Single Congregation LEPs and Charity Registration

This is a summary of current legislation.
Please check with your own denominational website for full guidance.

The Charity Commission for England and Wales has approved a standard governing document for Local Ecumenical Partnerships where two or more Churches have formed a single congregation. Existing LEPs do not need to change their constitution unless

• they have an annual income normally greater than £100,000 (though this threshhold may decrease in time)
• they do not yet have an agreed constitution
• their constitution needs amendment.

The standard constitution permits a local church to do whatever it needs to do, so should not be amended except as indicated on the LEP Approvals form. The creativity and experimentality of the LEP should be expressed in the Statement of Ecumenical Vision and the life of the LEP itself and not in the constitution.

HOWEVER,

• all new Single Congregation LEPs, whether or not they need to register with the Charity Commission, should use the New Model Constitution.
• All LEPs considering changing or amending their Constitution must use the New Model Constitution.

An existing LEP Constitution itself should contain a clause about how it may be amended and that procedure should be followed when adopting this New Model Constitution.

There are three documents which will help you understand and complete the registration process.

1. The Model Governing Documents (Constitution & Schedule) for a Single Congregation Local Ecumenical Partnership, showing clearly in red where local information should be inserted.
   
   
2. Guidelines for Single Congregation LEPs. This document walks you through the New Model Constitution.
   
   
3. Guidance for the Completion of the online registration application.
   This document gives you a full item-by-item tour of all the online pages of the application form - invaluable!
   This is a .pdf file, and click the icon if you need to download the free version of Adobe Acrobat.

The County Ecumenical Development Officer, or his/her delegate, has a key role in the approval process and should be kept fully informed at all times.

The Statement of Ecumenical Vision takes the place of a Declaration of Intent in previous LEP constitutions but becomes a self-standing document. LEPs which have a Declaration of Intent may use it as their Statement of Ecumenical Vision.

IF YOU GET INTO DIFFICULTIES WITH THE ONLINE FORM, DO NOT CONTACT THE CHARITY COMMISSION,

despite what it says in the documents. Instead, contact Jean Haynes at the Resourcing Mission Office of the Methodist Church - she is the person who is in contact with the Charity Commission for the Methodist Church, and will help folk from other Churches. Contact her on 0161 236 5194 or email  haynesj[at]property.methodist.org.uk  (and don't forget to change the [at] to a @).

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The Churches Together in England website offers all the information you need on all matters to do with LEP Registration. There is information on the following topics, and much more besides:

• tailored version for C of E / Methodist LEPs
• tailored version for Methodist / URC LEPs
• tailored version for Congregations in Covenanted Partnership
• Shared Building Partnerships under the Sharing of Church Buildings Act 1969.
• reviewing LEPs
• sharing church buildings with new congregations, including those established by new immigrant groups
• specific information on sharing buildings from the Baptist Union, the Methodist and Roman Catholic Churches.
• Declaration of Ecumenical Welcome and Commitment, with denominational versions and responses.
• Draft Constitution for Local Churches Together groups, produced by CTE's Group for Local Unity
• the role of the Intermediate Body (i.e. Churches Together at county or regional level) and their review