Churchwardens’ Training Day 2015

Sheffield Diocesan Advisory Committee

TIME FOR CHANGEThe current climateReport of the National Church Buildings review groupUnderstand your building AND parishQI Architects and SurveyorsSimplification of the faculty processHelp

National Picture• Between 1970 and 2010, the average number of

people attending church fell from 96 to 59 per building.

• One child in 10 is baptised an Anglican. • Nearly half the congregations in England have

fewer than five members under 16.• The average age of congregations is 62• National median weekly attendance per church

is currently 60 with wide variations• Through retirement the number of clergy will

continue to decline• More benefices will be created

• 2009 Opinion Research Business Survey • 85% of the population visited a church or place of

worship every year.

• 35% of the population attend a Christmas service

• 20% of the population attend a Sunday or midweek service during the year

• 65% of the population consider themselves as Christian

• Churchgoers contribute 23.2 MILLION hours each MONTH to their local community

• Church buildings are a visible expression of the Christian faith• They are hard-wired into the landscape• Even those who rarely attend consider them part of their identity• They hold the collective history of their area• They play significant parts in the lives of those around them• They are not museums• They are a visible sign of ongoing Christian faith in their communities and an unparalleled part of our nation’s heritage.

• Many churches are in the wrong area

• Many have slept for too long

• Every buildings cost around £10,000 p. a. to maintain

• More churches will need to close

• A listed building can still close

• Parishes have to learn to collaborate and be open• to change

• A ‘can do’ not ‘why us’ culture needs to evolve

Church distribution in the Diocese of Sheffield

The Diocese of Sheffield:Covers an area of 580 square miles Has a population of 1.25 million Has 214 churchesIn an ideal world this means there are 5869 potential congregants for every church

Average age of congregants = 622014 figures show the usual Sunday attendance per church ranged from 5 to 981The median usual Sunday attendance = 42

37 churches have fewer than 30 regular congregants23 churches have over 100 regular congregants60% of congregations have fewer than five members under 16.

National Church Buildings Review Group

National Picture• 15,700 churches• 54% of churches are Grade I

or II*• 57% in rural areas• 17% of the national

population live in rural areas• 70% of Grade I & II*

churches are in rural areas• 5.2% are on the At Risk

Register

• 214 churches• 31% of churches are • Grade I or II*• 26% in rural areas• 8% of the Diocese of

Sheffield’s population live in rural areas

• 33% of Grade I & II* churches are in rural areas

• 5.6% are on the At Risk Register

Diocese of Sheffield

Rural8% of the population

26% of the church buildingsGood community support

Fewer people to get involvedOpportunity to become multi-

purpose local hubs

Urban92% of the population

33% suburban churches41% city/town churches

More people to draw uponServing complex communities

There is no universal magic bullet that will make a church growThe key is to fully understand your parish and to want to grow

Where to start?• Talk:• To your PCC• Congregation• Neighbours• Wider parish• Other local groups• Architect• DAC

• Sources of information:• DAC• ChurchCare website• DAC Website• Arthur Rank Centre• Church Urban Fund• Church House Library• Other churches• Architect

MAKE YOURUNIQUE VOICE HEARD

Feasible:

• The need to carry out your proposals can be clearly demonstrated

• You can show who will make use of them • It can be seen how they will enhance existing activities

and enable new ones to take place• It is not overly-ambitious• Changes are premised upon growth and not the

management of decline

Achievable:• The scheme is affordable and realistic both to build and to

manage in the long-term.• Full use is made of the existing building with extensions

and additions considered only in extreme cases of demonstrable need

• The benefits of the scheme are evident to a wide range of users

• If necessary, the scheme can be divided into manageable phases each of which offer a sense of achievement and contribute to the greater scheme.

Sustainable:• A broad sector of the local community has ‘bought into’

the development and is willing to offer support.• Do the new facilities add to or help reduce running costs?• Will new facilities be environmentally friendly, accessible,

cost efficient, sustainable?• Do they extend the opening hours of the church?• Who will be responsible for the running, maintenance and

management of any new facilities?• For example, meeting room(s) built for income generation

may require a booking system, accessible key-holder, risk assessment, security, insurance and janitorial support.

• Is income needed to maintain and operate the facilities?

Example outcomes for heritage:•Heritage is better managed•Fabric is in better condition•The building can be used more often by more people

Outcomes for people:•Developing skills•Learning about heritage•Better access and understanding of their shared heritage

Outcomes for communities:•More people engage with heritage•The creation of accessible and usable spaces

Outcomes for mission:•More groups can use the building•Greater variety of formal and informal services which could not succeed with existing facilities.

Outcomes v Output

Speak to your ArchitectEnsure you have a good working relationship with your QI inspectorMake sure they are suitably qualified to work on your building – it will affect your ability to apply for grants if notTake their advice:Specifications for repairsGrant applicationsStatements of SignificanceTake time to explain mission action plan and how you want them to help

The Listed Places of Worship (LPOW) scheme will allow your QI inspector to work on projects for which you apply to them for funding providing you can show evidence that in the last five years you interviewed at least three architects or surveyors before making an appointment.

HLF Applications require a tendering process to appoint a suitably qualified architect for your project. Best practice requires that you  interview at least 3 candidates.

ROLE OF THE DAC

• To ensure church buildings are maintained to the best possible standard

• To inspire parishes to make strategic and sustainable changes to their buildings

• To encourage congregations to explore new ways of engaging with local communities

• To help churches become a welcoming, stimulating and hospitable heart for their parishes seven days a week.

• To help churches discover, celebrate and share the heritage of their building and parish for mutual benefit.

Aims of the DAC for ALL churches

SIMPLIFICATION OF THE FACULTY PROCESS

• List A Greater range of minor works possible without the need for a faculty

• List B A range of moderate works to be granted written permission following consultation with the Archdeacons and DAC

• List C All other works will require a faculty

Outline of new faculty processPCC discuss proposals and agrees to proceed. (PCC should seek early consultation with the DAC and architect before finalising plans)

PCC contact DAC office and/or Archdeaconry to check whether permission is needed. Early informal advice to take place with large schemes

Route C Faculty required

Parish prepares Statementsof Significance and Need

Works on List

B

Archdeacon’s permission

Enter into Log

Book

Works on List

A

No faculty required.

Enter into Log

book.

DAC site visit, consultation with amenity societies, CBC etc

PCC engages architect to develop scheme and prepare plans etc

Changes to the faculty system 2016More works carried out more quicklyConsultation period will be quicker

One logbook entry to complete

Why keep a Log?• Provides a log entry for your records in the church

and with the DAC• Provides an audit trail if you receive a complaint or

if anything goes wrong• Avoids minor errors causing big problems• Provides feedback to see if the new system works

and how it can be developed

ALLCHURCHES TRUST LIMITED

DAC: Working with organisations to support local churches