The Church Commissioners for England held a board meeting in the Diocese of Norwich this week.
But what exactly is a Church Commissioner and what do they do?
The Church Commissioners support the work and mission of the Church of England.
Based in Church House, alongside Westminster Abbey, they are accountable to Parliament, General Synod and, as a registered charity, to the Charity Commission.
Church Commissioners in numbers.
There are 33 Church Commissioners:
6 hold the offices of state Prime Minister, deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Speaker of the House of Commons and Speaker of the House of Lords.
The other 27 form the Board of Governors – which met at Granary Court, Bishop House, Norwich, on Thursday November 28.
13 of the Board of Governors are elected by General Synod and cathedral deans.
The Bishop of Norwich was elected to the Board by General Synod.
14 are appointed by the Crown and archbishops for their expertise in, for example, law and finance.
Church Commissioners in dates and more numbers
The Church Commissioners were founded in 1948 by merging an organisation called Queen Anne’s Bounty, formed in 1704 to support poorer clergy, with the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, set up in 1836 to help administer the Church.
The Board of Governors and its committees are supported by a team led by the Secretary (or chief executive) Gareth Mostyn. The titles First and Third Church Estates Commissioner go to the chairs of two of the committees.
The Second Church Estates Commissioner is an MP from the governing party, appointed by the Crown on the advice of the Prime Minister, as a link between the Government and the Church of England. The MP for Battersea, Marsha de Cordova, in the unpaid role of Second Church Estates Commissioner, answers questions from her fellow MPs about the Church of England and helps maintain the Church Commissioners’ accountability to Parliament.
What do Church Commissioners do?
They help fund the Church of England from an investment fund which pays for around 20% of the running costs of the Church of England, including the work of churches, cathedrals and dioceses across the country.
Between 2023 and 2025 they will increase funding by 30% to help revitalise parishes, and support and develop ministry, particularly with young people and disadvantaged people.
What were they doing in Norwich?
Holding a meeting of the Board of Governors. They also attended Evensong in Norwich Cathedral.