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In Reflections for Daily Prayer on 23 September, former Bishop of Oxford, John Pritchard, considered the frenetic journey by Paul and his companions as described by Luke in Acts 20. This is a relentless schedule by any standards.
Bishop John concludes that, in matters of faith and action, it is vital to ‘keep moving’.
It is a generally accepted view that organisations do not stand still but either progress and develop or regress and slowly die.
Many aspects of the work that we are involved in constantly change. Whether it is new aspects of charity law and practice, or the need to review policies and procedures which underpin the ministry and mission of our churches.
We hope that the contents of this newsletter enable you to “keep moving” in the right direction.
Table of Contents:
- What’s new
- Church Safety: UK government training for religious leaders to deal with hate crimes.
- Church welcomes £1 million fund for listed building repairs in Scotland
- New rules requiring Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for volunteers
- Expressions of Interest for Listed Places of Worship Renewal Fund
- New rules for accounting in 2026
- ACAT Conference 2026 – full programme and speakers announced
- Enjoying this month’s highlights?
- Points to Ponder
- Save the date! Gift Aid Awareness Day
- A small church’s banking struggles
- Partners in Ministry
- Funding opportunity: £1,000 unrestricted grants
- Risk management
- Good Money Sunday is fast approaching!
- ACAT Training Programme
- Charities Engagement Team – Upcoming webinars
- Final Thought
God bless,
Ashley Ellis
ACAT Executive Officer
PS: To make sure you don’t miss important updates, please add @acat.uk.com to your safe sender 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/
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Church Safety: UK government training for religious leaders to deal with hate crimes.
#Church Life & Community, #News, #Encouraged Action
It is a sad fact that intolerance, discrimination and hate crimes against Christians are generally on the rise across Europe.
A report dated November 2025 entitled Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe 2025 by the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (OIDAC Europe) indicated that the United Kingdom is one of the European countries where most anti-Christian hate crimes were recorded in 2024.
The Home Office recently launched the Faith Security Training (FST) programme, which provides advice and training for all who are responsible for the safety of their places of worship.
The training is provided by specialists through CDS Defence & Security, and aims to strengthen security knowledge, improve preparedness, and reduce the risk and impact of hate crime.
Although aimed at all faith groups, the training format includes a specific module for Christian places of worship and community venues. Training can be in person or through live online classes and an e-learning platform.
The Home Office has invested £77 million this year to enhance the security of religious sites.
The security not just of our buildings, but also those in our communities using them on a regular basis, is something we cannot take for granted.
When was the last time your church reviewed its security arrangements?
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Church welcomes £1 million fund for listed building repairs in Scotland
#Finance & Fundraising, #News, #Encouraged Action
Some encouraging news for churches in Scotland.
The Scotland Places of Worship Fund will open this autumn, providing £1 million to help congregations – from any faith group or denomination – recover VAT costs associated with repair works, provided they worship in a listed building.
The money will be made available through the existing Historic Environment Scotland (HES) grants budget.
Previously, the UK Government scheme enabled cost savings of more than £2 million in recent years for listed Scottish places of worship.
So, if your church or place of worship is a listed building north of the border and needs major repairs that are stretching your budget, here’s an opportunity not to be missed.
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New rules requiring Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for volunteers
#Church Life & Community, #News, #Encouraged Action
An important DBS rule change came into force on 1 September, affecting organisations that use volunteers and other supervised workers to teach, train, instruct, care for or supervise children.
The change removes the existing supervision exemption from regulated activity with children.
Prior to 1 September 2026, someone carrying out certain activities with children could, in some circumstances, be excluded from regulated activity requiring a DBS check, provided they were sufficiently supervised by somebody who was already carrying out the regulated activity.
This was particularly relevant to volunteers.
From 1 September 2026, supervision will no longer remove the role from regulated activity where the relevant activity and frequency requirements are met.
This applies to activities including:
- teaching children
- training children
- instructing children
- caring for children
- supervising children
A person who carries out these activities often enough may now be regarded as engaging in regulated activity with children, even when another member of staff is supervising them.
In these circumstances, they will require an Enhanced DBS check with Children’s Barred List information.
In this extremely sensitive area of safeguarding, a review of all individuals involved in or associated with children and young people’s work in our churches, and their required DBS status, is essential.
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Expressions of Interest for Listed Places of Worship Renewal Fund
#Finance & Fundraising, #News, #Encouraged Action
Our ACAT Weekly – Week 34 2026*login required included a section on the Listed Places of Worship Renewal Fund and that expressions of interest in the second round of grant applications would open in September.
Expressions of interest (EOI) for this second round must be submitted by Friday 2 October 2026 at 5 PM.
Further information and guidance on the application process will be available through the Historic England website.
Those successful applicants invited to prepare full applications will receive additional detailed guidance and support so they can submit their applications by 18 November.
Funding decisions are anticipated in January 2027.
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New rules for accounting in 2026
#Charity Governance & Regulation, #News, #Encouraged Action
Over the past year, ACAT has regularly shared information about the changes to the Charities SORP and income thresholds in charity law.
The Charity Commission has published a press release reminding charities to check the new rules and ensure they are accounting in accordance with them.
How this affects your church will depend on the charity’s income, legal structure, and other factors, so you will need to identify which rules your church must follow and ensure you understand them properly. Please read the press release and see if it requires any follow-up from you or your church.
ACAT is speaking about the new Charities SORP at this year’s conference, as well as fundraising, AI and more, so I hope to see you there.
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ACAT Conference 2026 – full programme and speakers announced
Our line-up for this year’s conference is here, and it’s one of our strongest yet.
Gavin Smith, founder of The Church Office, opens the day with a keynote and later, Gerald Oppenheim, Chief Executive of the Fundraising Regulator, will share practical lessons from the regulator’s casework on fundraising safely and effectively, including how to prevent problems and handle complaints well.
We’re also exploring the questions numerous churches are asking right now. Rev Dr Andrew Harper of Epworth IM will look at what real accountability means as AI advances, and in a separate workshop Robin Jones of ACAT will explore how AI can help fill the gaps in your skills. Richard Hunt of CAF Bank looks ahead to the charitable landscape for 2027.
You choose your own workshops across three afternoon and late-morning slots, with nine to pick from:
- Planning for and creating a giving campaign for your church
- Getting your church ready for grant funding
- Making sense of the new Charities SORP 2026
- Getting the most out of your accounting software and software provider
- Top tips for preparing for your independent examination
- Churches as employers: 5 common pitfalls and how to avoid them
- Rethinking Church Finances: Simple, Safe & Scalable Choices
The day also includes our AGM, time with exhibitors, and lunch and refreshments, all for £25. It’s a great chance to meet others who understand the role. As one of last year’s attendees said: “If you’re doubting whether to go, just book it.”
If you can’t make it in person, our livestream option is available, but you will not get a chance to choose your workshop or vote at the AGM.
With less than a month to go, book now. See the full programme and speaker details on our website. For help with booking or financial support, contact Cath training@acat.uk.com.
Thank you to our sponsors, CAF Bank and Epworth IM, for supporting this year’s conference.
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Enjoying this month’s highlights?
Don’t miss out on all the latest updates, insights, and resources we share each week! Check out our ACAT Weekly Newsletters for the full picture.
Articles in this month’s weekly postings that aren’t in this newsletter:
- How do we use our churches during the week?
- Prime Minister launches national drive to get everyone in for Christmas
- Reminder: changes to small charities’ accounts and examination threshold
- When does autumn begin? – The changing seasons & their significance for us.
- How connected are we to what is going on in the wider world?
- Responding to Differing Perspectives of Faith
- Churches across the globe mark the World Day of Prayer for Creation
- ACAT Annual Conference – An event not to be missed
- Responding to the current financial challenges
- Increased Concerns regarding the possible impact of AI
- The relationship between Reading & Discipleship
- Do we expect too much from our Clergy, Ministers, Pastors?
- Churches have ‘crucial role’ in delivering essential community services combined with increased political thinking
- Where is our spiritual “Heartland”?
- Do denominational perspectives influence our Life of Faith?
- The impact of the Bible on the English language – “No Tyndale, No Shakespeare”
- Appropriate use of our churches – Where are the Boundaries?
- Leadership is a Shared Responsibility
- Concerns expressed regarding charity de-banking
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Save the date! Gift Aid Awareness Day
#Finance & Fundraising, #News, #Encouraged Action
For churches, Gift Aid can and should form a vital part of their income. However, we still regularly find many people who do not know about Gift Aid or don’t properly understand how it works. This is where Gift Aid Awareness Day, being held on Thursday 1 October 2026, can help.
Gift Aid Awareness Day is a day for charities to promote the importance of Gift Aid and to help more people understand what it is and, if applicable, use it.
Charity Finance Group (CFG) has loads of resources that, although not specifically aimed at churches, you may find useful.
Even if you choose not to take part in the day itself, why not take the opportunity to mention Gift Aid in your church comms and services, helping people understand how it works and why it’s so important. It could provide a vital boost to church funds.
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A small church’s banking struggles
#Church Life & Community, #News, #Information Only
I doubt any of you would say that banking is an enjoyable part of the job of a church treasurer. Well, for one small church, the problem of the bank owing over £5,000 led to having to borrow money from their parishioners to keep the lights on.
In November of 2025, Lloyds Bank told a parish church that its church account had to be closed and that it needed to open a new business account in its place. Due to technical difficulties, this was not possible even for local branch staff. The decision was made to open a new bank account with a different bank. Since then, the church in question has been trying to transfer their closing balance from the Lloyds account in vain. After multiple phone calls and visits to the local branch, the money was still not forthcoming.
Luckily for the church, a letter to The Guardian quickly led to an apology from Lloyds and a goodwill payment of £400. Surprisingly, it still took a further complaint for the closing balance to finally be transferred.
A Lloyds spokesperson said: “We’re sorry the customer had such a difficult experience. We should have handled things better.”
I’m sure for many of you this may not come as a great surprise, but only highlights the constant struggle you face with banking.
Do read the full story in The Guardian.
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Funding opportunity: £1,000 unrestricted grants
The easyfundraising Impact Fund is back for a second round, with unrestricted grants of £1,000 available for churches in our network to apply for – that’s double the amount awarded in the spring.
Applications are open from Thursday 24 September to Sunday 8 November. If you applied previously, you CAN apply again, whether you were successful or not.
The application is quick and simple, with grants awarded to churches or community organisations that best explain how they would use the funding. As the grants are unrestricted, the £1,000 can be spent wherever it’s needed most.
Apply now: www.easyfundraising.org.uk/impact-fund
About easyfundraising: Raise unrestricted funding every time your church community shops online. When they shop with 8,000+ retailers via easyfundraising, retailers donate to your church at no extra cost to them.
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Risk management
Where to start with risk management.
Ecclesiastical’s risk team has a library of risk management resources for churches. But with so much information available, it can be hard to know where to begin. Their self-assessment tool helps you identify the risks most relevant to your church and points you to the guidance you need.
- Find out what your church is doing well
- Spot potential risks to your church property and activities
- Access practical solutions that help you reduce the risk.
Answer a short set of questions and receive a personalised report highlighting strengths and potential risks.
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Good Money Sunday is fast approaching!
Good Money Week will began on Monday its a time to reflect on how money can be used to shape a fairer, greener world.
JustMoney Movement are encouraging churches to mark Good Money Sunday on 4 October. It’s not too late to get involved. Download resources from their website, including prayers, sermon notes, ideas for action, an animation and more.
They also recently added a new set of Biblical reflections on ethical finance, produced in collaboration with BRF Ministries as part of their Guidelines Bible reading notes. Perfect timing for Good Money Sunday or for individual reflection!
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If you have any questions about our training, please contact Cath Fox.
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Charities Engagement Team – Upcoming webinars
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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 October and November are open for bookings.
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Did you know?
You can manage your newsletter subscription and update your details directly from your profile page. Simply log in to your account on the ACAT website and click your name in the top right corner.
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Final Thought
There is an oft-quoted motivational statement that there are “No such things as problems only opportunities.”
I suspect that we would all agree that, given the financial consequences of and uncertainties surrounding global politics, which ultimately affect us all, it is difficult to see how these problems represent opportunities.
However, we believe in the God of the impossible.
The world is continually changing and throwing up challenges. Our task in managing church finances is surely to demonstrate that these challenges do not represent insurmountable problems, but through our faith in our God of the impossible, we can seize the opportunities to be a real force for change in our communities.
We hope that you are encouraged over the next few weeks by positive results from the work you have committed to.
Thank you for your continued support. God bless you all.
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Thank you for your support!
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That concludes the September newsletter, which we hope you found informative and helpful.
Remember to follow us on social media and look in on the website occasionally.
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Charity no. 1072733; Registered address: Association of Church Accountants and Treasurers, C/O KM Accountants, 1st Floor, Block C, The Wharf, Manchester Road, Burnley, BB11 1JG.
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