Covenant Pledges
Each parish is asked to decide what they are able to contribute towards the cost of stipendiary ministry across the Diocese of Lincoln. This is a covenant pledge and is gathered together in the ‘common fund’. This money is then shared across the Diocese to ensure that stipendiary priests are available to the community of Greater Lincolnshire and we can plan a sustainable future together.
We are called to work together as a diocese, supporting and loving our neighbours to see the Kingdom of God grow and lives transformed.
When we give to the common fund through a covenant pledge, we may wish to consider this a gift towards helping the church develop across the whole county, not just focussing upon our own local community. By working together and contributing to the common fund, we can work towards our ambition of having 100 stipendiary posts, located across the Diocese.
This may mean that festival churches see the £1k covenant pledge as a minimum amount they wish to give. Key mission churches may contribute more than the cost of a full stipendiary post. This generosity blesses the whole in a positive way.
The Generous Living Team offers support to each parish as they decide on their covenant pledge . There is no formula to work with that decides what figure each church should give. This system did not work. Therefore the onus is on each parish to decide what it wishes to give. As part of this two-way pledge, the Diocese commits to directing resources where there is the greatest need. The LDTBF commits to funding all other costs and activity from other income (investments and assets). This means that parishes can continue to receive at no cost support, training and expertise on mission, buildings, fundraising, finance, safeguarding, governance and more.
Submitting your Parish’s Covenant Pledge
This is where you can review and submit your parish’s approved Covenant Pledge. This form will go live towards the end of each year.