common fund
I then served for seven years as Archdeacon of Bath, including chairing the Common Fund Committee, before becoming Head of Engagement for the Christian charity, Care for the Family.
In recent years, I have become increasingly concerned about certain approaches being taken within the Church, particularly those involving financial leverage through withholding of common fund contributions, and proposals for alternative episcopal oversight or parallel provinces.
G.) made a passionate plea for resources that should be used to support people and clergy in developing parish ministry for situations where one vicar was being asked to do it all, and meet increased common fund!
• As a member of the Bishop’s Council’s Common Fund
Practically, how we resource this is an enormous issue and there are several Diocesan Synod motions waiting to be considered by General Synod in relation to the financial resources, structure and use of Parish Share (Common Fund) and funding of central services at national and diocesan level.
Parochial clergy (both stipendiary and self-supporting equally) must be set free to live the life to which they have been called rather than struggling with the ever-increasing demands of compliance and common fund and the burden that this places on us and on our people.
We would then be working towards a reduction in common fund levels because a proportion of the cost of the ministry of a parish would be met from these endowments-as was always intended.