Parish Support Fund 2027
Bishop Christopher writes “As I prepare to step away from my role as your Diocesan Bishop, I want to thank you for your continued support for the Parish Support Fund – and give thanks to God for all that has been made possible through it over the past decade. Please continue to pray that God’s love will be poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, that we may face these financial challenges with generosity and courage – seeking in all things to be Christ Centred and Outward Focused. “
Watch our Introductory Video from our Bishops
Useful downloads to help you prayerfully consider your 2027 pledge
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Download the 2027 Parish Support Fund booklet |
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Download the 2027 Parish Support Fund PCC presentation |
Join the Archdeacons’ Parish Support Fund Q&As
The Archdeacons would like to invite you to their Question-and-Answer sessions they are hosting over the summer; designed to help parishes understand how the PSF supports your mission and ministry, provide more information on diocesan finances and the PSF request for 2027 and provide a forum for discussion and questions. Please do join us by completing this simple form. If you have any questions please email Gabby Parikh.
- 2 July, 7pm at Christ Church Purley – hosted by the Archdeacons of Croydon and Reigate
- 6 July, 3:30pm at Trinity House – hosted by the Archdeacons of Southwark and Lewisham and Greenwich
- 13 July, 7pm Online – hosted by the Archdeacons of Croydon and Wandsworth
- 2 September, 7pm at St Mary Balham – hosted by the Archdeacons of Wandsworth and Reigate
- 9 September, 6pm Online – hosted by the Archdeacons of Southwark and Lambeth
Every parish pledge is vital – as the writer to the Hebrews reminds us “do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
Bishop Alastair
One of the great things about the Church of England is that we work together. We have a shared mission to share the love of God in Christ Jesus with all around us. Rather than each church paying for its own vicar and all the other costs of ministry, we pool our resources with richer parishes supporting poorer ones. This means we can put clergy in the places where they are needed most. So, a more affluent parish with fewer people in it may have a half-time priest, while a less affluent inner-city parish may need a full-time priest.
FAQs about the Parish Support Fund and how the Diocese resources parishes
What is the PSF?
The PSF is our parish share system and was introduced in January 2016 in Southwark. Each year parishes are invited to make a pledge to the PSF which is realistic, challenging, and generous. The pledge income resources the costs of our clergy and the support given to each parish in the Diocese of Southwark. These pledges fund our shared mission in each community in every part of the Diocese.
We are all God’s people, and the Diocese of Southwark is like a large family which needs to support each other. That is why the PSF is so important as it helps the parishes to work together and support one another generously.
Our PCCs right across our Diocese are responsible and accountable to each other for how much they give, and we ask each parish to aspire to being self-financing (that is, to cover their indicative costs of ministry).
What are the principles of the PSF?
The PSF is a generosity-based pledge scheme which brings together the principles of:
- proportionality
- informed generosity
- an aspiration to, and encouragement towards becoming self-financing.
These three principles are underpinned by a commitment to transparency and mutual accountability.
How does the PSF benefit my church?
The PSF is our main source of unrestricted diocesan income. It helps fund four main sources of support for parish ministry of which over 75% is for direct costs of providing clergy stipends and housing
- Stipends, NI and pensions – about 50% of our costs and the diocese’s major cost and investment
- Housing – these property costs include smaller repairs and maintenance, payment of water rates, council tax and insurance on more than 250 clergy properties; plus rental of properties, when required (14% of costs)
- Curates’ stipends and training for ordinands, vocations and mission teams – 20% of costs of ministry
- Enabling and Support functions – including Safeguarding – parish Disclosure and Barring (DBS) applications, training and casework; Area teams i.e. Archdeacons and their offices; Parish support such as HR advice, Governance, Finance, Giving team and Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) i.e. Church buildings advice and Grants to Welcare & Board of Education (16% of costs of ministry)
What information is available to PCCs and congregation?
The 2027 Parish Support Fund materials will be sent out at the end of June 2026 digitally. We hope you will share the letters, stories and videos with your PCC and congregation, as well as the introductory video from our Bishops and a PowerPoint for your PCC to help explain what your pledge pays towards. Please also enjoy the videos from our parishes which celebrate the impact of your generosity and God’s blessing.
When should we submit our parish pledge?
Each year we ask you to make the discussion of your next year’s pledge as an agenda item in your PCC’s in the months of July, August or September and submit your pledge by 15 September. This deadline is to help us prepare the Diocesan budget to be presented and discussed by the governance committees ahead of Diocesan Synod. We ask you to submit your pledges online and your parish link is sent to parish officers in early July. If you have not received this link please email [email protected].
If you have any questions please contact Gabby Parikh, our Director of Giving, or your Archdeacon.
Thank you again for enabling us to continue to resource our Diocese’s mission and ministry through your Parish Support fund pledge donations.
Watch good news stories funded by the PSF
Giving generously at St Paul's Kingston (coming soon)
Supporting ministry in Thamesmead
Serving community at St Francis Selsdon, Monks Hill
School Eucharist at St Michael and All Angels, Sydenham
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