C of E members urged to give 10% of net income to charity

By: 

Cheryl Chapman

Managing Editor, Philanthropy UK

Church of England members will be encouraged to give 10% of their net yearly earnings to good causes, following agreement of a motion by the Church of England's National Stewardship Committee, on 10th July.

The recommendation contained in a report entitled Giving for Life was adopted as official policy following a debate by the General Synod, the Church of England's governing body.

The motion reconfirmed a challenge to church members to "assess annually their financial giving as a proportion of income and to adopt as an initial target the giving of 5% of their after tax income to and through the church, and a similar amount to other work that helps to build God's kingdom."
 
Average giving to the church among members stands at 3.2% of income and now exceeds £600m a year and provides over half of the total cost of funding the Church of England.  An increase to 5% would reportedly create an extra £300m in funds for the church, which it says "would mean that its ability to engage with social structures would begin to be transformed."

It reports it might then have the resources to:

• Expand the number of youth, children’s and family workers working locally in parishes.
• Increase the number of chaplains working with the business community and in other workplace settings.
• Provide ministry to ensure the physical and spiritual care of elderly people, whose numbers are predicted to rise by 85% in the next three decades.
• Sustain engagement with community projects.