Church Life Fund

What is Church Life Fund?

In 2021, National URC began a programme of exploring and investigating the whole life of the Church, with an aim to understand the key drivers for the challenges faced by local churches. This Phase One of Church Life Review (CLR) explored the “big questions” of declining membership, an increasingly complex regulatory environment and denominational challenges. It identified that local churches are overwhelmed, overburdened and in many cases unable to fully focus on the core work of being a Church.

In 2023, CLR Phase Two began, investigating what is needed to address the issues identified in the first part of the review. The recommendations from Phase Two identified that a major change programme was required, with a series of tasks and activities divided in four workstreams. This programme is aimed at relieving administrative burden and strengthening compliance, helping to release capacity for mission to happen. It recommended the establishment of Church Life Fund (CLF), a pot of money which each Synod in the UK would contribute to. CLF is ringfenced to pay for:

1. Resources Hub
The establishment of a central online portal containing policies, templates and guidance on various topics such as governance, safeguarding, property, HR, finance, compliance. A “one stop shop” helpdesk will also be established to triage and signpost enquiries via phone, email and chat.

2. Shared Support Services
Establishment of a variety of support services to be accessed by Synods and local churches such as accounting, procurement, HR, IT, payroll and property.

3. Grants for lay workers
CLF will make funding available to enable local churches to employ lay workers that will release capacity for missional work.

4. Grants to establish new URC communities of worship and discipleship
Making money available to help set up additional communities to the life of the denomination, hopefully leading to growth in the area.

What is happening now?

  • Church Life Fund (CLF) has been established, each of the 13 Synods across the UK have confirmed their financial contribution to it.

  • Church Life Fund Committee (CLFC) has been established, which will oversee the fund, and nominations for its membership are to be discussed/ratified at General Assembly 3-6 July 2026.

  • Each Synod has a representative on CLFC: for Mersey Synod, our representative is Grants Officer, Helen McCormack

  • CLFC will meet 4 times a year, with the first meeting scheduled for 4 August 2026 in which a number of process type tasks are aimed to be agreed.

  • We anticipate the fund will “open” for applications in Autumn 2026.

What is Mersey Synod doing to prepare?

  • We have appointed Helen McCormack, Synod Grants Officer, to be the CLF dedicated point of contact for all churches. Helen is the first person you should contact if you have an idea for a project.

  • Synod are currently planning to undertake a “pilot” project with one of our Pastorate groups of churches. This will highlight any lessons that need to be learnt, so that we can ensure we have the correct support in place going forward.

  • Church projects will require approval by Synod before it is sent on to CLF, discussions are also underway on how this internal approvals process will work, ensuring it is streamlined and responsive.

Got any questions?

If you have any questions about how Church Life Fund is going to operate, any of the workstreams, or you may have a project which could be eligible for funding when it opens later this year, please contact:

Helen McCormack
Synod Grants Officer

Email: grantsadmin@urcmerseysynod.org.uk
Tel: 0151 319 9738