How do churches afford everything?
Discussion
I know someone who managed to become ordained (or whatever it is called) as a deacon. Doesn't actually have a church to run, seems to have been given a made up job wafting about holding coffee mornings and 'supporting the community'. Not sure what the pay is, but the job comes with a nice four bedroom house, all paid for!
Churches themselves must cost a fortune to heat, light and maintain. Ministers of the churches aren't doing it for free.
As far as I can tell (and I'm no expert), income seems to be an ever ageing, ever dwindling congregation throwing a few coins into the collection plate on a Sunday (except they won't have been for months due to Covid I guess?)
I'm sure they get the occasional legacy, but there must be more to it than that.
How are they doing it?
Churches themselves must cost a fortune to heat, light and maintain. Ministers of the churches aren't doing it for free.
As far as I can tell (and I'm no expert), income seems to be an ever ageing, ever dwindling congregation throwing a few coins into the collection plate on a Sunday (except they won't have been for months due to Covid I guess?)
I'm sure they get the occasional legacy, but there must be more to it than that.
How are they doing it?
Argleton said:
The have a vast property empire and have profited massively from the increased sale prices over the years. Where they got the money from in the first place, I dont know, but i supposed years gone by there were a huge number of people going to church so I suppose it's that.
You can only flog off property to survive for so long though... BoRED S2upid said:
Have you ever been in a church? They don’t cost a fortune to heat!
If you’re a catholic a percentage of your income is donated like a church tax it’s not just the collection bowl on a Sunday they all pay then when you die you will leave another huge chunk yo the church.
That's interesting. I know one or two Catholics, and I'd be surprised if they were happily peeling off a percentage each month, but perhaps they are. If you’re a catholic a percentage of your income is donated like a church tax it’s not just the collection bowl on a Sunday they all pay then when you die you will leave another huge chunk yo the church.
I don't know a huge amount of religious people, of those I do, the odd (literally) one or two take it all very seriously, the rest seem to pay it lip service like it's some insurance policy, just in case it turns out to be real after all
Ari said:
Argleton said:
The have a vast property empire and have profited massively from the increased sale prices over the years. Where they got the money from in the first place, I dont know, but i supposed years gone by there were a huge number of people going to church so I suppose it's that.
You can only flog off property to survive for so long though... Ari said:
Argleton said:
The have a vast property empire and have profited massively from the increased sale prices over the years. Where they got the money from in the first place, I dont know, but i supposed years gone by there were a huge number of people going to church so I suppose it's that.
You can only flog off property to survive for so long though... One of the biggest landowners in the country. Built up when the church was really part of the state and the only landowners were the church, the crown and the Gentry.
To quote from an Independent article in 2015
"The Church has an enormous estate which includes properties in villages, towns and cities across the country as well as more than 100,000 acres of land in England and Wales. Its property portfolio is worth almost £2 billion and accounts for around a third of the £6.7bn in assets it holds."
"The Church has an enormous estate which includes properties in villages, towns and cities across the country as well as more than 100,000 acres of land in England and Wales. Its property portfolio is worth almost £2 billion and accounts for around a third of the £6.7bn in assets it holds."
Ari said:
BoRED S2upid said:
Have you ever been in a church? They don’t cost a fortune to heat!
If you’re a catholic a percentage of your income is donated like a church tax it’s not just the collection bowl on a Sunday they all pay then when you die you will leave another huge chunk yo the church.
That's interesting. I know one or two Catholics, and I'd be surprised if they were happily peeling off a percentage each month, but perhaps they are. If you’re a catholic a percentage of your income is donated like a church tax it’s not just the collection bowl on a Sunday they all pay then when you die you will leave another huge chunk yo the church.
I don't know a huge amount of religious people, of those I do, the odd (literally) one or two take it all very seriously, the rest seem to pay it lip service like it's some insurance policy, just in case it turns out to be real after all
Gary C said:
To quote from an Independent article in 2015
"The Church has an enormous estate which includes properties in villages, towns and cities across the country as well as more than 100,000 acres of land in England and Wales. Its property portfolio is worth almost £2 billion and accounts for around a third of the £6.7bn in assets it holds."
Wow! That's fascinating. Which brand of church is that?"The Church has an enormous estate which includes properties in villages, towns and cities across the country as well as more than 100,000 acres of land in England and Wales. Its property portfolio is worth almost £2 billion and accounts for around a third of the £6.7bn in assets it holds."
Church of England has an investment portfolio worth approx. £8 billion - commercial property, both directly and indirectly, stocks and shares and so on
You might remember a few years back there was a row about the CoE holding a stake in Wonga payday lender when the Archbishop of Canterbury was denouncing rip-off lenders at the same time...
I think they also own Hyde Park estate in London as another example of property ownership
https://www.churchofengland.org/about/leadership-a...
You might remember a few years back there was a row about the CoE holding a stake in Wonga payday lender when the Archbishop of Canterbury was denouncing rip-off lenders at the same time...
I think they also own Hyde Park estate in London as another example of property ownership
https://www.churchofengland.org/about/leadership-a...
Ari said:
Gary C said:
To quote from an Independent article in 2015
"The Church has an enormous estate which includes properties in villages, towns and cities across the country as well as more than 100,000 acres of land in England and Wales. Its property portfolio is worth almost £2 billion and accounts for around a third of the £6.7bn in assets it holds."
Wow! That's fascinating. Which brand of church is that?"The Church has an enormous estate which includes properties in villages, towns and cities across the country as well as more than 100,000 acres of land in England and Wales. Its property portfolio is worth almost £2 billion and accounts for around a third of the £6.7bn in assets it holds."
Just goes to show how religion is f
k all to do with faith but lots to do with money and power.BoRED S2upid said:
If you’re a catholic a percentage of your income is donated like a church tax it’s not just the collection bowl on a Sunday they all pay then when you die you will leave another huge chunk yo the church.
Not even close to being true for the vast majority of catholics. Catholic Church worldwide is probably the leader but in the USA, the Mormon church is worth $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wealthiest_o...
Never underestimate the willingness of the faithful to donate money in large sums...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wealthiest_o...
Never underestimate the willingness of the faithful to donate money in large sums...
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