Resources for Churches

Useful links and resources for churches:

Worship Resources

Communication

• Creating church websites - advice for local churches on creating a website for their church
• Find a church - verify that your church listing is up to date and update your church details.  Churches that provide full postcodes are also automatically displayed in Google Maps

Advice

• Elders as church trustees - guidance for elders worried about their possible responsibilities as church trusteees
• URC Swine Flu Guidance (prepared August 2009) - running the church and supporting your community during a Swine Flu outbreak.
• Charity registration for local churches - assistance for local churches in complying with the requirements of the Charities Act 2006, prepared by the URC Trust, revised June 2009
• Churches and Faith Buildings: Realising the Potential - government guidelines on how churches can obtain funding and support to adapt their buildings for community use (see news article Funding churches for community use)
• Education and Learning - department for the education of church ministers and members, includes Training for Learning and Serving (TLS)
• Information booklets - guidance for church secretaries or treasurers
• The Manual: Information for local churches -  information on a range of issues from ecclesiastical exemption, to food regulations and copyright
• PLATO - property handbook and guide to maintaining church properties

Safe Church Advice

• Declaration towards a safe church - charter for action with space for local contact numbers (amended Oct 2007)
• Good Practice - guidelines for safeguarding children and young people in the church
• Policy on allegations of sexual harassment or abuse of adults and associated flow chart of policy regarding sexual harassment.
• Guidelines for Synod Advisers for dealing with allegations of sexual harrassment or abuse of adults
• Preserving the Integrity of the Body - report on avoiding abuse within the church
• The 'Together' booklet series on being a safe church: Life Together, Relating Together and Worshipping Together