fill in HMRC Form ChV1 and send it to HMRC together with:  confirmation of registration from the Charity Commission, if you are registered,  bank statements from the last quarter,  a copy of your most recent audited/independently examined accounts,  a copy of your governing document,  details of your charitable activities ‐ how you intend to carry out the charitable aims and objectives for which your charity was set up,  any literature which explains the work of your charity. 26 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme Applications should be sent to: HMRC Charities, St Johns House, Merton Road, Liverpool, L75 1BB Useful information can be found at: www.hmrc.gov.uk/charities/gift_aid and www.parishresources.org.uk/giftaid.htm Option 3 Perpetual Fabric Fund Gift Aid can be claimed by the PCC on any gifts and donations made to the Fund by donors paying enough UK tax in any one tax year. It is good practice for the Gift Aid recovered to be added to the Fund. Legacies Whilst Gift Aid cannot be claimed by a PCC or any Gift Aid entity on legacies received, the legator (and in some cases their executors) can reduce the tax burden on the Estate after death by increasing the size of a legacy to a charity such as your PCC, thus increasing what the deceased’s beneficiaries may receive. For more information on how to promote legacy giving, see Further Helpful Resources below. Using the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS) Under the GASDS scheme as currently running (June 2013): Option 1: PCC Sub‐committee & Option 2: Perpetual Fabric Fund Your PCC cannot currently use either of the scheme’s reclaim modes when raising funds for the Friends Scheme: (i) the ‘Community Building’ mode (“small cash donations collected in services with 10 or more people”) because this does not include fundraising activities, only acts of worship. (ii) the ‘top‐up payment’ mode (“other small donations collected at other times”) because HMRC currently asserts that all PCCs in a diocese are ‘connected’ to each other and to the Diocesan Board of Finance, and would need to share the ‘top up’ amount between all the churches in the diocese. The reporting arrangements for this are far too complex for this to be practical (For instance, HMRC require all the HMRC numbers of ‘connected charities’ to be submitted). NB. The national church is challenging HMRCs interpretation of the PCC Powers Measure. Option 2: Independent charity Your charity CAN use: (i) the ‘Community Building’ mode IF the Friends meet together in that building at least 6 times each year and have 10 or more attendees at each event. But CANNOT use: (ii) the ‘top‐up payment’ mode because, by sharing at least one charitable objective (ie. maintaining the fabric of the building), the friends charity is deemed to be ‘connected’ with the local church, which itself is ‘connected to all PCCs in the diocese and to the Diocesan Board of Finance. Therefore, the friends charity would need to share its annual allowance of £5,000 ‘top up’ amount between all the churches in the diocese. 27 The Value of Friendship
Insurance cover Option 1: PCC Sub‐committee If your Friends organisation is undertaking some kind of activity which differs from the regular cycle of activities undertaken by your church, you should check with your insurance provider to be certain that your policy covers this new activity. Option 2: Independent charity As a separate charity you will need to take out your own liability cover to insure your organisation’s activities. WATCHPOINT All money to contractors etc. should be paid by the PCC who have the legal responsibility for the work. Equally, it is not the role of the Friends to apply for grant or to trusts for sources of funding. The PCC must have responsibility for such applications. 28 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme CASE HISTORIES – C.1 Small and rural Friends of Ewelme Church – St Mary the Virgin (2011) www.friendsofewelmechurch.co.uk/ Context: Ewelme is a small village in south Oxfordshire on the edge of the Chilterns. St Mary's church is an exceptional building with a distinguished history. The present building has not changed greatly for almost 600 years, having been reordered in 1437. It is a rare opportunity to see a place of worship with strong echoes stretching back over 100 years before the Reformation. Many people from all over the world come to see the tomb of Alice de la Pole, Geoffrey Chaucer's granddaughter, Duchess of Suffolk and founder of the Trust, "God's House at Ewelme". As the entries in our visitor's book testify, St. Mary's is a place of peace and tranquillity. We welcome travellers, who come for a sense of history or those searching for a sense of peace in the face of God. Church Electoral Roll (2011) = 142 Setting up our church’s Friends Scheme We established our Friends scheme in 2011, after 14 months’ discussion and planning. The Rector was involved in the discussions at all times but not the PCC. Over seven months we formed a committee, prepared a constitution (seeking advice from a trust lawyer in the village, and the Charity Commission from which we got a model constitution). We gained the approval of the Charity Commission, registered with HMRC to gain Gift Aid approval and invited people to sign up pledges of support so that the Charity Commission’s income threshold of £5,000 pa rule was met. The Friends of Ewelme Church charity exists to raise money for the conservation, embellishment, maintenance of the church, and education about its art and architecture. Our aim is to ensure that this magnificent example of 15th‐century architecture remains in the best possible condition for generations to come. Whilst the PCC has a mission plan, the Friends Charity is completely independent of the Church. Management of the Scheme The Trustees comprise a Chair and 10 others drawn from the village and local area, some of whom are not churchgoers. There are no ex officio Trustees (eg. the Rector or a member of the PCC) so that we can demonstrate to the Charity Commission the independence of the Charity from the church. Two trustees are responsible for the communications with Friends and publicity of events. Membership & membership benefits Our scheme is focused on local people, and visitors. Friends pay either £100 for Life Membership or, as annual members, a minimum of £10 pa. Visitors to the church and to the Friends website can make a donation. We seek to make new friends via leaflets, events and our website which say “If you have visited or requested information, we would be very grateful if you took advantage of the online donation service, which can be done easily and in a tax effective manner by clicking on the "Support via Donation" button just to right of this text.” 29 The Value of Friendship
Online giving is managed through Virgin Giving with Gift Aid claims every six months for one‐off donations. We don’t get any funding from local businesses, or grant‐making Trusts. Membership benefits We communicate with our Friends via email, a newsletter and an annual meeting. We also have a Friends website, and two regular events which include a series of expert talks on the building. Health of our Friends Scheme We have 93 Friends, of whom less than one third are churchgoers and two thirds from the village. We raise £2000+ pa from our two events. Recently we have received a legacy. The strength of our scheme is that we gain support from non‐churchgoers who want to help but wish to see their money spent on the building rather on the day‐to‐day church running costs. We have not managed to continue increasing membership despite publicity locally. Friends of St Mary the Virgin, Padbury, Bucks (2007) Context: Padbury is a small village in the open countryside of western Buckinghamshire 5km SE of Buckingham. Houses lie on either side of the main street with the church on the north eastern edge of the village. The church’s chancel and nave date from the early 13th c. with a tower and south aisle added in the late 13th c. Later work can be seen from the 14th and 15th centuries. Church Electoral Roll (2011) = 31 Setting up our scheme The PCC established the Friends Scheme in 2007. The idea had been suggested for many years, but was agreed when someone stepped forward to coordinate the effort. The reasons for setting up the Scheme were:  to raise money from those who wanted a continuing and vigorous church but were not regular attenders,  to encourage people with some interest in the church to feel more that it was ‘theirs’ We didn’t seek advice from elsewhere. Our Scheme is a PCC sub‐committee (currently one churchwarden). Our PCC does not have a formal mission plan, we see our Friends Scheme as a way to start the process of the church engaging with local people (especially through the social events) without there being any pressure. We organise Friends social events, as well as getting involved ourselves with other community events. Our church’s ministry of welcome includes active meeting and greeting at acts of worship followed by refreshments afterwards. Our church is always open during the day for prayer and visitors. Management of scheme The Friends committee is currently one person, the churchwarden. The PCC Treasurer has financial oversight, whilst communications and events are coordinated by the churchwarden. 30 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme Membership The declared purpose of our Friends Scheme is “an association for people with a real interest in the building and/or institution of the church but who do not feel able – for whatever reason – to commit to regular attendance at church services“. We invite anyone from the village and beyond to become Friends. We do not have a fixed annual subscription but ask for a regular contribution, preferably via Standing Order, from as little as £2 pcm (£24 pa) upwards. We also urge all Friends who are taxpayers to sign up for Gift Aid. We have written to everyone in the village (once) and to any newcomers to the village, as well as encouraging general word of mouth. We don’t receive any funding from local businesses or grant‐making Trusts. Membership benefits Friends enjoy social events including talks on the history of the church, its vicars, its wall‐
paintings; Friends also receive a newsletter twice a year. Health of our Friends Scheme Currently we have 50 Friends, of whom 20% are church members, 90% are residents of the parish, 10 % are from elsewhere in the UK. Numbers are holding steady. For a period of about 18 months, activities lapsed because we could not get the right speakers. We revitalised the Scheme by finding more speakers. The Friends are the single largest contributor to church funds. On average each year we raise approx. £5,000. Funds are not tied to the building. Currently we need more activities and to have another recruitment drive to attract more people to sustain the energy of the Friends. We are working to move Friends from Standing Orders to Direct Debits. Friends of the Church of All Saints, Wytham www.wytham‐church.org.uk/ Context: Wytham is a tiny village lying 3km due west of Oxford city, tucked into the skirts of Wytham Hill, and only accessible by a small country road that connects Botley to Wolvercote. All Saints’ church is small, was largely rebuilt in 1811, but incorporates medieval features believed to come from Cumnor Hall, formerly owned by Queen Elizabeth I’s favourite, the Earl of Leicester. The windows contain fine 17th‐c. stained glass brought from Holland. Through a bequest most of the village, estate and Wytham Woods is owned by Oxford University. Consequently many houses are rented and there is a great turnover of rentees. Church Electoral Roll (2011) = 19 Setting up our church’s Friends Scheme The PCC established the Friends Scheme in 2006 as a sub‐committee of the PCC but with a view to working with the whole village community. We sought advice from the Diocesan Christian Giving and Funding Adviser, and from the Friends Scheme at St Mary’s Woodstock. Our plan was to provide fellowship for church members and other villagers. 31 The Value of Friendship
The Wytham Friends formal objectives are:  to support the work of this church in the community,  to extend the involvement of individuals in the wider community,  to assist in the care and adorning of the church as the focal point of the village,  to assist in preserving the building together with its goods and ornaments for posterity. Membership is open to all those willing to support the aims of the Friends Association. Management of the Scheme Initially it was difficult to find villagers who wanted to get involved in helping to run the organisation but now the Friends Committee now comprises 6‐8 people: three Officers (Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer), the Rector or priest in charge (ex officio,), the Curate, and four members are elected by and from the subscribing members, and one is nominated by the PCC as its representative. The Officers and Members are elected annually at the AGM in June. Excluding the officers, members are elected initially for three years and may be re‐elected thereafter. The Committee meets at least twice a year. There is also an Executive Committee consisting of the three Officers and the Rector. The PCC treasurer has financial oversight and one of the churchwardens looks after communications mostly by email. A small group organises the events. Membership The purpose of the Friends Scheme is to unite all those who love and value this church and its place within the community. Our Scheme aimed at villagers and those who have family and social connections with the village. Members are asked to subscribe £5 pa but many give much more. Membership benefits Members receive a regular newsletter and there are social events. Fundraising has been a great success especially connected with the bi‐centenary of our rebuilding in 2011. We did lots about village history which was well received. Most recently a group of Friends visited Rycote Chapel near Thame which has Norreys family links with Wytham Abbey, the large house at the centre of the Wytham estate. Health of our Friends scheme Currently we have 88 Friends; numbers are growing slowly but at least half the Friends are active members: 20% are church members, 40% residents of the parish, 60 from elsewhere in the UK. Friends like to focus on specific projects, eg. restoring the stained glass, and so they can see the fruits of their labours. On average we raise £5,000+ each year. We make new friends through the events, services, weddings, memorial services and by word of mouth. We sell a book about the history of the church. The strength of our Scheme is that it draws in the whole community and helps to put the church at the centre of the village community. Our advice to another church considering setting up a Friends Scheme is to encourage the wider taking on of responsibility, eg. different leaders for different events, finding talents and involving them. Remember that one Friends Scheme does not fit all: local context is key so be prepared to tweak your approach and programme of activities as you go along. 32 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme C.2 Medium Rural Friends of St Mary‘s, Haddenham (Bucks.) www.haddenhamstmarys.org/ Context: The village of Haddenham lies in Aylesbury Vale in south western Buckinghamshire. St Mary's church is the largest parish in the benefice of Haddenham with Cuddington, Kingsey and Aston Sandford. We are also responsible for the ground‐breaking Cafeplus+ initiative which meets monthly in the village. Our magnificent 13th‐century has been home for many years to a thriving Christian community. We hope that worshippers and visitors alike will find space to discover more about God and the Christian faith, time for prayer and reflection, and also the opportunity to make new friends. Our aim is to be outward looking, open to all, and to share the love of God in Jesus Christ with those around us. Church Electoral Roll (2011) = 140 Setting up our scheme We established the Friends in January 2011, although the idea had been swirling around for several years with no‐one really motivated to take action. The idea to set up a Friends Scheme came from within the PCC where it was seen as an opportunity for non‐church goers to contribute to the heritage of the church building without concern that funds were used for the church’s mission and ministry activities. Via the Internet we reviewed other diocese’s experience, particularly Portsmouth, Truro and Canterbury. We discussed the idea with churchwardens from next‐door parishes, Thame and Long Crendon, where Friends schemes have run for some years. The Canterbury Friends booklet was circulated to all PCC members. We also gained advice from the Parish Development Adviser for Buckinghamshire archdeaconry and the Christian Giving and Funding Adviser. Although our church has a mission plan, the Friends Scheme does not feature. The church building is open every day of the week from early morning until early evening. Management of the scheme Our original plan was for the Friends to be an independent charity. However, further PCC discussion led us to form the Scheme as a PCC sub‐committee of 6 persons, comprising, ex‐
officio: our parish minister and a churchwarden, plus two other PCC members, and currently two non‐church goers. We spent a considerable chunk of the first year after launching the Friends in producing a Terms of Reference that satisfied all parties; the finished text was worth the effort: The Friends committee should have a Chairperson, Vice‐chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary. The committee should include two members of the PCC of St Mary’s, Haddenham, one of whom should be a churchwarden. The parish priest may elect to be an ex‐officio member. Other persons with specific skills and experience may be co‐opted onto the committee up to a maximum membership of 11. 33 The Value of Friendship
The FOSM Chairperson may be asked to be a co‐opted member of the PCC. If the chair is not a member of the PCC and was not co‐opted, a PCC member to work on the committee should deliver the regular reports. There is no requirement for committee members to be on the electoral roll, apart from the two PCC representatives. The members of the Friends committee are subject to ratification by the PCC of St Mary’s, Haddenham. The PCC and PCC treasurer provide financial oversight. An executive committee looks after communications and events. Membership Our scheme aimed at involving anyone with an interest in the heritage of the church building. Our charitable objectives are: The Friends is established to promote the restoration, preservation, repair, maintenance, improvement and beautification of the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Haddenham (hereinafter called 'the Church') and of the monuments, fittings, fixtures, stained glass, furniture, ornaments and chattels in the church and churchyard belonging to the Church. In pursuance of its mission the FOSM recognises that the purpose of the Church is as a place of Christian worship. We ask members to pay a suggested minimum of £10 pa. We seek to make new friends via: (a) an initial mail shot around the parish, (b) articles in local news sheets, (c) fundraising events, (d) literature in church building, (e) encouraging members to recruit neighbours/friends, (f) presence at local events e.g. village fete. We are not currently approaching local business for funding, however we have discussed this possibility. As the Friends sub‐committee is part of the PCC, the PCC may in future defer applications to grant‐making trusts to the Friends committee. Membership benefits Members receive news sheets every six months, and can attend fundraising events at a slightly lower rate. These includes concerts and quizzes. We plan to have a page on our church’s website. Health of our Friends Scheme Currently we have 84 members, of whom 41% are church members, 97% are residents of the parish, and 3% are from elsewhere in the UK. We are still young so our membership numbers are growing slowly. The strengths of the scheme are that our church is an iconic building locally, the Friends committee has a good deal of relevant skills and experience; and we are able to network widely with potential ‘friends’. So far we have found it difficult to attract more non‐church members to join the executive committee which we believe is because the parish is very active and most potential non‐
church going members who might join the committee are already heavily committed to other activities. 34 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme One of the most unexpected things since we set up the Friends has been some generous one‐off gifts. In our first year (2011) our income was £5,583 and in 2012 our income was £8,505. We would advise another church considering setting up a Friends Scheme to consult widely with the parish congregation and not just PCC and to think carefully about the visibility and identity of the Friends within the village community. C.3 Market town Friends of Burford Church of St John the Baptist (1980) http://www.burfordchurch.org/ Context: Burford is a medieval market town in the eastern Cotswolds. Its many stone buildings speak of the wealth of sheep farming and the wool industry that flowed through the town. The tall spire of St John the Baptist’s church dates rests on a 12th century tower. This large church was enlarged during subsequent centuries and includes amongst its monuments what is regarded as the earliest depiction in English sculpture of native Americans. The churchyard has links with the violence of the English Civil War. Church Electoral Roll (2011) = 162 Setting up our church’s Friends Scheme During WWII we welcomed evacuees to our parish many of whom kept in touch with Burford after they returned home. The vicar in the post war years formed a network of retired school teachers and ex‐army officers who worked as church guides. The formal Friends scheme was launched as a sub‐committee in 1946 by the bishop of Oxford – making it one of the earliest Friends Schemes in the country. The inaugural meeting of the Friends of Burford Church was held on 1 July 1946 thus realising the cherished hope since pre‐war days of the Vicar the Reverend Fairfax Scott Tucker. The main interest and purpose of the Friends would be the preservation and enrichment of the ancient and beautiful parish church. In 1980 the Friends were registered formally with the Charity Commission. Our Scheme’s charitable objectives are to: 

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to undertake improvements which do not come within the scope of funds for maintenance of the fabric of the church. to help, if necessary, with grants towards other essential work in the church or churchyard which, in the opinion of the friends, could not otherwise be undertaken. to unite all those who love and value Burford church in a ‘Company of Friends’. Our church and parish has a mission plan, of which the Friends scheme forms an element. Management of the Scheme The committee (board of trustees) comprises a President, a chair (the Rector), treasurer, secretary plus 4 church members and 3 members from the local community. The treasurer has financial oversight, and the secretary and another member look after communications and events. 35 The Value of Friendship
Membership Our scheme is designed to help people keep touch with the church especially those who want to support and to encourage visitors to the Cotswolds to join. When we first launched the Scheme there was a life membership at £30. This is still our life membership but also receive donations. Most of our money now comes from sale of postcards and booklets. Originally many of the Friends came from around the town but this has changed over time as some people have moved away, though many remain as Friends. We have leaflets on the visitors’ desk in the church to encourage visitors to join the Friends. Membership benefits Members receive a newsletter and there are regular services and social events that include an annual outing (usually 25‐28 members), for instance, to the House of Commons, the House of Lords, museums, stately homes and gardens. At our AGM we always have a speaker: the Rt Revd Colin Fletcher, Bishop of Dorchester, will be our next speaker. Health of our Friends scheme Currently we have 120 members, of whom 60% come from locally and 40% are from elsewhere in the UK and abroad. Our numbers are gradually falling. On average we raise £5‐7,000 pa, though in the past we have raised more than this if there was a specific project on the church building. C.4 Town or city centre St Edburg’s Foundation, Bicester, Oxon (2011) www.stedburgschurch.org/history/st‐edburgs‐foundation Context: Bicester is a former medieval market town in eastern Oxfordshire. Through the on‐going development of huge housing estates around Bicester, it will become one of the largest towns in Britain. St Edburg’s is a large medieval church which once stood outside the precincts of Bicester Priory (demolished at the Dissolution of the Monasteries). The church, largely dating from 12th century, with 13th‐ and 14th‐c. aisles and a 15th‐c. tower, is the largest non‐commercial covered space in Bicester and can be used for many diverse events such as conferences, concerts, meetings and exhibitions. Phase Two of a large‐scale Reordering Project is underway; it aims to improve the current facilities by removing the pews, providing kitchen, toilet facilities and an improved heating system, thus making the space much more accessible and flexible for the whole community. Church Electoral Roll (2011) = 180 Setting up our Foundation Discussions began in 2009 to explore forming a Friends Scheme. This was considered by the PCC in 2010 and a decision was made to move away from the usual Friends’ Scheme and instead form the St Edburg’s Foundation which is focused on making friends with local people and offering them opportunities to appreciate the history of St Edburg’s and its role as a community resource. 36 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme The Foundation aims to bring together those who value our ancient church and who appreciate the importance of the building to Bicester. Our activities are designed to sustain and enhance the church’s heritage and improve the building so that it serves the needs of today and the future. We see the Foundation as a great opportunity to open St Edburg’s to people who might not usually step inside. We are also keen to get the young people of Bicester to showcase their talents in our majestic building. We sought advice from the Diocesan Christian Giving and Funding Adviser, the Canterbury booklet, and looked at other churches’ schemes. Management of the Scheme The Foundation is set up as an independent charity. Its executive committee comprises: a chair, treasurer, and six members of whom 4 are church members and 3 are from the wider community. The treasurer has financial oversight. Membership The Foundation will appeal to anyone who appreciates the building, its history and its potential at the heart of the town. Whilst not excluding current church members, it is more aimed at people who live or work in Bicester or have done so and value the building and want to see it continue its role at the centre of the town. We make new friends by regular newsletters, a website, posters inviting people to our events, and articles in local newspapers. Membership benefits We have offered a series of talks, events and an exhibition about the church silver usually displayed in Christchurch Cathedral’s treasury in Oxford. We have also had a coach trip for 50 people to the House of Commons and Westminster Abbey. The Foundation is not seeking to raise funds for the general upkeep of the building but will from time to time launch appeals for specific projects to protect or enhance the heritage of the building. Any funds raised will go directly to that project and will not be diverted to day‐
to‐day church running costs. Our church has a mission plan and the Foundation forms part of this plan. Health of our Foundation Currently we have 45 members, of whom 50% are church members, and 50% are members of the wider community. We are still young so our membership numbers are growing slowly. We continue to devise new ways in which people can be involved: a Christmas tree festival (where local companies and families were asked to sponsor a tree, come and decorate it, then take it away with them: 500 people came and raised £1,000, half given to the church and half for new lighting), a history trail (someone wrote a script so that visitors would come upon scenes acted out from Bicester’s long: 70 people came), a cycle ride from St Ethelburga’s church in Broadway (Worcs.) to St Edburg’s in Bicester, with prizes given at the end of the ride. We are grateful to three companies who have taken out corporate membership. 37 The Value of Friendship
Friends of Windsor Parish Church – St John the Baptist (2012) www.achurchnearyou.com/windsor‐parish‐church/ Context: in the shadow of Windsor Castle, this 19th‐century church is open seven days a week for prayer and quiet. With a beautiful painting of the Last Supper and 1,000 seat capacity and prime location we host many weddings and have a concert season as well as our Sunday worship and other special events. Church Electoral Roll (2011) = 117 Setting up our church’s Friends Scheme In recent years we needed to raise £50,000 to repair the church tower. This brought in many small gifts so these donors represented potential friends. Also many schools use us as a resource. We invited all these donors and contacts to a Service of Thanksgiving and were surprised at how passionate they were about the building. We have got to know them better since then. Although the PCC established the Scheme in 2012, it took 2‐3 years of discussion and planning: initially, an informal group outside of the PCC explored the idea but involved the rector all the way through. Our original idea was for a joint scheme with Holy Trinity, our sister church (The “Garrison Church”) but we found only enough energy for one church to be involved at this time. The group then presented a proposal; however the PCC did not immediately accept our case and asked us to go away and work up our Terms of Reference. The PCC accepted these Terms in 2012. We sought advice from the Diocesan Christian Giving and Funding Adviser, the Canterbury booklet, other churches, and looked at other schemes’ leaflets including a cathedral. Management of the Scheme Our Scheme is a sub‐committee of PCC, and comprises a chair, the priest in charge (ex‐ officio), a Social Secretary, and Membership Secretary, plus XX members. The PCC treasurer has financial oversight. Membership We see the Friends as an important part of our mission plan, reaching out to the many visitors who come to Windsor each year: we are a key town centre site in the shadow of Windsor Castle (a world class tourist destination) and next to Guildhall where HRH Prince Charles and Camilla were married. Our church is visited by thousands of UK and international tourists each year. Of the six objectives of our scheme, fundraising is only the fifth one. We believe that by engaging with people who care about the parish church, they will help us to continue to serve the local community for years to come. The aim of the Friends of Windsor Parish Church of St John the Baptist is to promote wider interest in the care and conservation of the church. The Parish Church serves the town of Windsor – the residents, local schools and businesses, town visitors and shoppers. However, we realise that many people have an attachment to the Parish Church; those who were married or baptised here; present and past parishioners; those who have visited and admired its historic interior and those who have developed an affection for this church as a place of prayer and service to the community. 38 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme Friends are invited to make a one‐off donation (perhaps in memory of a loved one), sign up for a Standing Order or to make a gift in their Will. We make new friends by inviting visitors to take a glossy leaflet left around the church. However by late 2012 all those initial leaflets had been picked up so we designed a new, cheaper leaflet and small cards to be left in church with a tick box marked “I am interested in learning more about the Friends scheme” inviting them to leave their contact details. We are currently thinking how to engage more effectively with visitors, especially those from Japan and China who appear to do a ‘ticking the box’ tourist exercise, ie. when in Windsor you must visit the castle, the Guildhall and the parish church. Annual gifts suggested: Individual: £15 or more, Joint/Family: £20 or more, Local schools/colleges: £10, Corporate (for businesses, clubs and associations): £100. Membership benefits Friends receive a newsletter twice a year, and invitations to social events. We have two pages on the parish website which links a web visitor to our Application Form to join the Friends and a gift form. Health of our Friends scheme Currently we have 68 members, of whom approx. 50% are church members, 90% are local residents, and 7% are from elsewhere in the UK. In addition, three local companies have become corporate members. Numbers and funds are beginning to grow steadily. C.5 Suburban Friends of All Saints’, Ascot Heath, Berks. (2012) www.all‐saints‐ascot.org/friends‐of‐all‐saints Context: As a suburban community in Berkshire, Ascot Heath has no real physical centre, no village green or group of shops; the church and its hall lie on the main A road half way between Bracknell and Sunninghill with private housing to north and south of the road. Although there are lots of young families, there is little community feel to North Ascot; ‘community’ activities focus around the state and private schools in the area. All Saints’ church is a mid‐Victorian Gothic church with amazing neo‐Gothic wall paintings. We are located less than 1.0km from the race course. Church Electoral Roll (2011) = 276 Setting up our church’s Friends Scheme After 18 months’ planning we launched the Friends in 2012 prior to our church’s 150th anniversary in 2014. We want the Friends to be a means of:  reaching out into the wider community,  focusing attention on the church’s 150th anniversary in 2013. We sought advice from the Diocesan Christian Giving and Funding Adviser, and the Canterbury Diocese booklet. Our Scheme is a sub‐committee of the PCC. Its activities fit into our mission plan as part of our outreach into the local community and beyond. Our church’s ministry of welcome 39 The Value of Friendship
provides welcomers at our services who invite new folk to coffee after the service, give out leaflets to collect contact information for visits and we have occasional “welcome suppers”. The church is open during daylight hours and the Parish office on weekday mornings. We have e‐mail access and a website and social media links. Management of the Scheme The Friends Scheme is run by a PCC sub‐committee and comprises a chair (at present a past rector), the current rector, two churchwardens , membership secretary, events and newsletter secretary, and a vacancy to be filled for a member from beyond the congregation. The PCC treasurer has financial oversight. Membership Our scheme is aimed at making friends with local people, and also includes keeping in touch with former church members. Sadly, we found that former church members who have moved away have now formed relationships with their new churches and were not interested in becoming Friends. Friends pay subscriptions of £10pa or £200 life membership. We don’t get funding from trusts or businesses. We make new friends by writing to local people, and former church members who had moved away. Our website allows people to become a Friend. Membership benefits Our Friends receive two newsletters pa and there is a webpage on our church website Regular activities include concerts (the first of which was very well attended and raised a large amount of funds; the second concert proved successful as did a wine tasting social evening, both of which raised over £400. Even prior to establishing the Friends, we offered hospitality for Royal Ascot Week (licensed restaurant in the church hall). Health of our Friends scheme Numbers are growing very slowly: we currently have 14 members (4 of whom are life members), the majority of whom are church members, 5 are past members who have moved away and 2 live abroad. We intend to use our celebratory events for our 150th anniversary in 2014 to raise the profile of the Friends Scheme and we anticipate current discussion on the possible re‐
ordering of the church to arouse interest. Friends of All Saints’, Chalfont St Peter, Bucks. (2012) www.csp‐parish.org.uk/Downloads/AllSaintsFriends.pdf Context: All Saints’ church lies south of the heart of the large commuter belt village of Chalfont St. Peter in eastern Buckinghamshire. It was built in 1912 as the area developed around the railway running through Gerrards Cross. Although designed by Temple Moore as a daughter church to the nearby medieval St Peter’s church, only All Saints’ North Aisle (capable of holding 200 people) was actually built. The choir stalls and chancel are considered to be good examples of the ‘Arts and Crafts’ design of the time. 40 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme Our church is renowned for its musical tradition, helped by the acoustics of the barrel vaulted roof. In celebration of our centenary, a new stained glass window has been commissioned depicting St Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians and church music Church Electoral Roll (2011) = 284 Setting up our church’s Friends Scheme After 12 months’ planning we launched the Friends in 2012 to coincide with the centenary of the Laying of the All Saints’ Foundation Stone in September 1912. We want the Friends to be a means of uniting all those who love and value this church and its place within the community. We sought advice from the Diocesan Christian Giving and Funding Adviser, and the Canterbury Diocese booklet. Management of the Scheme The Friends Scheme is moving towards registering as an independent charity. The Friends are run by a Committee elected by and from the subscribing members. It consists of three Officers (Chair, Secretary and Treasurer), the Parish Vicar ex officio, the Resident Priest(s) of All Saints ex officio and four elected members one of whom shall be nominated by the PCC as its representative. There is an Executive Committee comprising the three Officers, the Parish Vicar and Resident Priest(s) of All Saints. The Treasurer has financial oversight. Membership Our Friends endeavour:  to provide an opportunity for all members of the immediate community (irrespective of faith or preference of worship) to befriend All Saints and to embrace it as being their local church and a focal point of community,  to offer an opportunity for those who may not now be part of the immediate community but have had some association with All Saints to befriend and support it.  to cooperate with the Clergy and Church Committees to help ensure that All Saints is a flourishing church at the heart of its local community  to raise funds and otherwise to financially support the maintenance of the All Saints’ church building and its environs.  to encourage Friends to organise, support and participate in community events held in support of these aims. Friends are invited to pay a £5 annual subscription. We make new friends by holding events, leaflet drops around the village and writing to local people. Membership benefits Our Friends receive a regular newsletter and we have a page on the church’s website to invite people to become a Friend and make a gift. The Scheme was launched in June 2012 with a Musical Event in the Church as part of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations. The intimal work of the friends was to focus on the centenary of the Laying of the All Saints’ Foundation Stone in September 1912. Health of our Friends scheme Being such a new Scheme our membership is just beginning to get off the ground. 41 The Value of Friendship
APPENDIX I Option 1 Scheme (PCC sub‐committee): Terms of Reference The Friends will include those who live locally or further afield who have visited and admired its fine architecture and historic interior and those who have developed an affection for this church as a place of prayer and service to the community. The Friends will seek – through social events and communications – to promote a shared sense of community by organising social events and disseminating an understanding of the architecture, art and archaeology of St Someone’s church and its role in the history of Anyplace and its district. The Friends exist to work in partnership with the Parochial Church Council (PCC) of St Someone, Anyplace (Diocese of Xxxxx) to assist in the upkeep and development of the church, its churchyard and associated buildings as a community resource. The PCC of St Someone has passed a Resolution establishing the Friends as a sub‐
committee, and has two members of the PCC as members of the Friends committee. The Friends scheme is set up under the aegis of the PCC whose officers control its workings. Funds donated by or raised by the Friends are to be used under the direction of the PCC solely for the purpose of maintaining, conserving and developing St Someone’s church, its churchyard and associated buildings as a community resource, and promoting knowledge of the same. The ultimate responsibility for the care, maintenance, repair and insurance of St Someone’s church is vested in the PCC under "The Parochial Church Council's (Powers) Measure 1956". This cannot be delegated to another body by law. The Friends of St Someone Church Fund is a Restricted Fund of St Someone PCC and as such cannot be used for any other purpose. The Friends committee should have a Chair, Treasurer and Secretary and two members of the PCC of St Someone, one of which five persons should be a churchwarden. The parish priest may elect to be an ex‐officio member. Other persons with specific skills and experience may be co‐opted onto the committee up to a maximum membership of x . The members of the Friends committee are subject to approval by the PCC of St Someone. The treasurer of the Friends committee will liaise with the PCC treasurer for the recovery of Gift Aid on appropriate gifts to the Friends Fund, using the HMRC registration of the PCC (or DCC if it is the designated Gift Aid ‘entity’ for HMRC). The Friends will be responsible for organizing membership, communication with members, and social events, including those for fund‐raising purposes. The PCC of St Someone may delegate to the Friends committee the role of making grant applications (including VAT refunds) for funds to repair, restore and conserve the Church of St Someone. Grant applications should be for work prioritized, approved and overseen by the PCC. Such grants as applied for and the results of the application process should be reported to the PCC. 42 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme The Friends committee may use its funds for necessary expenses incurred and for fund‐
raising purposes. Regular reports on financial activity should be made to the PCC. The Friends committee is to have a bank account(s) into which should be paid all monies from fund raising events held in aid of the fund and all gifts and donations, grants, together with all monies intended for the repair and restoration of the Church and VAT rebates. The balances on these accounts should be reported regularly to the PCC. The PCC shall set payment authorisation limits for committee members and specify who may be bank signatories. The Friends committee’s Treasurer is to prepare accounts to 31st December annually and pass them to the PCC Treasurer for inclusion as a Restricted Fund in the PCC accounts. These accounts will be subject to independent examination or audit as set out in the current Church Accounting Regulations by the same independent examiner/auditor as that used by the PCC. The Friends Committee shall present a report to the PCC and at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting of St Someone. APPENDIX II Option 2 Scheme (independent charity): Starting up a Charity www.charity‐commission.gov.uk/Start_up_a_charity/default.aspx The Charity Commission writes that when thinking of starting a new charity, there are some things you need to think about first:  Is setting up a charity the right thing to do?  Do I need to register?  Guidance on registering a new charity  Incorporating an existing charity as a company ‐ Questions and answers  Register a new charity.” Once your PCC has made the decision to start a Charity, the Charity Commission provides comprehensive guidance on the steps which you will need to take: RS6 Milestones: Managing key events in the life of a charity www.charity‐commission.gov.uk/publications/rs6.aspx Contents  Introduction  Executive summary  Starting up: Registering as a charity The role of the governing document Incorporation  Planning ahead: Extent of planning Accuracy of expectations  Funding: Independence Sustainability Contract funding 43 The Value of Friendship
Grant funding Grant making charities Managing fundraising Raising funds through appeals Raising funds through trading  Managing change: Updating the governing document Developing capacity Employment Balancing responsibilities between trustees and employees Acquisition and disposal of land Winding up Alternatives to winding up Annex A ‐ Questions to ask at each stage Annex B ‐ Survey Findings Annex C ‐ Glossary of Terms Annex D ‐ Resources for Trustees Annex E ‐ Bibliography APPENDIX III Option 2 Scheme (independent charity): Constitution NB. If Friends Scheme income is £5,000+ you will need to register as a charity. The Charity Commission has a model constitution at www.charity‐commission.gov.uk. (1) Name The name of the association is the Friends of the Parish Church of [All Saints, Anywhere] (hereinafter called ‘The Friends’). (2) Objects and powers (a) The Friends is established to advance the Christian religion by the restoration, preservation, repair, maintenance, improvement and beautification of the Parish Church of [All Saints, Anywhere] in the Diocese of [Somewhere] (hereinafter called ‘the Church’) and of the monuments, fittings, fixtures, stained glass, furniture, ornaments and chattels in the church and churchyard belonging to the Church. (b) In furtherance of the said objects but not otherwise the Friends’ may: (i) Arrange and provide for or join in arranging and providing for the holding of exhibitions, meetings, lectures and classes. (ii) Collect and disseminate information on all matters affecting the objects. Cause to be written and printed or otherwise circulated, gratuitously or otherwise, such papers, books, periodicals, pamphlets or other documentation or films, websites or recorded tapes (whether audio or visual or both) as shall further the objects. (iii) Raise funds by any lawful means and through any lawful activity and invite and receive contributions from any person or persons whatsoever by way of 44 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme subscriptions and otherwise PROVIDED THAT the Friends shall not undertake permanent trading activities in raising funds for the objects. (iv) Make grants of money and gifts of other property to the Parochial Church Council of the Parish of [All Saints] exclusively for the purpose of the said objects, and generally assist those responsible for the care and maintenance of the church. (v) Invest the monies of the Friends not immediately required for the said objects in or upon such investments, securities or property as may be thought fit, subject nevertheless of such conditions (if any) as may for the time being be imposed or required by law. (vi) Do all such other lawful things as a necessary for the attainment of the said objects. (3) Membership (a) Membership of the Friends shall be open to all who are interested in furthering the work of the Friends and who have paid the annual subscription as laid down from time to time by the Executive Committee established under Clause 5, below. (b) Honorary members may be appointed at the discretion of the Executive Committee. Honorary members shall not be entitled to vote. (c) Every member over the age of 18 years shall have one vote. (d) The Executive Committee shall have the right to terminate the membership of any person for good and sufficient reason PROVIDED THAT the member concerned shall have the right to be heard by the Executive Committee before a final decision is made. (4) Honorary officers (a) The incumbent of the benefice of [All Saints, Anywhere] or, if the parish is vacant, the priest or curate in charge of the Parish of [All Saints] shall be president of the Friends and a member of the Executive Committee ex officio. (b) At the Annual General Meeting hereinafter mentioned the Friends shall elect a Chairman, a Vice‐Chairman, a Secretary, a Treasurer and such other Honorary Officers as the Friends shall from time to time decide. (c) The Chairman and the Honorary Officers of the Friends shall hold office until the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting next after their election but shall be eligible for re‐election PROVIDED THAT no Honorary Officer shall hold office for more than [3] consecutive years. On the expiration of such period [1] further year must elapse before any former Honorary Officer shall be eligible for re‐election. (d) The Chairman and Honorary Officers shall be ex‐officio members of the Friends. The Executive Committee and of any other committee. (e) The Friends shall ensure that their accounts are independently examined or audited, and shall appoint one or more independent examiners or qualified auditors and may determine their remuneration (if any). (5) Executive committee (a) Subject as hereinafter mentioned the policy and general management of the affairs of the Friends shall be directed by and Executive Committee (hereinafter called ‘the Committee) which shall meet not fewer than [4] times per year. 45 The Value of Friendship
(b) The Committee when complete shall consist of: (i) The Honorary Officers; (ii) Two members of the Parochial Church Council of the Parish of [All Saints] appointed annually by the Parochial Church Council at its first meeting after the Annual General Meeting of the Friends; and (iii) Not fewer than [6] or more than [9] elected members. (c) The elected members of the Committee shall be elected at the Annual General meeting in accordance with Clause 6. (d) Election to the Committee shall be for three years. One‐third of the membership shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re‐election, the members to retire being those who have been longest in office since the last election but not reckoning ex officio members. As between members who have been in office the same length of time, those due to retire shall be chosen by lot. (e) In addition to the members so elected and to those serving by virtue of clause (a) or (d) the Committee may co‐opt up to [3] further members being members of the Friends who shall serve until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting after individual co‐option PROVIDED THAT the number of co‐opted members shall not exceed one‐third of the total membership of the Committee at the time of co‐option. Co‐opted members shall be entitled to vote at meetings of the Committee. (f) Any casual vacancy in the Committee may be filled up by the Committee and any person appointed to fill such a casual vacancy shall hold office until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting and shall be eligible for election at that Meeting. (g) The proceedings of the Committee shall not be invalidated by any failure to elect or any defect in the election, appointment, co‐option or qualification of any member. (h) The committee may appoint such special or standing committees as may be deemed necessary by the Committee and shall determine their terms of reference powers duration and composition. All acts and proceedings of such standing committees shall be reported back to the Committee as soon as possible. (6) Meetings of the Association (a) The first General Meeting of the Friends shall be held not later than the [ ] and once in each year thereafter an Annual General Meeting of the Friends shall be held at such time (not being more than 15 months after the holding of the preceding Annual General Meeting) and place as the Committee shall determine. At least 21 days’ clear notice shall be given by displaying such notice on the Church notice board and by any such other means as the Secretary thinks fit. At such Annual General Meeting the business shall include the election of Honorary Officers; the election of full members to serve on the committee; the appointment of an auditor or auditors; the consideration of an annual report of the work done by or under the auspices of the Committee and of the audited accounts; and the transaction of such other matters as may from time to time be necessary. 46 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme (b) The Chairman of the Committee may at any time at his/her discretion and the Secretary shall within 21 days of receiving a written request so to do, signed by not fewer than [10] members and giving reasons for the request, call a Special General Meeting. (7) Nominations of honorary officers and committee members (a) Only members of the Friends shall be eligible to serve as Honorary Officers or members of the Committee. Nominations for Honorary Officers or members of the Association must be made by members of the Association in writing and must be in the hands of the Secretary at least [21] days before the Annual General Meeting. Should nominations exceed vacancies, election shall be by show of hands. (8) Rules of procedure at all meetings (a) Quorum. There shall be a quorum at the meeting of the Friends’ (including Extraordinary General meetings and Annual General Meetings) when at least [xx] members of the total actual membership of the Friends for the time being are present. There shall be a quorum at a meeting of the Committee or any Committee appointed under clause 5(g) when at least one third of the number of members of the Committee are present at the meeting. (b) Voting. Save as otherwise herein provided, all question arising at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote but in case of an equality of votes the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second casting vote. (c) Minutes. Minute books shall be kept by the Committee and all other committees, and the appropriate Secretary shall enter therein a record of all proceedings and resolutions. (d) Standing Orders and Rules. The Committee shall have power to adopt and issue Standing Orders and/or Rules for the Friends’. Such Standing Orders and/or Rules shall come into operation immediately PROVIDED ALWAYS that they shall be subject to review by the Friends’ in a General Meeting and shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution. (9) Finance (a) All monies raised by or on behalf of the Friends’ shall be applied to further the objects Friends and for no other purpose PROVIDED THAT nothing herein contained shall prevent the repayment to members of the Committee or of any committee appointed under clause 5(g) hereof of reasonable out‐of‐pocket expenses. (b) The Honorary Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the Friends. (c) The accounts shall be audited at least once a year by the auditor or external examiner appointed at the Annual General Meeting. (d) An audited statement of the accounts for the last financial year shall be submitted by the Committee to the Annual General Meeting as aforesaid. (e) A bank account shall be opened in the name of the Friends with [ ] Bank plc, of [ ] or such other bank as the Committee shall from time to time decide. The Committee shall authorize in writing the Treasurer, the Secretary of the Friends and two members of the 47 The Value of Friendship
Committee to sign cheques on behalf of the Friends. All cheques must be signed by not fewer than two of the four authorised signatories. (10) Alterations to the Constitution Any alteration of this Constitution shall receive the assent of not less than two‐thirds of the full membership of the Friends for the time being whether individual or representative present and voting at a meeting specially called for the purpose PROVIDED THAT notice of any such alteration shall have been received by the secretary in writing not fewer than 21 clear days before the meeting at which the alteration is to be proposed. At least 14 clear days’ notice in writing of such a meeting, setting forth the terms of the alteration, shall be sent by the Secretary to each member of the Friends PROVIDED THAT no alteration shall be made which would have the effect of causing the Friends to cease to be a Charity in law. (11) Dissolution If the Committee by a simple majority decide at any time that on the grounds of expense, or otherwise, it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Friends it shall call a meeting of all members of the Friends who have the power to vote, of which meeting not fewer than 21 days’ notice (stating the terms of the Resolution to be proposed) shall be given. If such a decision shall be confirmed by a [two‐thirds] majority of those present and voting at such a meeting the Committee shall have power to dispose of any assets held or on behalf of the Friends’. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institutions have objects similar to the object of the Friends as the Committee may determine. (12) Notices Any notice may be served by the Secretary on any member either personally or by sending it through the post in a prepaid letter addressed to such member at his or her last known address in the United Kingdom and any letter so sent shall be deemed to having been received within three working days of posting. 48 How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme APPENDIX IV Option 3 (Perpetual Fabric Fund): Draft Trust Deed The following Trust Deed contains all the necessary elements to set up such a Fund. PERPETUAL FABRIC FUND TRUST THIS DECLARATION OF TRUST is made the [__] day of [year] between the Rector/Vicar/Priest‐in‐Charge** and Churchwardens of the Benefice of [___] in the county of [_____] and the Diocese of [______] (hereinafter called ‘the Rector and Churchwardens’) of the one part and the [_________] Diocesan Board of Finance, [Address] (hereinafter called ‘the Trustees’). WHEREAS: 1.
The Rector** and Churchwardens having recently received the sum of [_____] pounds to be used at their absolute discretion. They intend forthwith to found the St [____] Perpetual Fabric Fund as a permanent trust (hereinafter called respectively ‘the Fund’ and ‘the Trust’) for the purposes of the upkeep repair and maintenance and insurance for the fabric contents and equipment of the Church of St [____] and its churchyard and of any further burial ground now existing or to be created for the church at some time in the future. 2.
The Trustees to whom it is intended that the said money as well as any further monies received by the Rector and Churchwardens for the purposes of the Trust shall be paid are the appropriate authority for the purposes of the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956 and the Incumbent and Churchwardens (Trusts) Measure 1964 and have agreed to accept the said money upon the terms and subject to the Trusts hereinafter appearing. NOW IT IS HEREBY AGREED AND DECLARED as follows: 3.
The Trustees shall stand possessed of the said sum of [_____] pounds together with all other monies as may subsequently from time to time subscribed upon condition that their powers to invest reinvest and to vary the investment of the said monies shall not be limited to the making of investments authorised by law for the investment of trust funds and that they shall have power to invest and reinvest the said monies in any investment which in their absolute discretion they may deem fit as if they were beneficial owners. 4.
The managing Trustees of the Fund shall be the Rector and Churchwardens of the said parish of [_____] for the time being who may annually at the Annual Parochial Church Council meeting co‐opt two persons to serve for the year immediately following as additional Managing Trustees. 5.
The said sum of [_____] pounds together with all other monies as may be subsequently from time to time subscribed shall be held by the Trustees which latter shall use the income and capital of the Fund solely for the purposes of the Trust in the following manner: (a) Firstly at the absolute discretion they may use the income in any one year together with any accumulated income not spent in previous years unless that 49 The Value of Friendship
income from previous years has been converted into capital and so recorded by the Trustees. (b) Secondly only with the consent of the Archdeacon they may use no more than 20% of the capital of the Fund at any one time provided that the capital is repaid not later than three years after the expenditure. (c) Thirdly at their own absolute discretion the Managing Trustees may apply any part of the income they deem to immediately required for the aforesaid purposes for the like purpose in relation to the church of St [______]. The Rector and Churchwardens for the time being hereby indemnify the Trustees against all actions costs claims and demands arising out of any act of omission on their part or on the part of their successors in title in pursuance or contrary to the trusts hereof. 6.
7.
In the case that the Church of St [_____] shall be declared redundant then the Trustees shall xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxx. 8.
The Trustees may reimburse themselves either from capital or income in respect of all costs and expenses incurred by them in the administration of the Trust. 9.
For the purpose of administration the Trust shall be considered as a permanent Trust. 10.
The Rector and Churchwardens for the time being and the Trustees shall have the power to accept such further sums as may be subscribed from time to time as in addition to the said original sum of [ ] pounds. IN WITNESS whereof the Rector** and Churchwardens have hereunto set their hands and seals and the Common Seal of the Trustees was hereunto affixed the day and year first before written. SIGNED SEALED AND DELIVERED By __________________________________________________________ and __________________________________________________________ and _________________________________________________________ being The Rector** and two Churchwardens of the Benefice of [________________________________ ] in the presence of ____________________________________________________________ The Common Seal of the [________ Diocesan Board of Finance] Was hereunto affixed In the presence of: Chairman: __________________ NB. **Rector/vicar/incumbent/minister as appropriate to the parish 50 Secretary: __________________ How to… Establish and Sustain a Friends Scheme FURTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES Mission Action Planning Department of Mission, Oxford Diocese: www.oxford.anglican.org/mission‐ministry/mission/mission‐action‐planning/ Mission and Ministry Development, Hereford Diocese: www.hereford.anglican.org/churchwork/mission_ministry_and_development/parish
_development_and_mapping/mapping/index.aspx Small but GROWING: Twelve Steps into Evangelism and Church Growth for smaller churches By Robin Gamble, published by Springboard to help small churches to develop a mission plan that reaches out more effectively to their local communities. Available from the Department of Mission, Diocesan Church House, North Hinksey lane. Oxford OX2 0NB. A Health Check for Churches Self‐examine your church perhaps on an Away Day (available from the Department of Mission, Diocesan Church House, Oxford) Welcome, Inclusion, Respect: A Commitment to a Church open to all By Wendy Bryant, Diocesan Adviser on disabilities to help churches understand the contribution which people with disabilities can and do make to the life of the church and the wider community. available as a pdf at: www.oxford.anglican.org/wp‐
content/uploads/2013/01/Welcome‐Inclusion‐Respect‐June‐2011.pdf Everybody Welcome A complete 5‐session teaching course to transform your church by improving your approach to newcomers (www.everybodywelcome.org.uk) Mission‐shaped Church (2004) A report from a Working Party of the Church of England’s Mission and Public Affairs Council (available from Church House Publications) Mission‐shaped Rural By Sally Gaze to help to grow rural churches (available from Church House Publications) Promoting Legacy Giving 1.
A Short Guide to Encouraging Giving through Legacies (Practical steps for parishes) 2.
How you can make a lasting difference to the work of your Church (a booklet for church members describing the benefits that legacies have brought to churches in the diocese) 3.
Help and Support as you make your Will (pack to help someone writing their Will) 51 The Value of Friendship
For further information, please contact Robin Brunner‐Ellis, Christian Giving and Funding Adviser Tel: (01865) 208 254, Email: robin.brunner‐ellis@oxford.anglican.org Or Team Secretary, Melanie Hawgood: Tel: (01865) 208 252 Email: melanie.hawgood@oxford.anglican.org Department of Mission Diocesan Church House North Hinksey Lane Oxford. OX2 0NB 52