Something wonderful happens when you are in a reflection meeting at the end of a project, looking over everything that has been achieved and taking a moment to sit back and see how far you have come and the barriers you have broken through. Even the energy from taking a fresh stab at the challenges that eluded you is uplifting. The ultimate reward for me, however, is watching people’s amazement and enthusiasm when they realise they have exceeded what they thought was possible. You see, we all have the capacity for brilliance in us. Most people I speak to have dreams and ambitions, but the most significant things holding them back are time and money.
If you are a church leader considering using Connective Vision to help boost your income from Venue Hire, I understand some of the complications you are navigating – although we know each church has its unique flavour of obstacles and joys! I was on a church staff team for seven years as Head of Sales, Marketing and Events and was on the leadership team for five years, so I have plenty of hands-on experience inside church teams. Over this time, I built a venue hire business worth half a million pounds per year – representing 500% growth. I also bring unique insight, having attended diverse fellowships, from Charismatic to Evangelical to Anglican to Strict Baptist, with several church leaders among my friends. I feel this knowledge and experience is a vital piece in the puzzle, when helping churches maximise their spaces, allowing them to increase income sustainably, to do everything they are called to and more.
“I built a venue hire business worth half a million pounds per year – representing 500% growth.”
Since the pandemic, one thing that has struck me is the universal realisation across the church that we need to do something differently. Communities are interacting differently with our buildings; we can no longer assume people will have ever been inside a church. Secondly, the church is facing funding difficulties with shrinking congregations, inflation, and a 30% decrease in regular giving (albeit many have seen improvements since COVID-19). Buildings are closing at an alarming rate; 3500 have closed in the last ten years, and more and more of our Grade I and II buildings are at risk. These are a part of our national heritage and often play much more of a vital central, stabilising role at the core of our communities than many realise. The research around this is fascinating, and although I won’t go into it here, the fact it has caught the attention of the national press in several articles seems, at the very least, noteworthy.
“One thing that has struck me since the pandemic is the universal realisation across the church that we need to do something differently.”
So what is going on?
Well, you don’t need me to tell you that some churches face shrinking congregations, many of whom are giving less or irregularly, particularly when the economic climate is uncertain and challenging. Yet interestingly, the scene this is set into is one where the government is increasingly cutting funding and relying on charities, including the church, to fill the gap, and poverty is increasing.
Where does Connective Vision come into this?
If it’s not too bold to say, we believe that God has entrusted us with a unique plan to enable, fund and re-envision the growth of His church, using venue hire. God loves His church; she is His plan to change the world, and He wants her to flourish. Yet, it is hard to do that when we are financially capped, and lack of resources causes us to say no to good things. Many of us may resonate with the quote from the rector below; we have simply been operating in the same pattern and can’t see how we could do things differently, and maybe we are even unsure if we should. I think the truth for some of us is that we are being called to take a leap of faith and try doing things differently, and this involves extending our vision so we can extend our mission, and that is where Connective Vision comes in. We are here to partner with you, create a unique solution that fits your building and values, and to guide you.
“We believe that God has entrusted us with a unique plan to enable, fund and re-envision the growth of His church, using venue hire”
One verse that has resonated with our mission since the beginning is Proverbs 29:18, “without vision, the people perish.” Why shouldn’t the church be able to afford to hire people and pay them well to keep spreading the good news of the gospel? We don’t want to see any more beautiful churches crumbling away or any more social justice initiatives unable to reach people in need or give generously, simply because the funds aren’t there.
So think of us as your on-hand experts in venue hire and raising revenue streams in churches and listed buildings. We will come alongside you to help you wherever you are at. I know for some of us in the church, calling in consultants will feel a bit different – in my experience, the church can be the ultimate DIY fans! However, just as we turn to the experts when our heating or electrics go wrong because they know exactly what they are doing, or we need that big tech install – this is well worth the investment. The best thing is it isn’t just a capital expenditure, it is an investment that will help you turn your building into a consistent stream of revenue so you can get back to and sustain the things you care most about in ministry.
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