The Church of England is fundamentally divided over the issue of sex and marriage.
For too long we’ve been trying to put sugar and salt in the same pot. We need to be honest – in the Church of England we have actually got two different visions of the future we wish to build (in reality, I suspect we actually have two gospels – it certainly is the case that the question ‘What does repentance and faith look like?’ will elicit divergent answers).
In response to this, the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) is working alongside the Alliance (the wider umbrella group embracing those in the Cof E who are orthodox on sexuality), to secure a long-term future for those committed to Biblical and Anglican teaching. While CEEC is doing this, many of us are left in limbo on a number of matters, one of which is giving.
People across the country have told us that they’ve lost confidence in the national leadership of the church. They have told us that they don’t feel they can continue to give to their diocese in good conscience, when it might be used to support a bishop and/or churches that have walked away from a Biblical understanding of sex and marriage, and have commended or are using Prayers of Love and Faith.
The Ephesian Fund
So what is The Ephesian Fund and how does it work?
The Ephesian Fund derives its name from Paul’s encouragement to the Christians in Ephesus to root and build the church in and on the apostolic foundations they had received (Eph.2:20-22). The Ephesian Fund is intended to provide a financial infrastructure that helps makes that possible at this time in the Church of England.
The Ephesian Fund is designed to enable people (including PCCs) to continue to give joyfully and in good conscience by ensuring that their money is going to be spent on gospel purposes.
Donations to The Ephesian Fund are earmarked for particular churches and ministries, which are signed up to the CEEC basis of faith.
PCCs/churches can pay their share (also called ‘common fund’, ‘free-will offering’ – FWO – or ‘diocesan quota’) to the diocese through The Ephesian Fund and be assured that dioceses allocate giving directed through the Fund to an incumbent/minister and/or a PCC that support the CEEC basis of faith. It also means that, as individuals, people can use The Ephesian Fund to give to their local church in a way that says ‘I support orthodox ministry’.
en readers should also be aware of the strategic role The Ephesian Fund can play in support of local churches. One church in London describes their involvement in The Ephesian Fund like this: ‘As a church in a deprived area who will never be self-sustaining, we are always concerned whether stipendiary ministry here will be maintained if our vicar leaves. We are very grateful for the generosity of a net contributor church who, by choosing to support orthodox ministry through The Ephesian Fund, are topping up our parish share, making us less vulnerable to potential cuts.’
You’ll find more information on The Ephesian Fund website – www.ephesianfund.org.uk
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