Another record year

The Church Commissioners have achieved another year of top-class results, performing above the average of a comparable group of 240 funds over the last one, five, ten and twenty years.

With returns of 13.6 per cent resulting in total assets of £5.36 billion, the Commissioners contributed 17 pence in every pound of the cost of running the Church last year.

As well as funding clergy pensions earned before 1998, the Commissioners support the ministry of bishops and cathedrals, along with parish ministry – particularly in poorer dioceses. In 2006 non-pensions expenditure on support for the Church’s ministry rose to £69.9 million – an increase of £4.1 million on 2005.

Total expenditure was £172.6 million (up from £166.1 million in 2005), with the Commissioners again providing significant support for the work of the Church in areas of need. With another £4.5 million going to the parish mission fund, launched in 2002, this means nearly £20 million in extra resources has now been provided to dioceses for parish mission initiatives.

“The strong long-term performance of our investments has enabled us to further our mission to support the Church, particularly in areas of need and opportunity,” explained Andrew Brown, Secretary to the Church Commissioners. “The Commissioners exist to serve the Church and we are pleased that the good performance enables us to fulfil our responsibilities and make a contribution to the work of every diocese in the Church of England.”

After 100 years serving as the Church Commissioners’ headquarters, the site at One Millbank was sold to the House of Lords for £65 million, and the Commissioners’ 100 staff have now moved in with staff from the other National Church Institutions in refurbished offices in Church House, Westminster. The Commissioners reported that administrative costs have now been reduced by approximately 40 per cent in real terms in the last 10 years.

 The Annual Report & Accounts 2006 is available online at: www.cofe.anglican.org/ about/churchcommissioners/ annualreport/

The Revd Rachel Shock heading up Southwell and Nottingham
diocese's new E-Chaplaincy service, pictured with fellow workplace
chaplain the Revd David McCoulough. The project was supported by
the Commissioners' Parish Mission Fund.