What is the Synod Large Project Panel?

Synod has established a Large Project Panel (LPP) that considers financial support to projects of any type (buildings and people) with a value over £75,000. The aim of LPP is to assist and support churches, not just financially, but to think holistically about the whole church, its mission and its life, and to enable the longer term vision to be realised and implemented.

Process

Congregations can approach Synod at any point in their vision and thinking. LPP will work with you to help you develop the project and will ask critical questions about the church and how it operates to ensure the proposed vision is the most appropriate pathway. Once your project is at an appropriate stage, the church will need to make a formal application by submitting a document/paper/business case which explains in detail what it is hoped to achieve. The submission needs to include the vision for the future of the church, the need for the project now, a rough timeline and estimated budgets.

Church Planning Group

It is a requirement of LPP that the church establishes their own Planning Group which will be the driving force of the project. This group can be made up of whoever you think has the most appropriate skillset to help the project succeed, but Synod will need to be reassured of the governance of the Group, and that you have thought through how the Group acts on the church’s behalf. This should be included as part of the formal submission.

Documentation

There is no formal application form, but a church must submit a written justification, with supporting additional documents: latest Being Church paperwork, latest annual accounts and the latest septennial (formally quinquennial) report, with an update on the progression of the work needing to be done.

Who makes decisions?

LPP is an advisory panel only, established to look at the details and support churches through what could be a complex and complicated phase in the church’s life. Synod Executive make the ultimate decision, taking thoughts and recommendations from other Synod Committees: Pastoral, Mission and Discipleship, Resources and - if the project involves property - the Synod Trust.

LPP has produced a detailed guidance note for churches which is available here. If you have any further queries or would like to chat through an initial idea please contact LPP Secretary and Synod Clerk: Lorna Griffiths xxxxxxxx