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Church: a family, a charity or both? What that means when giving gifts to members

Churches are relational places, often described as 'family'. Churches in the UK are also normally structured as charities. Whilst for the most part these two church 'personas' overlap, there are times when a church acts primarily out of friendship and slips outside of its charitable purpose. This paper explores when that might happen and the potential consequences if it does. It offers some options for church leaders to consider while addressing these issues.

Topics covered:

  • When might church as family not overlap church as charity?
  • Why might this be an issue?
  • An area were family and charity may overlap
  • Some areas where family and charity may not overlap
  • What might be some options for church leaders to consider?

Updated January 2025

 

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