19Mar 2015 by Nigel Ring

Charities and the Church pt 5. Associated charities

Administration in the Church, Charity, Equipping, Poor
In our considerations thus far I have primarily been considering charities under which a church operates. But are these suitable for specialist ministries such as Social Action? Is another charity necessary? Because ministry to those who are poor or in need is almost the definition of ‘charity’ many such ministries feel that a separate charity is desirable/necessary. I always counsel caution about taking this stance. The objectives in a church’s charitable instrument almost inevitably allow for ministry to anyone in the community, perhaps with particular emphasis on those who are poor. So why create a separate charity and impose on yourself the additional load associated with it; meetings, separate accounts etc? One reason for falling into this potential trap comes through terminology. Project or Ministry? Often works with people who…
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11Mar 2015 by Nigel Ring

Charities and the Church pt 4. Objectives and Sphere of Operation

Administration in the Church, Charity, Equipping
As already stated, in creating a new charity there are three very important features to consider. 1. What are the objectives of the charity? 2. What is the geographical sphere in which the charity will operate? 3. Who should be the trustees? We dealt with the appointment of trustees in the last posting. What are the objectives of the charity? In the answer to this question lies the very essence for which the charity is being created. It is important to get this right as it is not easy to make changes at a later stage. Sometimes I have read charitable instruments which have a long list of objectives. The reason seems wholly commendable; the visionary who is launching the charity wants to preserve the purity of his or her…
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24Feb 2015 by Nigel Ring

Charities and the Church pt 3. Appointing trustees

Administration in the Church, Charity, Equipping, Finance
Last time we saw the importance of having a good relationship between the elders of the church and the trustees of the charity under which it operates. When considering registering a charity – a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) is probably now the preferred option – there are three very important features to consider. 1. What are the objectives of the charity? 2. What is the geographical sphere in which the charity will operate? 3. Who should be the trustees? Since we have been thinking about the trustee/elder dynamic I shall first address the third point. Who should be a Trustee? In some ways it might be thought that, in an ideal world, the trustees and elders should be the same people to avoid the 'double-headed monster' syndrome we discussed last…
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17Feb 2015 by Nigel Ring

Charities and the Church pt 2. The two-headed monster

Administration in the Church, Charity, Equipping, Finance
A preliminary observation Since posting part 1 of this series I met with a staff member of a denominational church. That meeting reminded me that denominations often have their own legal frameworks, structures and terminology. The experience I have is based on independent, non-denominational churches and as such may vary in some respects from churches within denominations. So, I must reiterate that it is important that this series is taken as only my personal observations; appropriate legal advice should be sought when creating a new charity. Leadership Although a church does not have to be a charity this is increasingly the norm, especially if the church wishes to enjoy the tax benefits afforded to charities such as the recovery of tax through Gift Aid (in the UK) on donations that…
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10Feb 2015 by Nigel Ring

Charities and the Church pt 1. What is a charity?

Charity, Equipping
Introduction In the UK most churches have charitable status. Several also have associated charities, often to help facilitate a ministry to those who are poor or in need. Most other nations have a comparable charitable structure, although inevitably they differ in the detail. For well over 30 years I have worked within a charitable environment on the staffs of both the Newfrontiers family of churches and Church of Christ the King (Brighton), and at different times I have been a trustee of these and other charities, in some cases as chair. Recently I have been contacted by several people for advice and opinion about setting up charities, how elders and trustees should relate, and so on. So I felt the time seemed opportune to share my thoughts and experience. Disclaimer…
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19Dec 2012 by Nigel Ring

Do we need a ‘social’ charity? Pt 7 – Partnering

Administration in the Church, Charity, Equipping, Poor
This is the last post in this series and also the final one of 2012. So let me take the opportunity to wish you a very happy Christmas. I love this time of year when we celebrate Jesus' birth and do hope there will be time for you to reflect on the amazing truth that he was prepared to come to earth and take the form of a servant, ultimately conquering death for you and me. I also hope you will have time to relax and be refreshed with family and friends. Partnership I am a great advocate of working with other interested bodies. Why duplicate services if this can be avoided? Partnerships may be with other churches or agencies, including secular ones, who have specialist skills and knowledge. How should this be structured?…
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