A report has been released that may see the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rev Rowan Williams, and the Archbishop of York receive up to £500,000 to fund new mission ventures if the new proposals go through in the Church of England.
The issue is sure to be debated at the upcoming General Synod alongside renewed proposals for women to become bishops.
The Church of England newspaper states that the recent interim report proposes increased distribution of the Church’s central funds to dioceses for them to use for local mission schemes.
The new report, which was written by the ‘Resourcing Mission Group’ led by the Bishop of Bath and Wells, Rt Rev Price, says that the Church has largely become a "club" for current members, and was very much lacking in its efforts to add new ones.
The focus of the report was to bring a fresh expression to the Church and to reignite the mission mentality of the Church. However, the Church of England newspaper points out that if the new proposals come through then funds originally set for bishops and cathedrals would be moved elsewhere.
Suggestions were also made for significant cutbacks in the number of clergy in the Church in various dioceses to rebut the financial problems of the Church. This idea, however, is sure to stir a debate in discussions regarding the report.
In efforts to ease the financial woes of the Church, calls have been made for dioceses to slash administration costs and to instigate new initiatives where resources and costs could be shared between various neighbour churches.
The report calls for UK’s parishes to become aware of the extent of the financial problems, and make all members more active in solving the escalating costs of the Church, which include stipends, pensions, diocesan support and housing. For this to happen, a clear transparency is required in each parish’s finances.
The report suggested, "The key challenge facing the Church is not financial but the need for it to develop a more dynamic mission emphasis. The key priorities are to sustain and develop the Church’s existing ministry and to invest in recruitment, training and leadership development, as well as address new mission opportunities."
The central allocation to the diocese should not be altered according to the report, but more funds should be made for mission-based work and initiatives. A clear move in the Church must be made to bring in more worshippers, and this appears to be the ideal way forward to solve finances and the ailing churches. Therefore, the report points out that leadership and mission training will be a great necessity for the Church.
