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Our Trusteeship Services
Helping secure your church building for Gospel use
The services Church Growth Trust (CGT) provide flow out of our vision and mission to aspire to glorify God by safeguarding for Gospel use independent church properties. We aim to fulfil this by holding and accepting independent church properties as owner or trustee. We know as church property trustees you face many different challenges. The law is constantly changing, so it is easy to lose track of the latest property legislation, health & safety issues and charity matters.
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What is Trusteeship?
When a church or board of trustees is unsure of its future, it can be difficult to know what to do next. You may be dealing with major building problems, facing the challenge of finding enough trustees so others can retire, or even the possibility of church closure. This is where Church Growth Trust and our trusteeship services can step in to help safeguard church buildings for generations to come.
“There are times when I have met with property trustees and explained their options and the work we do, where I have seen a visible burden being lifted from their shoulders. A genuine relief that they can make a fully informed decision, that gives them hope for the future”
Giles Arnold
Chief Executive, Church Growth Trust
Here to help you safeguard your church building
Church Growth Trust (CGT) is set up to help independent evangelical churches keep church buildings for their original Gospel use. We help you to move forward by working closely with you to find the right solution for your church. Alternatively, we can take on the property ourselves, so if a fellowship decides it must close (now or in the future), we safeguard the building by finding another evangelical church to use it.
Advising churches for over 100 years
helping independent evangelical churches, having provided vital trusteeship services for over 100 years (previously through Stewardship/UKET). Today, we own or are Sole Managing Trustee of over 100 properties throughout England and Wales. This can be a lifeline to those property Trusts struggling to maintain sufficient trustees or where trustees are wanting to retire.
“Church Growth Trust are an answer to our prayers!” Trustee of a Gospel Hall in the West Country
Elder of assembly in Southendon-Sea
Bespoke property advice for independent churches
We are church property experts, so you do not have to be. We guide you through the options available, helping you find the right solution for you and your church.
The trusteeship process – a simple guide to how it works
Step 1 - Speak to us
We always begin with an informal chat, completely free of charge and without any obligation. For many churches, the first call is enough for them to carry on their journey. But if you would like to speak with us again, we would be happy to talk in more detail.
Step 2 - Review your property Trust Deed
We suggest carrying out a review of your property Trust Deed to enable us to fully understand the details relating to your church property. From this we then work with you to identify the options for securing the future of your building.
Step 3 - Meet with us
During this initial meeting we will help you understand your trustee responsibilities within charity law and discuss how to move forward in the right way for you.
Step 4 - Receive tailored advice
After your initial meeting, we will write to you, setting out your options and how we or others can help you. Once you decide what you want to do, we will work with you to achieve this.
Step 5 - Get continued support
If we take on your property we provide a range of services, including regular visits, so we can hear how things are going, and offer support and ideas for encouraging growth. Our Property Manager also advises on ways to keep your property in good condition, compliant with legislation and suitable for modern church use.
What past trustees and occupying churches say about our services
We are delighted to share on our website some of the positive stories where trustees have been helped or church buildings have been given a new lease of life. These can be viewed by visiting our website www.churchgrowth.org.uk/testimonials/
There are three separate trusteeship options that are offered by CGT to help you as property trustees. These are as follows:
1. Property Ownership, where the property is gifted to Church Growth
Trust to hold under our own trusts.
2. Sole Trusteeship of the existing property Trust, where the existing
Managing Trustees retire, and Church
Growth Trust is the Sole Corporate
Trustees
3. Custodian or Holding Trusteeship, where Church Growth Trust hold the legal title, but you as Managing
Trustees are still in place.
Property Ownership
If the property is gifted to Church Growth Trust, we cover all the surveyor’s and legal costs involved in this. If the existing fellowship wish to continue, we will let the property at a nominal rent (currently £350 per year). This is reviewed every five years.
If the existing fellowship closes, we will make every effort to let the property, on concessionary rents at significant discounts, to another evangelical church, so that the Gospel work continues. If Church Growth Trust is appointed as Sole Trustee, we cover all the surveyor’s and legal costs involved in this. We would charge the existing church an annual trusteeship fee (currently £600 plus VAT).
Custodian Trusteeship
If Church Growth Trust is appointed as Custodian Trustee, the assembly/church would pay CGT’s legal costs and a one-off fee to cover Church Growth Trust’s set-up costs of £250 plus VAT. There would be a nominal annual fee to be paid by the church (currently £100 plus VAT per year for the first property and an additional £25 plus VAT for further properties).
If you would like some advice or to share your story with Church Growth Trust, please contact us on
enquiries@churchgrowth.org.uk
or call 01536 201339.
