MMF - what will happen if your PCC resists payment in full
Following our Fact Sheet on key questions to ask regarding MMF (Mission and Ministry Fund), we have received a number of further queries from Parochial Church Councils (PCCs). Here are some answers.
Neither Save The Parish Cornwall nor Save The Parish nationally are advocating at this time a total MMF or Parish Share “strike” by PCCs. But we in Cornwall in the Diocese of Truro believe the annual Call has been much too high for some years and in 2024-25 needs particularly to be strongly challenged and resisted.
What will happen if we don’t pay our MMF - and how do we do it?
First of all, remember that MMF is NOT a statutory charge that you have to pay - like your gas bill, for instance. It is in fact a voluntary charity donation.
It is true that, generally, a PCC is getting something in return for that charitable gift. But in times when that return is often getting noticeably less and less, while the requested donation seems to be significantly increasing, it is reasonable (and probably the PCC’s duty as trustees) to question the balance of that arrangement.
So what happens if you question or refuse to pay?
Are there actions the Diocese can take?
Ostensibly, MMF is to pay for the provision of your parish priest services - and the Diocese’s big weapon is to threaten to withdraw them.
Even though very few PCCs actually have a dedicated stipendiary priest anymore, the Diocese can/will/has threatened to move that priest over non-payment of MMF.
Because almost all priests now serve a number of churches and PCCs, the Diocese can also threaten to stop him/her serving the non-paying MMF PCC/churches and reallocate his/her time to the rest of the benefice (and possibly try to raise that MMF call to fill the financial gap your action has left).
If, as many parishes do, you rely on PTOs (Permission To Officiate clergy), SSMs (Self Supporting Ministers), House for Duty priests or lay ministers, the Diocese can withdraw their licence to be a priest and so demand that that ordained priest cease conducting your usual worship.
Where there is a vacant incumbency in a benefice, there have been instances elsewhere in the country of a diocese refusing to fill the post despite only one of a number of churches refusing to pay its full MMF.
ACTIONS a questioning PCC can take
What will happen if we don’t pay our MMF - and how do we do it?
First of all, remember that MMF is NOT a statutory charge that you have to pay - like your gas bill, for instance. It is in fact a voluntary charity donation.
It is true that, generally, a PCC is getting something in return for that charitable gift. But in times when that return is often getting noticeably less and less, while the requested donation seems to be significantly increasing, it is reasonable (and probably the PCC’s duty as trustees) to question the balance of that arrangement.
So what happens if you question or refuse to pay?
Are there actions the Diocese can take?
Ostensibly, MMF is to pay for the provision of your parish priest services - and the Diocese’s big weapon is to threaten to withdraw them.
Even though very few PCCs actually have a dedicated stipendiary priest anymore, the Diocese can/will/has threatened to move that priest over non-payment of MMF.
Because almost all priests now serve a number of churches and PCCs, the Diocese can also threaten to stop him/her serving the non-paying MMF PCC/churches and reallocate his/her time to the rest of the benefice (and possibly try to raise that MMF call to fill the financial gap your action has left).
If, as many parishes do, you rely on PTOs (Permission To Officiate clergy), SSMs (Self Supporting Ministers), House for Duty priests or lay ministers, the Diocese can withdraw their licence to be a priest and so demand that that ordained priest cease conducting your usual worship.
Where there is a vacant incumbency in a benefice, there have been instances elsewhere in the country of a diocese refusing to fill the post despite only one of a number of churches refusing to pay its full MMF.
ACTIONS a questioning PCC can take
First of all, be seen to be very reasonable and offer to talk and negotiate over the new MMF call.
Information is always King, and the Diocese of Truro in recent years has been reluctant to share detailed financial information and be fully transparent. Demand detailed calculations of how Church House justifies this level of MMF - particularly any increase - and closely scrutinise the logic. In particular, question how the ‘Church House’ activities represented by the costs being passed on through MMF tangibly benefit the parish.
For example, in three deaneries where Save The Parish Cornwall has closely analysed the MMF financial breakdown, 20% of the Call (ie £1 in £5) goes towards Church House costs. We believe that that will prove the case across Cornwall. Click here to read a list of the team at Church House.
Does your PCC believe that that the allocation of Church House costs is justifiable? And given the PCC’s status as a charitable trust and the PCC members being charity trustees with legal obligations and responsibilities, is that 20% Church House ‘tax’ acceptable?
Information is always King, and the Diocese of Truro in recent years has been reluctant to share detailed financial information and be fully transparent. Demand detailed calculations of how Church House justifies this level of MMF - particularly any increase - and closely scrutinise the logic. In particular, question how the ‘Church House’ activities represented by the costs being passed on through MMF tangibly benefit the parish.
For example, in three deaneries where Save The Parish Cornwall has closely analysed the MMF financial breakdown, 20% of the Call (ie £1 in £5) goes towards Church House costs. We believe that that will prove the case across Cornwall. Click here to read a list of the team at Church House.
Does your PCC believe that that the allocation of Church House costs is justifiable? And given the PCC’s status as a charitable trust and the PCC members being charity trustees with legal obligations and responsibilities, is that 20% Church House ‘tax’ acceptable?
So what to do…
For instance, refuse to pay the huge Church House 20% charge unless Church House can prove it directly benefits your PCC.
Or perhaps reject any annual MMF increase at all and simply offer to match what you paid last year if you can still afford it.
If the Diocese refuses to accept this, pay the money you’re offering anyway into a special designated bank account and make the diocese aware it is there. Then keep talking...
If an MMF donation refusal is on principle - for instance, a benefice reorganisation has taken place which means you’re getting even less service than before from your stipendiary parish priest - then simply work out what you think is fair and offer that.
Make it clear you’ll pay your fair - and justifiable - share but no more and not without concrete evidence.
If the Diocese refuses to pay usual costs like expenses to the PTOs (Permission To Officiate clergy), SSMs (Self Supporting Ministers) or lay ministers conducting your services, then you could cover them from the special MMF account you have created.
For instance, refuse to pay the huge Church House 20% charge unless Church House can prove it directly benefits your PCC.
Or perhaps reject any annual MMF increase at all and simply offer to match what you paid last year if you can still afford it.
If the Diocese refuses to accept this, pay the money you’re offering anyway into a special designated bank account and make the diocese aware it is there. Then keep talking...
If an MMF donation refusal is on principle - for instance, a benefice reorganisation has taken place which means you’re getting even less service than before from your stipendiary parish priest - then simply work out what you think is fair and offer that.
Make it clear you’ll pay your fair - and justifiable - share but no more and not without concrete evidence.
If the Diocese refuses to pay usual costs like expenses to the PTOs (Permission To Officiate clergy), SSMs (Self Supporting Ministers) or lay ministers conducting your services, then you could cover them from the special MMF account you have created.
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