Diversified Income

DIVERSIFIED INCOME for growing, inclusive, evangelistic, justice-seeking churches

Our vision: To create a new district-managed recurring income stream to fund local mission from residential lettings, by redeveloping former chapels where there is no viable missional or community use. Where feasible this will be in the form of affordable or specialist housing. By 2030 our aspirational target is to be generating annual cash flows of £100k.
To enable circuits to create their own contextual additional income streams

Diversify our recurring income away from reliance on congregational giving enhances our ability to be a justice seeking growing evangelistic church which prioritises economically marginalized communities.

Circuits would be financially compensated for contributing properties for redevelopment.

Residential redevelopments will be managed by professional staff and managing trusteeship held by district, freeing circuits to concentrate on mission, rather than investment management.

In the longer term future, some of these properties may house pioneers, or be turned back into meeting places for New Churches.

Key challenges will be:

• Identifying suitably gifted staff and teams
• Sourcing start-up capital
• As a numerically shrinking organisation we have become accustomed to a culture of scarcity
• Whilst income generation is necessary, it must not become a distraction from our core missional purposes

To create residential lettings income District will:

• Undertake a range of pilot schemes
• Prepare a robust business plan, including taking appropriate professional advice
• Proactively and sensitively incorporate exploration of potential sites into Ending Well property evaluations

Implementation of this vision will be overseen by our Residential Property Income Support Team

To enable local income diversification District will:

• Encourage and share ideas and resources across circuits
• Support circuits in establishing new income sources