There has been a gap of two weeks since our last weekly post due to the lead-up to ACAT’s annual conference in Bristol on 17 October, which was an inspiring occasion. From next week, we hope to summarise some of the main issues from the various sessions for:
#Church Life & Community, #News, #Information Only
It is 100 years since the BBC first broadcast Choral Evensong nationally. A special service was held on 7 October in Westminster Abbey, the actual anniversary date.
Choral Evensong is an important part of the Anglican liturgical worship.
This very traditional, reflective service, usually held in the late afternoon or early evening, consists of prayers and psalms interspersed with choral music.
A major part of daily services in our Cathedrals, the purpose of the service is to quietly contemplate the passing of the day, all that has taken place in it and ask God for peace and rest as the night draws in.
The service offers an opportunity through the readings, sung psalms, and choral music to leave the stresses and anxieties of the day behind.
Choral Evensong also serves to remind the wider church, irrespective of whether they are Anglican or not, of the important spiritual benefit of quiet reflection in worship as a complete contrast to the hectic daily lives most of us lead.
Providing a spiritual oasis for our communities is surely a real opportunity to fulfil our mission, demonstrably meet our public benefit charitable purpose, and grow our churches.
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Inviting our non-churchgoing friends and neighbours to “sample” what our church has to offer is not the easiest or most natural thing to do unless a direct opportunity arises.
An interesting approach by the vicar of Christ Church, Flackwell Heath, Buckinghamshire, is well worth noting.
He recently challenged his congregation, using simple invitation cards easy to share with family and friends, encouraging them to ‘come and see’.
This resulted in the church congregation subsequently welcoming 75 non-churchgoing people to a service.
This initiative was part of a programme to encourage church members to be more courageous in speaking about their faith and church life, and to invite folk to come along and see what happens.
This example throws up the question: how do we invite those we know, family and friends, non-churchgoers to think about joining us, sampling what our church has to offer?
It would be interesting and helpful for members to share how their churches engage with this issue.
#Church Life & Community, #News, #Encouraged Action
That prayer is fundamental to faith is an understatement. Prayer ministry in our churches is, or certainly should be, a special, recognised gifting.
Praying with church members who may be regarded as vulnerable for a variety of reasons requires particular sensitivity.
The Church of England has issued new guidance, and The Methodist Church also has some helpful guidelines on the subject.
To summarise, the main considerations appear to be:
All this may appear sterile and prescriptive, inhibiting the spontaneous offer to pray with someone who, in conversation, has shared their problems.
However, this is an extremely sensitive area pastorally, and care is needed. Unfortunately, history within the Church has shown us this.
#Finance & Fundraising, #Opinion, #Encouraged Action
It is an accepted fact that the way we pay for things has changed dramatically in recent years. We have largely become a ‘cashless society’.
It is estimated that almost 50% of churches in England provide facilities for contactless donations in one form or another.
The objections to contactless giving have mostly disappeared. However, in remote rural areas where the Wi-Fi signal is either poor or non-existent, the facility may seem impossible to operate.
Numerous testimonies exist demonstrating the benefits of contactless giving, not least the increased level of donations.
A community supermarket run by Christ the King Church in Birkenhead has seen donations treble in a year since a contactless donation facility was installed.
However, the question remains: do we sufficiently promote contactless giving?
This is of particular relevance at services and events attended by visitors to our churches who may not be churchgoers.
There is often a reluctance on the part of ministers, pastors, and clergy officiating at baptisms and weddings to sensitively draw the congregation’s attention to the opportunity to donate to the work of the church in this way.
It is also worth mentioning that the Gift Aid Small Donation Scheme is available on some contactless payments. Read more in our handbook Chapter 13, section 9. Chapter 13: Tax Efficient Giving (Gift Aid and GASDS) – ACAT *login required
So, might it be a good idea to critically review your church’s contactless giving arrangements, assuming you have a facility installed and, if not, ask the question why not?
Any facility review should consider the following:
It would be helpful if members could share their own experiences of contactless systems.
#Faith & Theology in Action, #News, Encouraged Action
There have always been professional footballers witnessing to their Christian faith in various ways.
As the game is now viewed on many media platforms in this country and around the world, players openly displaying their faith by silently bowing in prayer before or after a game has become widely visible.
Recent research, evidenced by Christians in Sport, based on a survey of 164 clubs across the top six tiers of men’s football, has found that:
Whereas previous generations of Christian footballers regarded faith as a private matter, the current generation is not passive about their faith but actively supports fellow believers in the squad.
It is well documented that Christians in at least two English Premier League clubs, Arsenal and Crystal Palace, meet regularly for prayer and Bible study.
In response, Mikel Arteta, Manager at Arsenal, is quoted as saying, “I love it because I think that connects them more. The fact that some of them have the same beliefs or strong beliefs about that helps their well-being and mental side. I think it’s phenomenal.”
However, the pressures of being a professional footballer who is also a practising Christian at any club are immense. The demands for continued success and the need to remain physically and mentally fit can increase the mental and emotional strain.
In this context, the role of a club chaplain can be vitally important. It is estimated that 72 out of 92 clubs in the English top four tiers have Chaplains.
The chaplain’s role is primarily to
How often do we pray for sportsmen and women? Supporting them as they face both the challenges of competing at the highest level and being witnesses to the life-transforming power which Jesus offers, contrasting with the inevitable conflicts of a results-driven environment?
#Church Life & Community, #News, #Encouraged Action
Churches could not continue to exist without the army of volunteers, many of whom do not serve in “high-profile” positions but work quietly behind the scenes to keep things going.
The list of practical responsibilities volunteers take on is endless, not to mention the financial impact of fulfilling roles that, in some cases, would otherwise require paid staff.
Kingsbury Baptist Church recently held an event for 25 churches in the Cricklewood (North West London) area to celebrate “the amazing volunteers who serve Jesus in the local Church in their spare time. Praise God for all these unsung heroes!“
So, when was the last time your church publicly celebrated its volunteers and said: “thank you”?
Thank you to the individuals who give of their time and commitment, but above all, thank God for the work that they do.
#Charity Governance & Regulation, #News, #Encouraged Action
The Charity Commission has updated its advice for charities and trustees on safeguarding and protecting people to reflect changes to some DBS checks introduced in 2026 and the relevant requirements of the Online Safety Act 2023.
This updated guidance emphasises that responsibility for protecting and safeguarding should be a governance priority for all charities and churches.
Governance is a fundamental demonstration of how we fulfil our public benefit charitable purpose. The Charity Commission can hold trustees to account if it believes there have been statutory failings in this respect.
The Commission expects trustees and members of church governing bodies to:
In these weekly blogs and monthly Newsletters, we continually emphasise the importance of periodically reviewing safeguarding policies and procedures.
It is in the best interests of our mission and ministry that church members and members of our communities who enter our premises for whatever reason feel safe.
