What is Parish Share?
Parish Share is the amount of money that your parish is asked to contribute to pay for mission and ministry, including clergy stipends and their housing.The Parish Share that you are asked to pay is calculated using a formula which considers whether your clergy are full time or part time and where your parish is situated socioeconomically using the 2021 census information. It also takes into account our shared responsibility to support parishes in areas of deprivation.
There’s more information about how this is calculated in the Parish Share section of the Chester Diocese website.
Where does the money go?
The ministry and mission of The Church of England is largely funded through the incredible generosity of those who give through their own parish church.
The cash donations in the offertory and the regular payments that you make through your bank account impact the financial health and the mission of your own parish church and are also closely linked to those of Chester Diocese.
Thanks to your support, in churches across our Diocese:
† Communion is celebrated
† The Gospel is preached
† Bereaved families are comforted
† School assemblies take place
† Baptisms and weddings are ministered
† People are shown the love of Christ by our pastoral presence in every
community.
What Parish Share Means
The money you give each week, whether in the collection plate or through your bank, funds the work of your clergy and supports ministry
across the Diocese of Chester. Every penny matters. Parish Share ensures that every parish, regardless of its individual wealth, is resourced for mission and ministry. That’s what Parish Share is all about: every church gives, and every church receives, so that together we can transform lives and communities; together in Christ, sharing hope.
Speaking about Parish Share, Bishop Mark says; “Thank you, because it changes lives”.
Parish Share Ongoing Support
As part of the budget meeting of Bishops Council on 1 December, it was agreed that parishes with unpaid Parish Share commitments dating from before 2024 will no longer be required to make up these missed payments.
All outstanding amounts will be removed from the balance sheet up to
that date.
As part of our commitment to open and transparent
communication and providing high quality support we will …
Looking ahead, the ability of a parish to meet its Parish Share will be an important factor when considering future clergy support, whether that means a full-time post or the number of hours available.
Parish Share is not just about covering costs; it is an indication of what a parish can realistically afford in the years to come. This helps us plan
wisely and ensures sustainable ministry across the diocese.
How is the money managed?
With your continued support we can achieve our shared vision, Together in Christ, sharing hope: blessing the 1.5 million people across Chester Diocese who have not heard the Good News of Jesus.
Contact us
If you have any queries please contact the Finance Department using the email:
parishshare@chester.anglican.org
If you’d like to find out more, please search for Parish Share on our website.
If you are struggling to give your Parish Share please contact the Finance team or your Archdeacon.