Parish Share

Parish Share Explained, a short film
A message from the Bishop of Norwich
What is Parish Share? Methodology
Parish Share review booklet
Parish Share Online: check your latest figures easily
Access support from the Generous Giving team
Parish Share Reports
Parish Share Direct Debit form

Parish Share Explained: a short animation

A message from the Bishop of Norwich

“From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” – John 1:16

Thank you! Your generosity towards Christian giving enables the church across the Diocese of Norwich to live out its calling to be prayerful, pastoral and prophetic as we seek to be transformed by Christ.

Christian giving flows from the overwhelming grace we’ve received in Christ. As God pours out his blessings – grace upon grace – we are invited to reflect his generosity in how we give back to God’s Church and others.

We give because we’ve already received abundantly. True generosity is simply grace passed on, a response to the fullness we’ve found in our life infused with God.

Parish Share is an act of this shared generosity. It first and foremost funds local parish ministry. It pays for the stipends of our parish clergy, their housing, training and parish support including legal, financial and safeguarding support.

The diocesan budget also relies on the generosity of our forebears through the income from our investments and glebe, and from the grants we receive from the Church Commissioners and grant making trusts. This income reduces the amount that is asked for in parish share.

We should note that in 2024, only 80.64% of the requested parish share was contributed. We could do so much more mission and ministry if that figure rose much nearer to 100%. How I long that we were so generous that many places were able to support ministry not just in their own community, but across the whole diocese – especially in places that may struggle financially.

Through our giving we embody the grace we’ve received, working together so that the mission and ministry of the Church can flourish in every corner of the diocese.

Thank you for your part in this, for the sacrificial giving that goes on already, and those of you who, as PCC members, fundraisers and parish treasurers, wisely steward the resources of the Church.

With my renewed thanks and every blessing.

+Graham Norvic:

What is Parish Share?

Parish Share is a financial contribution by churches towards the cost of the mission and ministry of the Church within the Diocese. It primarily contributes to the costs of clergy stipends, housing, and training.

Methodology of Parish Share

Requests are published annually to each Benefice, for a level of contribution calculated for that Benefice. Parishes within a benefice are asked to agree a split of the request amongst them.

Contribution requests are based on various factors, including the underlying costs of mission and ministry, the size of ministry in each benefice and the socio-economic status of the benefice.

The amount contributed varies among parishes, with some contributing more than others to support the overall Diocesan mission and ministry and to contribute to the overall financial health of the Church, reflecting mutual support.

The Diocese of Norwich introduced a revised approach to parish share in 2014 called The Responsibility is Ours (TRIO). The rationale for TRIO, and much of the approach adopted remain relevant today. The aim of TRIO was to achieve a financially sustainable position for the Diocese by encouraging and supporting more generous giving by parishes at a level that covers the costs of mission and ministry. We are still striving to achieve this aim.

A detailed explanation of the Parish Share allocation method adopted in 2014 can be found in the following booklet:

Current Contributions

The Parish Share Online service provides the latest figures at parish, benefice, deanery and Diocese level.

Support

Support can be offered in a variety of ways to parishes who may be struggling.

The Generous Giving Team – Diocese of Norwich provide resources to parishes to enable greater generosity in their churches including assistance with growth plans or stewardship campaigns.

Parish Share Reports

Paying Parish Share

As a Diocese, we are obliged to pay the stipends of our clergy on a regular monthly basis. Receiving regular payments from parishes during the year would help us to do that and we offer a Direct Debit service for parishes. If your parish is not already making a contribution towards their parish share by Direct Debit, please consider moving to this approach.

These can be as little as £20 per month and this amount can be reduced, increased or set to zero temporarily at any time by a telephone call or e-mail to this office. All we ask is that notification is given by the 15th of the month at the latest, as we make our submission to the bank for collection on this date.

Please find below a direct debit mandate form which can be downloaded and sent to Diocesan House once completed and signed in accordance with your mandate (usually two signatories).