The month of July has certainly lived up to its reputation as being traditionally the hottest month of the year. With temperatures exceeding the historical seasonal norms and talk among climatologists of more extreme weather patterns, the implications for the way we live are likely to be significant.

Change is not something that we always welcome, particularly if the consequences might be challenging. Halfway through the calendar year is usually a good time to reflect objectively on whether we are progressing in our church life and achieving the goals and objectives we may have set ourselves all those months ago.

Attempting to maintain the status quo often results in regression.

Our aim, whatever our church responsibilities, is surely to ensure that we continue to influence the lives of those in our local communities and, in so doing, bring hope where it is needed.

In the articles and pieces that follow, we certainly hope and pray that there may be something that stimulates thinking and aids reflection.

Table of Contents:

• What’s new
  • URC Resources Hub – An example to us all?
  • How’s your current fundraising progressing?
  • Faith Communities Security Training
  • Historic churches at risk as report calls for overhaul of heritage funding and planning
  • The continuing importance of charity and donor tax relief
  • Enjoying this month’s highlights?
• Points to Ponder
  • The importance of rural ministry
  • Do we regard tackling climate change as integral to Christian Discipleship?
• Also of Interest
  • More than a banking decision: a question of stewardship
• Partners in Ministry
  • Sainsbury’s, John Lewis and more are donating to churches like yours
  • Mind the Gap Conference
• ACAT Training Programme
• Charities Engagement Team – Upcoming webinars
• Final Thought

God bless,

Ashley Ellis
ACAT Executive Officer

P.S. To make sure you don’t miss important updates, please add @acat.uk.com to your safe sender’s list. Some members have found our emails ending up in spam folders. We’ve put together a simple guide for Outlook, Gmail and other email providers at: https://www.acat.uk.com/make-sure-you-get-acat-emails/

URC Resources Hub – An example to us all?

#Church Life & Community, #News, #Information Only

The United Reformed Church has recently launched The Resources Hub. 

This new venture for the URC aims to provide churches with the practical guidance and support to thrive and grow. The Hub will also assist with the administrative, legal, and compliance tasks associated with managing employees, volunteers, buildings, events, and other aspects of church life, to enable a greater focus on local mission.

Most, if not all, of our mainstream denominations offer similar support to their member churches. Help and advice are available for all aspects of church life and ministry to enable us to better serve our local communities. 

The question is, do we avail ourselves of that support?

As ACAT members, do we use the helpline, advice, training, and other available resources that membership brings? When was the last time you had a good look at the website and its contents?

How’s your current fundraising progressing?

#Finance & Fundraising, #News, #Encouraged Action

Whether you’re funding a specific project or simply keeping income ahead of expenditure, fundraising is a perpetual challenge.

So how is your church fundraising currently progressing? 

• Are you meeting expectations? 
• Are you using new technology-based techniques?
• Have you adjusted your fundraising plan as a response to donor priorities?
• Do you even have a fundraising plan?
• Are you simply letting things take care of themselves? God will provide.

A simple report published by the Charity Digital organisation highlights various fundraising-related trends witnessed so far this year.

The key points from the report may be summarised as follows:

• The importance of supporter/donor trust. Interpreted as donors wishing to be reassured that recipients are effective stewards of the funds provided.
• Giving to major projects and legacies remains a fundamental priority for prospective donors.
• Increased investment in technology, including AI, but with extreme caution.
• Consideration of innovative approaches to fundraising.

Fundraising is one of those areas which is a constant challenge for church finances. So back to the question: How is your fundraising progressing?

Faith Communities Security Training

#Church Life & Community, #News, #Encouraged Action

The Home Office has launched a new training scheme for faith communities in England and Wales. This will be delivered by CDS Support, which provides consultancy services in training, engineering, and cybersecurity and information assurance. 

CDS Support will explain how to reduce the risk of hate crime, anti-social behaviour, and serious threats to faith communities, including their premises.

The training scheme is aimed at faith leaders, trustees, facilities managers and community volunteers. It is completely free of charge and will cover the following aspects of security:

• Understanding threats to security
• Pre-incident actions and incident response security measures
• Risk scenarios
• Security governance

As recent events have demonstrated, faith-based organisations and people with a prominent profile are at risk.

We cannot afford to assume this won’t happen here.

How secure are your church buildings, officials and members from possible threats? Do you have a security policy?

Historic churches at risk as report calls for overhaul of heritage funding and planning

#Finance & Fundraising, #News, #Encouraged Action

The consequences of the government’s decision to end the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme are, as was predicted, causing serious concern. The replacement, the Places of Worship Renewal Fund, is claimed to risk leaving some historically significant churches without adequate support.

Churches face “unsustainable” financial and practical pressures unless the government strengthens support for the UK’s historic places of worship. A major report by the cross-party Culture, Media and Sport Committee has called for a new approach to protecting the nation’s built heritage. This report, following an 18-month inquiry, received submissions from heritage organisations and church representatives.

The report concludes that churches, cathedrals and other historic buildings are facing increasing repair costs, shortages of specialist skills and a planning system that often makes restoration more difficult than new construction.

In summary, the main recommendations are that:

• The new fund should be “at least as generous” in real terms as the one it has replaced.
• There should be targeted VAT relief for maintenance and conversion of heritage listed buildings.
• Structured training programmes should be established to ensure continuation of traditional heritage expertise such as stonemasonry, stained glass construction and roofing skills
• Planning rules should be reformed to ease restoration of heritage sites.

The committee was warned that many historic places of worship depend heavily on volunteers and that if maintaining buildings becomes “too overwhelming or financially unsustainable, these volunteers may simply walk away”.

It would be helpful to know from members with historic church and ancillary buildings how they are now proposing to fund critical repairs and maintenance, or whether issues are simply being deferred. Is it relatively easy or difficult to find people with the appropriate skills?

The continuing importance of charity and donor tax relief 

#Finance & Fundraising, #News, #Encouraged Action

The Government has published statistics regarding tax reliefs obtained for charities and their donors for the tax year ending April 2026. 

To summarise:

• Charities and their donors benefited from tax reliefs to an estimated £7.4 billion. An increase of 4% on the previous year.
• Charities also benefited from an estimated £2.87 billion in non-domestic rates relief.
• Gift Aid paid to charities at the basic rate of Income Tax was £1.88 billion. An increase of 10% on the previous tax year.
• Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme payments remained at the previous year level of £40 million.
• Charities received £1.28 billion in Inheritance Tax reliefs in respect of donations. An increase of 6% on the previous year.
• Individual taxpayers received £920 million higher rate relief on Gift Aid-eligible donations. An increase of 10% on the previous tax year.
• 1.3 million people declared a donation on their Self-Assessment return for the tax year ending April 2025 – about 2% fewer than the previous year. However, the value of their declarations of all types of donations rose by 12%.
• Overall, charities received £5.05 billion of reliefs, an increase of 2% on the previous year.
• Donors received £2.34 billion of reliefs, an increase of 7%. 

The full report is available on the government’s website via the link below and illustrates the continued importance of the tax benefits to charities and churches.

The importance of a robust Gift Aid/GASDS system, which ensures prompt submission of claims to HMRC, cannot be overstated. Consideration should also be given to the frequency with which such claims are made. Too many churches only make either annual or six-monthly claims. 

With the appropriate systems in place, quarterly submissions should arguably be the norm. This cash is better placed in your church bank account than in the Treasury’s.

The importance of rural ministry

#Church Life & Community, #News, #Encouraged Action

Advance notice of the 2026 LoveRural Conference, to be held at Yarnfield Park, Stone, Staffordshire, 19 and 20 October.

The conference is being hosted by a team representing The Church of England, The Methodist Church, The Baptist Union and Churches Together England. The aim of the conference is threefold:

• To share the experiences of those involved in ministering to rural communities in addition to outlining future mission strategy. 
• To meet and network with those involved in rural ministry to share wisdom and encourage those involved in the work.
• To inspire prayer and praise by discovering what God is doing in small rural communities and less-populated areas.

The importance of the rural church, and the role it fulfils, is crucial to sustaining these sometimes-small communities in frequently remote areas of the country.

This is achieved in very practical ways:

• Churches serve and support these communities in both spiritual and practical ways. They are often seen as being small, historic buildings dotted around the countryside. But their real impact lies far beyond the buildings as vibrant hubs of community activity, engaging with the challenges faced by these rural areas.
• Providing food security through food banks in rural areas where employment is sporadic and often hard to find, resulting in financial hardship for those on low incomes or benefits. Churches are ensuring surplus food is not wasted, and no one in the communities goes hungry.
• Providing shelter and support for the homeless: shelter for a few nights, hot meals and a listening ear. In addition to offering links to wider local support networks.
• Support for families and young people. Rural churches are committed to encouraging the next generation, particularly when the attraction to move into towns and cities with greater opportunities and a more vibrant lifestyle is compelling. Churches are frequently the centre for children’s clubs, youth programmes, including holiday activities, designed to give young people in rural areas opportunities to grow, link with others, and explore their potential.
• Offering an open, hospitable Christian welcome. Rural churches may be small, but their potential impact belies their modest facilities and membership numbers. At the centre of these rural ministry projects is a Christian ethos of love, generosity, and welcome, central to which is building stronger, healthier communities.

For those of us in city centre or urban churches with substantial resources to support the work of ministry and mission to our local communities, it is very easy to overlook our fellow Christians in these small rural churches and their communities.

Support through shared resources, periodic volunteering to perhaps help run a lunch club or groups for young families, offering administrative assistance, or, if appropriately trained, taking an occasional service. 

We can also pray regularly for those rural communities and their churches located nearest to us.

Do we regard tackling climate change as integral to Christian Discipleship?  

#Faith & Theology in Action, #Opinion, #Encouraged Action

The current prolonged high summer temperatures have arguably reinforced the critical impact of climate change on our everyday lives. 

In a new document entitled Hope for All Creation, produced by the Church of England’s Faith & Order Commission on behalf of the House of Bishops, argues that caring for the environment is “an essential part of following Jesus”.

The document, endorsed by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, presents action on climate change as integral to Christian discipleship and evangelism.

It is argued that humanity has exceeded seven of the nine safe boundaries for life, first proposed by the environmental scientist Johan Rockström and his colleagues at the Stockholm Resilience Centre and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in 2009.

The boundaries that are claimed to have been exceeded are:

• Climate change: the change over time in global temperatures 
• The introduction of synthetic chemicals: plastics and radioactive materials. 
• Biosphere integrity: the health, diversity, and resilience of Earth’s ecosystems, which enable them to support life and regulate the planet. 
• Land-system change: the alteration of the Earth’s surface which results from human activity such as deforestation.
• Freshwater change: the change in available fresh water for domestic and industrial use.
• Biogeochemical flows: The movement of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus through the Earth’s natural systems.
• Ocean acidification: The increase in ocean acidity.

Whilst acknowledging that to a greater or lesser degree we all share some responsibility for the current state of the planet, the question is: What should our response be and how can we bring about change?

At the heart of the relationship between climate change and Christian discipleship lies the issue of how we regard and respect creation, which, however we view its origins, we believe to be God-given. If the planet is to avoid continuing degradation, it is ultimately human actions and behavioural change that will halt the process.

Whilst the report emphasises this need for change, it doesn’t specify the details of what is required.

It is probably an opportune time therefore to review the simple things we do or don’t do in our churches to, among other things:

• Improve energy efficiency
• Recycle waste & rubbish
• Encourage healthier eating in our church lunch clubs
• Go paperless
• Reduce the use of fossil fuels

More than a banking decision: a question of stewardship

This article was kindly written for us by The Co-operative Bank: www.co-operativebank.co.uk.

For churches and faith organisations, stewardship is about more than how money is spent. Every pound entrusted to a church carries a responsibility to use resources wisely and in a way that reflects Christian values.

That raises an important question: does the bank holding your organisation’s money reflect the same principles that guide your mission and ministry?

For many years, ethical banking was seen as a niche consideration. Today, however, more churches, dioceses and Christian organisations are asking whether their banking relationships align with their values. They are looking for banks that take clear positions on issues such as climate change, human rights, social justice and responsible business conduct – not simply through statements of intent, but through the decisions they make every day. That is where The Co-operative Bank has sought to be different. In 1992, we became the first bank to introduce a unique, customer-led Ethical Policy and remain the only bank with one today. The policy has been shaped by more than 370,000 customer responses over the years and sets out both the activities we will support and those we will not.

Our customer-led Ethical Policy includes commitments not to provide banking services to organisations whose activities contribute directly to fossil fuel extraction, the manufacture of indiscriminate weapons, serious human rights abuses, irresponsible gambling or payday lending. It also commits us to supporting action on climate change, human rights, social justice and community development. These commitments are not simply historical principles; they continue to influence our decision-making today. In 2025, prospective business customers were reviewed as shown below, with some declined banking services where activities conflicted with the Bank’s ethical standards. We have seen direct declines reduce over the years as the sort of organisations that we refuse to do business with have begun to understand that our strong stance is more than just words on a page.

From the Coventry Building Society Sustainability Report – the mutual owner of The Co-operative Bank who themselves are not beholden to private investors but aim to deliver for its members.

Importantly, choosing an ethical bank does not mean compromising on capability. Purpose-led organisations need experienced relationship support and confidence that their funds are being managed by a stable and well-governed institution. The Co-operative Bank, now part of the Coventry Building Society Group, supports millions of personal and business customers and continues to provide specialist banking services for charities, co-operatives and other purpose-led organisations. The Group’s purpose is simple: “We power good with every pound.”

Our commitment to ethics also extends beyond lending decisions. We work with partners including Shelter, Centrepoint, Friends of the Earth and Amnesty International as part of a long-standing belief that businesses can play a positive role in addressing social and environmental challenges. It’s what we do best because we’ve been prioritising purpose for decades; and long before it became a marketing tactic for other organisations.

For churches considering whether their current banking arrangements still reflect their values, the question is not simply where money is held but whether the organisations entrusted with those funds are helping to build the kind of society and future that faith communities seek to support. As more of you review how your resources can be used faithfully and responsibly, ethical banking should be one of the most important parts of that conversation. The good news is that there is a credible alternative – one built on more than 150 years of putting ethics at the heart of banking.

If you would like to discuss this further, contact Michael Muzanechita by email:

Michael.Muzanechita@co-operativebank.co.uk

Mobile: 07764 688841

The Co-operative Bank will be exhibiting at the ACAT Conference 2026, so why not come along and have a chat.

Sainsbury’s, John Lewis and more are donating to churches like yours

More than 8,000 retailers, including some of the biggest high street names, will donate to your church if you join easyfundraising. The likes of John Lewis, Sainsbury’s and M&S have contributed to the £3.5m given to churches and religious groups across the country – and your church can get a share of future funding too.

There’s no application process or any extra effort required. These donations are raised when your congregation, clergy and community do their everyday online shopping. At no extra cost to them.

Are you getting a share? If not, register your church as an easyfundraising cause and invite your community to join as supporters. Do it this month and their spending through the summer and beyond can help to fund building renovation, events and more.

Get extra funding for your church: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/acat

Mind the Gap Conference

Our partners over at The Church Office are running a conference for church leaders, operations managers, trustees, PCC members, and key team members leading in that space.

Much of church leadership doesn’t happen on the platform; it happens in the GAP.

The space between vision and delivery. Between responsibility and authority. Between senior leaders and the wider team.

Through practical teaching and honest conversation, they will explore:

• What life in the GAP really feels like and how to navigate it well.
• The skills needed to lead with clarity in complexity.
• How to work effectively with senior leaders and teams.
• How to lead with influence.

The conference will be running once in the north and once in the south:

The South Conference: 16 September

The North Conference: 29 September

Gavin Smith, founder of The Church Office, will be our keynote speaker at the ACAT Conference 2026, and we encourage you to learn more about the Mind the Gap Conference as well as ACAT’s.

• Introduction to Computer Security for churches
  • Date: Monday 14 September
  • Time: 7.30 – 8.30 PM
• Introduction to being a Church Trustee: Some things to think about
  • Date: Tuesday 22 September
  • Time: 7 – 8 PM
• Being a Treasurer: The Basics (in-person event)
  • Date: Saturday 26 September
  • Time: 10 AM – 4 PM
  • Location: London

• ACAT Conference 2026
  • Date: Saturday 17 October
  • Time: 9.30 AM
  • Location: Bristol

• ACAT Conference 2026 – Livestream
  • Date: Saturday 17 October
  • Time: 9.30 AM

If you have any questions about our training, please contact Cath Fox.

The Charity Commission for England and Wales registers and regulates charities to ensure that the public can support charities with confidence. Through regular events, the Charities Engagement Team supports trustees and charity leaders to manage their charities effectively.

Courses for August and September are open for bookings.

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