C5. Ministry and Mission Fund Assessment Scheme

1          In the United Reformed Church, the whole Church pays for the whole stipendiary ministry the whole of the time.   This is an expression of our corporate fellowship.

2          In order to make this possible, Synods are challenged to raise a given amount of money each year, assessed according to their size and membership.  The total Synod target figure is broken down among the local churches according to the following method, agreed by the Synod in March 1999 and amended in October 2003 and March 2004.

3          Local churches are asked to contribute annually to the Ministry and Mission Fund a certain amount per head of their membership, plus one third of this amount per other regular worshipper.  Other regular worshippers are defined as people who attend at least 12 times a year and are over 18 years of age.

4          A local church is defined for these purposes as a fellowship which has a single membership roll as recorded in the Synod Directory, or as a fellowship within a church which has a single membership roll but more than one worship centre and where the membership of each worship centre can be accurately counted.

5          Where there is a pastorate with more than one church, variation of contribution will be permitted within the pastorate, so long as the total contribution requested from the pastorate is met.

6          Churches are classified in three categories of members and other regular worshippers: small: under 50; medium: 51 – 120; large: 120 plus.

7          Small churches have a reduction of 5% on the basic per capita amount.   Larger churches have a similar increase.

8          All churches are asked to pay a sum for wider ministry costs as agreed by the Synod.

9          Churches in Local Ecumenical Partnerships:

a)         when a non United Reformed Church Minister has been inducted into a pastorate they shall only contribute to Wider Ministry;

b)         all other payments are outside the Synod Scheme and therefore will be dealt with by the local pastorate (including ecumenical partners) in consultation with the Area Pastoral Committee in line with the local Constitution.

10        It should be understood that the first call on the finances of every local church is for Ministry and Mission Fund payments.   If, however, a church feels unable to meet the assessment for particular reasons it must first discuss the matter with the Area Pastoral Committee.  Appeals will be heard by a specially elected Panel made up of representatives of the Area Pastoral Committee.  Appellants will normally be represented by the Minister or Interim Moderator and two other appropriate officers.

11        Appeals panels will take the following into account:

a)         Does the church understand the basis of the Scheme?

b)         Does the church understand that any appeal should be on the basis of an inability to pay and not on the view that they do not agree with the basis of the Scheme?

c)         Are the problems short term or likely to be on-going?

d)         Examination of the church’s audited accounts for three years including any special funds and investments.

12        When receiving an appeal, the Area Pastoral Committee should consider:

a)         Where the church has a paid employee, are there areas of expenses that seem unreasonable in the particular circumstances?

b)         Where the church is in a joint/group pastorate, are the pastorate costs reasonably shared, taking into account the local situation?

13        If the problem cannot be resolved at Area level it should be referred to the Synod office for the attention of the Synod Appeals Panel whose decision shall be final and communicated to the Area Pastoral Committee and the church as soon as possible and not later than mid October of the year preceding the assessment.

The Synod Panel is made up of:

• the Convener of the Synod Resources Committee;
• the Convener of the Synod  Ministry and Mission Fund Sub-Committee;
• the Convener of the relevant Area Pastoral Committee;
• four others, drawn from a panel of people made up of members of the Synod from all Areas.

14        When a church closes, a clause should be included in the closing resolution stating that the Ministry and Mission Fund commitment to the end of the year will be met out of the finances held by the local church.

15        If a local church officially unites with another local church upon closure then the number of members who join the new church shall be added to the list of the new church as from 1 January of the year after closure.   For simplicity ‘other regular worshippers’ are left out of this scheme.