Building faith in our futureBuilding faith in our future- the national picture- the national picture

Janet Gough for Crossing the Threshold Janet Gough for Crossing the Threshold Conference, Hereford, 19 November 2009Conference, Hereford, 19 November 2009

Church Buildings DivisionChurch Buildings Division

• Keep Church Buildings in the vision Keep Church Buildings in the vision of the CofE and Government of the CofE and Government

• Advocacy, CampaigningAdvocacy, Campaigning• Share best practice and educationShare best practice and education• Shrinking the FootprintShrinking the Footprint

Church Buildings DivisionChurch Buildings Division

• Church Buildings Council and Church Buildings Council and Cathedrals Fabric CommissionCathedrals Fabric Commission

• 16 staff 16 staff and draw upon further expertise e.g. and draw upon further expertise e.g. conservation committees (grants)conservation committees (grants)

• Encourage development of church Encourage development of church buildings buildings Building Faith in our FutureBuilding Faith in our Future

Building faith in our FutureBuilding faith in our Future

• Strategic look at how to get best out Strategic look at how to get best out of our church buildingsof our church buildings

• 29 recommendations29 recommendations• FundingFunding

– Need better funding for repair and equal access to other funding.

Building Faith in our Future – five Building Faith in our Future – five years onyears on

• E-bulletin no 11 – keeps people up to date E-bulletin no 11 – keeps people up to date with recent developmentswith recent developments

• Churchcare websiteChurchcare website• Pastoral (Amendment) Measure to enable Pastoral (Amendment) Measure to enable

leases in churches open for worship leases in churches open for worship • Churches and Faith Buildings–realising the Churches and Faith Buildings–realising the

Potential, Potential, equal access to Govt fundsequal access to Govt funds

Extended use of churchesExtended use of churches• Social and community activities: support for Social and community activities: support for

elderly, homeless, asylum seekerselderly, homeless, asylum seekers• Education: school visits, SureStart Centres, Education: school visits, SureStart Centres,

nurseries, adult education, after-school clubs, nurseries, adult education, after-school clubs, librarieslibraries

• Cultural: tourism, exhibitions, theatre, concertsCultural: tourism, exhibitions, theatre, concerts• Post offices, doctor’s/dentist’s surgeries, health Post offices, doctor’s/dentist’s surgeries, health

centres, gyms, community shops, cafes, centres, gyms, community shops, cafes, farmer’s markets.farmer’s markets.

Extended use consequencesExtended use consequences• Huge amount of development activityHuge amount of development activity• Over 50% of churches have loos and Over 50% of churches have loos and

kitchenskitchens• Some issuesSome issues

– Sue Rowe’s research on Millennium Commission funded churches: positive impact on the church but issues e.g. in attracting and managing volunteers

Partnership/working with other Partnership/working with other bodiesbodies

• Tourism: Churches Tourism Association and Tourism: Churches Tourism Association and working closely with local tourism boards and working closely with local tourism boards and visitor attractions.visitor attractions.

• Post Offices – now about 25 outreach post Post Offices – now about 25 outreach post offices in places of worshipoffices in places of worship

• Future partnerships e.g. Future partnerships e.g. Campaign for Campaign for Community Banking Services, Community Banking Services, community community cinema.cinema.

Working with other bodiesWorking with other bodies• English Heritage English Heritage Inspired Inspired CampaignCampaign

– Historic Church Support Officers– HELM course: Places of worship:Sharing Space

• Training in understanding and developing your church Training in understanding and developing your church buildingbuilding– Oxford University Department of Continuing Education, online

course for clergy and churchwardens• Rural Communities Buildings NetworkRural Communities Buildings Network

– Village Halls Loan Fund has become Rural Communities Buildings Fund.

Concluding remarksConcluding remarks• A vision of what can be achieved in churches.A vision of what can be achieved in churches.• Some practical tools.Some practical tools.• Crossing the ThresholdCrossing the Threshold conference in Hereford conference in Hereford

to become a pilot for other dioceses?to become a pilot for other dioceses?• And finally, it all depends on what you in your And finally, it all depends on what you in your

local church can achieve – hugely challenging local church can achieve – hugely challenging but we hope exhilarating and enabling too.but we hope exhilarating and enabling too.