Setting the Ministry Share

The Diocesan Ministry Share System was approved by the Diocesan Synod in 2005.

It is called Ministry Share – to emphasise that the bulk of the diocesan budget pays for the provision of clergy in the local parishes.

Many church members have criticised the earlier schemes for ignoring a local parish’s ability to pay, while others saw it as a ‘tax on church growth’. Individual churchgoers often perceived it as a financial demand from the Diocesan Office, without understanding how the payment benefited their own church.

Ministry Share is based upon the cost of ministry in each deanery. It also allows for mission and development initiatives which have been identified in local pastoral plans.

It also recognises the deanery’s capacity to pay by applying a ‘Health and Wealth’ rating to each deanery. Ultimately parish contributions are much more closely linked to the pastoral arrangements agreed for the deanery. The deanery will continue to apportion its share within the deanery using local knowledge and detailed expertise in assessing a parish’s ability to pay.

The formula helps people to understand better their responsibility for meeting the cost of providing parish ministry.

The Diocesan Synod believe this is a fair system. Their report, Setting the Ministry Share with its accompanying spreadsheet, was accepted by the Bishop’s Council in 2005.

If you would like to read a detailed description of the Ministry Share System, you can get a copy of the Parish Share Working Group’s Report from The Diocesan Office, Bishop Woodford House, Barton Road, Ely, CB7 4DX.

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Setting the Ministry Share

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