Bricks and Mortar

For the development of new ministries or new buildings, funds are available from a number of sources within the Methodist Church of New Zealand.

Connexional:

a.  Development Funds
     There are two Development Funds:

     (i)  Development Fund Ministries and
     (ii) Development Fund Properties.

b.  Loans
     Loans from Church Building and Loan Fund.

Synods:

Some Synods also administer Local and Regional Development Funds, some of which come from a share of proceeds from sales of redundant properties, which are available for new and innovative ministry.

Parishes:

The Church Building and Loan Fund holds in trust proceeds of Property Realisation to be available for “Approved Capital Projects within the Parish”, a requirement which is interpreted as broadly as possible while protecting the resources.

Church Building and Loan (CB&L) Capital:

The Capital consists of the original deposit and the accumulated interest (20%), which must beadded to the Capital each year.

Capital Funds may be spent on authorised Capital projects. This includes new buildings, purchases, renovations and maintenance. All such work must be approved by the parish and include an asbestos management plan, which must be notified to the Methodist Connexional Property Committee. If the total cost exceeds $50,000 or requires resource or building consent, approval from the Synod Property Advisory Committee and the Methodist Connexional Property Committee is also required.

Use of Interest:

In recent years, it has been possible for parishes to use up to 80% of the interest earned on deposits from the sale of property held in the Church Building and Loan Fund for Ministry and Mission.

The use of this interest is carefully monitored to ensure that those funds are used strategically. Spending the interest reduces the ability of the funds to keep up with inflation, but can also release energy for and facilitate an effective mission.

The following process is required:

1. A parish seeking to use 80% of interest can advise the Connexional Office by email to the Insurance and Property Manager.
2. On a five-yearly basis, Synod will examine the use of Church Building and Loan funds by any parish in its region. Any funds not used strategically may be transferred to the Synod to help meet the wider strategy of the Synod and the Connexion (see Conference decisions– Law Book Section 9.3.4.2).

The Development Funds – Ministries and Properties

Development Fund Ministries

Conference has recognised that property no longer required for its current use when sold may, through using part of its proceeds, make a new investment in people and meeting current needs.

Section 9.3.4.2 of the Law Book provides:

When a property is sold, that is no longer required for its current purpose, and it is not to be replaced:

1. A portion of the proceeds of the sale shall be contributed to the Development Fund Ministries. That portion shall be 15% unless otherwise agreed between MCPC, the Synod and the parish.
2. After five years from the date of sale, if the parish has not ensured the use of the remainder of the funds in furtherance of the mission of the Church as set out in the regional property strategy, the funds are to be released to the Synod for its use in the regional property strategy.

Development Fund – Properties

A Capital Fund was established by the 1989 Conference through a grant of $250,000 from the Accumulated Funds of the Church Building and Loan Fund, together with the Capital of the old “Sites Fund”. 80% of the income from these Development Fund Properties is available for disbursement. In addition, a further 50% of the annual excess of income over expenditure of the Church Building and Loan is available to the Development Fund Properties, of which at least 20% is added to the capital.

Development Fund Ministries

• The national funding disbursement is the responsibility of Te Hāpai Ō Ki Muri, whose mandate is “to use its resources for Mission in New Zealand in outreach, evangelism, Church extension, and the provision of new ministries as may be required”.
• Requests for assistance are to be made to Te Hāpai Ō Ki Muri 

Development Fund Properties

• Requests for assistance are to be made to Methodist Connexional Property Committee.

Criteria for Obtaining Assistance from both funds

The Mission Statement, as set out below, forms the basis of the criteria which is applied to all applications for funds:

1. Methodist Church of New Zealand – Te Haahi Weteriana o Aotearoa Mission Statement:
   “Our Church’s Mission in Aotearoa NZ is to reflect and proclaim the transforming love of God as revealed in Jesus Christ and declared in the Bible. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to serve God in the World. The Declaration of Independence of NZ was the first agreement that declared the sovereign authority and leadership of the Confederation of Tribes of NZ. The purpose being to affirm the authority of tangata whenua and to establish an emergent bicultural nation. Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the covenant establishing our nation on the basis of a power-sharing relationship and will guide how we undertake mission.
   
   Ko te pūtake ā tō tātou Hāhi Weteriana i Aotearoa nei, he whakakite atu, he kauwhau hoki i te aroha whakatahuri o te Atua, he mea whakaatu mai i roto i a Ihu Karaiti, me ngā Karaipiture. Ko te Wairua Tapu e whakakaha ana i ā tātou kia tū māia ai hei tuari mā te Atua i roto i te ao. Otirā, ko Te Tiriti o Waitangi te kawenata e whakaōrite ana i tā tātou noho hei tangata whenua, hei tauiwi hoki, ki tēnei whenua. Mā tēnei Tiriti tātou e ārahi i roto i ngā whakariterite o tēnei whakahau, tono hoki, ki roto ki te ao.
2. The affirmations arising from the Mission Statement:
   We seek to be a worshipping, praying, and growing community, sharing and developing our faith and working out its implications in our social context. We aim to be flexible, creative, and open to God’s Spirit in a changing world and Church, releasing energy for mission rather than absorbing energy for maintenance.
3. Alignment with the Church’s strategic direction:
   We commit to focusing our people and financial resources in ways that enable innovation, good stewardship, and the flourishing of diverse ministries across the connexion.
   
   Projects supported by the Fund should embody these principles and demonstrate clear potential for strategic impact, sustainable development, and transformative mission.

Thus, Mission Resourcing and Methodist Connexional Property Committee will:

• evaluate each request in terms of the Church’s Mission Statement
• evaluate each request in terms of current and future health and safety
• consider what resources are available locally and in the Synod
• ensure each request is accompanied by a current asbestos management plan
• check that the proposal fits in with the strategy for development held by the Synod
• bear in mind the responsibility to meet requests from the whole country and all sections of the Church in terms of the resources available
• be flexible, be creative, and promote the mission and ministry of the Church rather than Church maintenance.

The Properties Development Grant Fund is designed to assist The Methodist Church of New Zealand with property developments.

On behalf of The Methodist Church of New Zealand, the BOA administers this fund. Grants from the fund are disbursed on the recommendation of the Methodist Connexional Property Committee in consultation with Te Hapai Ō Ki Muri.

Notes:

• Include a copy of the minutes from the parish and/or Synod meeting that approved the application.
• Subsequent grants are subject to a satisfactory review, achievement of set goals, and other funding.

Properties Development Grant Fund Criteria

The Methodist Connexional Property Committee has agreed on the following criteria for the Properties Development Grant Fund:

• grants of up to $50,000 for repairs, essential reports, maintenance, upgrades and new work
• grants of up to $80,000 for reports, upgrades, earthquake strengthening and other new work.
• this fund is available for Methodist parishes and Cooperating Ventures with a Methodist partner
• the fund excludes insurance payments, rates and operating expenses
• the priority is for projects that can demonstrate a significant benefit to the mission of the congregation
• applications are assessed on several criteria, including the parish finances
• the parish must have a maintenance budget
• normally, not more than one application every two years.

Application Process

1. The parish is to provide a quote in writing for the work required and supporting information to the Synod Property Committee for approval.
2. Once approved, the application form (Appendix 1) and the supporting documentation, including the supporting letter from the Synod Property Committee, are to be sent to the Connexional Property Committee for consideration.
3. Consult with the Methodist Connexional Property Committee (Property).
4. Make a formal application to the Methodist Connexional Property Committee for a Development Fund grant.