Trust Property Administered by the Mersey Synod of the United Reformed Church

Trust Property Administered by the Mersey Synod of the United Reformed Church is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1132754).

The Mersey Synod of the United Reformed Church is primarily concerned with the maintenance and mission of the local churches in its provincial area, and aims to advance the Christian religion in line with URC doctrine and principles. It supports the work of 73 churches and 2,237 members in the Mersey region. The Synod reserves a total pot of £75,000 for church projects that stimulate and lead missional growth, with a Small Mission Grant of up to £2,500 and a Large Mission Grant of £2,500 to £25,000. The annual report gives annual giving of £455,259, a scale the register does not confirm.

Priority Areas

The foundation supports the maintenance and mission of local churches within the Mersey Synod area. It invites grant applications from URC churches and other affiliated URC bodies in the Synod catchment. Its support includes property-upgrade projects, assessed for value and feasibility, as well as specialist mission initiatives. The Synod Mission Fund supports church projects intended to stimulate and lead missional growth, with projects addressing at least one of the five Marks of Mission. Eligible project costs can include equipment, printed materials, food, transport and church-worker salaries where applicants demonstrate how these activities support their mission. Relevant Synod committees assess requests and recommend acceptance or rejection to the Synod Resources Committee.

Themes

• Church mission growth
• Church building projects

Geographic Focus

Merseyside; Cheshire; West Lancashire; the Isle of Man; the Wirral.

For the Synod Mission Fund, complete the application form and email it in Word format to Helen McCormack. Small applications require parts A and B; large applications require all parts.

Who can apply:

• Grant applications are invited from URC churches and other affiliated URC bodies within the catchment of the Mersey Synod.

What to send:

• Synod Mission Fund
  • Complete an application form
  • For a small grant, only parts A and B of the application form need to be completed.
  • For a large grant, all parts of the application form need to be completed.
• Synod Property Fund
  • The church’s most recent financial accounts
  • The Being Church report

What the charity says:

• Applicants are advised to seek advice from the Mission Fund Panel early and before applying, as this is more likely to result in a successful application.
• Mission Fund projects need to show a clear and demonstrable link to growth within the church and its family.
• Projects must address at least one of the five Marks of Mission.
• For property funding, a Being Church assessment forms a fundamental part of the assessment criteria.