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eight years ago has been enough to meet the total diocesan budget

and over the last five years has produced an average surplus of

£20,000. "The current system has a number of advantages but

basically it is dependent on the efficiency of the Christian

Stewardship service which has enabled parochial income to continually

increase. The...assessment is always based on the previous year's

accounts, and a further advantage is that parishes feel they have

control of Diocesan Expenditure". That last point is relevant to

Bradford where parishes are not so sure they have such control

(see the results of the parish questionnaire in Chapter 2). But nor

do Bradford parishes espouse Christian Stewardship as wholeheartedly

as do those in Blackburn, and it would seem doubtful therefore that

the Blackburn scheme could easily be translated - one example among

several reflecting the differing nature of even adjoining dioceses.

Catton notes that the Chester and Rochester schemes are similar to

Blackburn's.


5.3.4  


         When we come to systems based chiefly on potential income and

linked with Christian Stewardship then the Diocese of Lichfield is

prominent in the field. So successful has their scheme been that it

has been adopted in whole or in part by several other dioceses

(including Bradford). Unfortunately whilst successful, it is also

complicated and expensive (when instituted by York Diocese it took

6 months and cost £5,000). "There is no doubt that this is the most

expensive to run in terms of manpower and time, requiring one or two

full-time people. Lichfield run this successfully in with their

Stewardship Department most of whom are full-time, and is a natural

link with Stewardship." Which raises the question of whether the

increased cost is justified in terms of increased return - a prima

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