Church Acquisition Conference

1. My congregation has been waiting for a long time. 2. We are being shunted from one place to another. 3. We are a growing congregation with many church programme needs. 4. We want a place to worship on Sabbaths and possibly Wednesday night prayer meeting 5. We WANT TO facilitate Community Programmes. 6. We ARE involved in many Community Programmes and our own premises would help to facilitate these projects.

1. Size of your church’s membership 2. Length of time since your church was established. 3. Strategic Location of the proposed building to be acquired. 4. Local Church and Community programmes that the congregation IS involved in 5. Involvement in Gift Aid

6. Amount of local Church Building Fund - Demonstrate Active Fund Raising 7. Two or more Churches merging together to form one church 8. Congregation’s long term sustainability

1. Today most building cost in the region of about £450,000 to £1,800, The South England Conference changed its support strategy several years ago to TRY to help with up to 50% grants. 3. The main source of funding comes from the GIFT AID (40% formula) returns from the Government. This brings in about £700,000 each year. Split as follows:

A. £50,000 for small building project aid B. £650,000 for Church Building Purchases 4. CWD (predecessor to Deed of Covenant and Gift Aid) amounts to about £10,000 pa

1. In 2008 & 2009 the following Churches received help: Beckenham Bath (Self Funded) Balham New Life (Part 2009) Fillipino (2009) £160,000 remaining to be allocated for 2009

The churches that have submitted applications for the balance of 2009 and 2010 available funds are: Whitely Church East Ham Edmonton Churches have to submit Building Acquisition Financial plans that come within Church Policy:

Smaller grants were made to: Hastings Horley Bristol Lodge Causeway Ipswich Reading Central Battersea Plaistow

Aylesbury Cornerstone Folkestone Portsmouth Greenwich Hackney

£100,000 Proposed cost of Purchase £50,000 South England Conference £50% grant (subject to available funds in that year) £40,000 Local Church Funds actually in Hand £10,000 Loan (if needed) up to a MAXIMUM of 25% of the cost of the building and subject to ability to reasonably repay the loan (normally set at current Gift Aid income levels)

1. Identify the property and obtain as much detail as possible 2. Contact the South England Conference Treasurer to discuss the acquisition together with your financial plan to acquire the property 3. Then obtain a Full Structural Survey 4. Followed by a Valuation (from a Chartered Valuation expert) 5. Make the offer

What are Redundant Properties? The Church of England have many Properties that have seen a decline in use and the publish a list so that other churches that wish to avail themselves of these properties can apply to use them under a short to medium term lease – normally free of charge. However, there may be some costs in bringing these properties into use.

Sites to check for available properties: /redchurches /redchurches html html It may also be advisable for you to contact your local Anglican diocese, as they are currently reviewing the viability of their local congregations.

Where Churches do not have local Professionals in their congregations and are not able to identify local professionals, the South England Conference will help to locate suitable: Chartered Surveyors Chartered Valuation Experts Architects Solicitors Structural Engineers To facilitate property needs that you may require