Trustees' Perspective: 'Towards a sustainable and hopeful future'

The Rev David Cameron outlines the challenges ahead in 2025.

As we place 2025 into God's hands, how do we respond to the huge challenges of the year ahead?

Much as we might think we know what lies ahead, we are all moving into a future that we cannot totally predict. The various challenges confronting our Church remain and I take this opportunity to outline some of our response that will impact primarily on the national office.

Many of you are already aware of the ongoing decline in church attendance and the resulting funding shortfall. We are not yet witnessing the anticipated recovery in the church and our situation necessitates immediate and decisive action which will further impact on our national expenditure including strict controls on future recruitment which must now be targeted on our identified requirements as a Church.

While the Church has made significant strides through recent reforms and initiatives, it's clear that additional adjustments are necessary to meet our evolving needs. The challenging events of the past few years have highlighted opportunities to reshape our national office to be more sustainable and cost-effective. The New Directions initiative is aimed at empowering Presbyteries with greater decision-making roles, fostering a culture of accountability and streamlined efficiency in the administration of the Church under its obligations as a charity.

The 2025 budget, presented at GA24, initially forecasted a deficit of over £5 million. While a requirement to secure £2 million in cost savings had already been included, recent updates have shown a slight increase in the deficit to over £6.5 million, despite a rise in income. Looking ahead, projections indicate improvements in 2026 and 2027, although additional adjustments will be necessary beyond that. The Assembly Trustees have therefore asked the senior leadership team to develop a roadmap to achieve a balanced budget by 2027, in alignment with GA24's vision.

Our focus remains on aligning our costs with available income. While our reserves provide short-term support, we aim to reduce expenditures, explore new income opportunities, and optimise congregational contributions to enhance sustainability. By setting budgets that match national income levels, we are committed to building a financially resilient Church for the future.

Income generation remains critical. We currently generate over £3 million through national services and leasing, and we have re-evaluated our recharges to third parties to ensure near full cost recovery – it is so important to understand the real cost of everything that we do. Additionally, our major £25 million investment in "Seeds for Growth" aims to foster tangible growth and reinvigorate our Church's sustainable presence in local communities.

Phase 2 of our national Priorities Project, will focus on identifying the essential workstreams and services necessary for our Church and charity. This phase, which will complete in March 2025, involves modelling national income, assessing significant cost savings, and pinpointing imperative work. Difficult decisions will be necessary about what continues and what ceases, restructuring workloads and determining our essential roles. We are committed to reducing uncertainty, acting transparently, and treating all national staff with fairness and care throughout this challenging period.

Each year, contributions from congregations, which form the vital cornerstone of our budget, fund our ministries, broader mission, and support services undertaken on behalf of Christ's Church. This essential support enables us to serve communities, share the love of God, and invest in new opportunities to grow and transform our Church. Our main priority is to provide mission-focused resource allocation, sustainable ministry, compassionate people management, and transparent decision-making, freeing our ministers and congregations to transform lives and communities for Christ.

By embracing our priorities and imperatives, we can guide our Church towards a sustainable and hopeful future. We move into 2025 together, faithfully and with hope in God's provision.

Rev David S Cameron

Convener, Assembly Trustees