Money For Mission

God calls us to be wise and generous stewards of the resources with which we have been blessed.

Many congregations have underutilised real estate assets such as land on the church site excess to need and/or residential properties once utilised as a manse for ministers but now rented on the open market. The rental returns from these assets are generally modest; well below the cashflow that could be achieved through other means. Congregations also have the responsibility and cost of maintaining these properties, further reducing any cashflow generated from rental agreements.

The UCA Vic Tas now provides a new opportunity for congregations to more fully live into this calling by transitioning real estate assets into shares in an ethical fund, generating ongoing income streams to fund their mission.

Congregations are invited to consider an alternative way to ensure ongoing higher returns for the congregation, whilst at the same time resourcing the wider Church’s missional endeavours.

Money for Mission - A NEW SOURCE OF ONGOING INCOME

Under the Money for Mission Program, a new Fund will be established with the monies raised from the sale of properties excess to missional needs. Invested net sales proceeds will generate returns greater than net rental income in the case of rental properties, or for other property sales, greater than the income that would be received by investing after sharing in an IOMF.

The primary purpose of this investment will be to generate and distribute proceeds for:

1. Income replacement for congregations/Responsible Bodies
2. Presbytery funding
3. Assembly
4. Synod missional funding
5. Wider Church missional grants
6. Congress

How is Money for Mission different?

The Money For Mission Program allows the Church to move away from the present Property Sales Proceeds approach of meeting its missional resourcing needs which consumes the sales proceeds.

Instead, Money for Mission is the investment of these capital sales proceeds so that over time we can resource our needs from the investment earnings that are generated from the funds invested – i.e. we live off the income we earn, not by needing to continually sell assets/property.

Money For Mission is a totally voluntary, OPT-IN programme offered to our congregations through our presbyteries.

Additional benefits of Money for Mission

The Money for Mission Program has multiple benefits – for investing bodies and also for the wider church:

• An approach that is completely built around long-term preservation of invested capital– thus benefitting future generations – whether congregational or whole of Church
• Investing Responsible Bodies receive a higher return than they would from investment of sales proceeds in other pathways available to them
• If rental properties are sold, the current net rental is underwritten, and a further premium paid on top of this
• Income received can be allocated with flexibility of use by the Responsible Body
• The burden of managing real property is removed from congregations – compliance and repairs for example
• The program can accept IOMF rollovers or investment of sales proceeds not yet invested
• Clear and transparent distributions are made to Presbytery and wider church mission resourcing activity for income earned on invested sales proceeds over and above the Responsible Body return
• A structure that allows congregations to retain and transfer their entitlement to income in the future, recognising the changes in landscape that are possible over the years ahead
• The knowledge of having contributed to the future missional capability of the whole of church in a lasting and meaningful manner

How to participate in Money for Mission

This is an opportunity for congregations wanting to increase income. To explore opting in:

1. Read the Money for Mission Fund booklet and the U Ethical fact sheet on the Money for Mission Fund.  These can be downloaded from this page, or viewed in online 'flip-book' format.
2. Explore the benefits with your congregation leadership council
3. Look at any current investment or surplus property which you may wish to nominate
4. Decide if opting-in to this fund may be right for your congregation
5. Commit to 100% of the invested sales proceeds going into the fund and remaining in the fund for at least seven (7) years
6. Speak to your Presbytery and/or Synod Property Services

To help you decide if Money for Mission is right for your congregation, and to help you start your Money for Mission journey, there are a number of additional resources available to download from this page.

Questions?

If you have any further questions about Money for Mission, please contact your Presbytery Secretary or Presbytery Ministers.

Alternatively, contact Peter Thomas (Director, Property Services) or Duncan Macleod (Chairperson, Money for Mission Steering Committee)