Giles Arnold, Church Growth Trust’s Chief Executive, most weeks visits independent churches across the UK, helping trustees of Gospel halls and chapels to deal with trust matters and discuss how CGT can help with holding the property. He states “there are an increasing number of trustees that are struggling with their trustee duties and needing advice. There are also many that see the advantage of CGT holding the trusteeship of the property on a long-term basis in order to safeguard the property for Gospel use. The number of enquiries for our help is increasing, but last month must have been a record, when I met with three different sets of trustees over two days and all of them wanted to either gift the property to CGT or appoint us as sole managing trustee”.
One of these properties was Waterloo Road Chapel at South Yardley in the West Midlands. Giles Arnold had had two previous meetings with them and had been able to discuss the different ways that CGT could help them. One of the three trustees recently passed on and the remaining trustees and the assembly decided it was time for the property to be gifted to CGT. The assembly will continue to use the building.
On the same day Giles Arnold met with the trustees of another building in the West Midlands, where they had seen the church close during the previous year and did not know what to do with the property. CGT will now try to find a new church to occupy the building and continue the Gospel work in the area. This will also involve some major renovation work required to the property.
The following day Giles Arnold met with the leadership of an independent Baptist church in Chester. They were keen for CGT to be the trustee of the property and the church meeting met a few weeks later to make a formal decision.
Giles Arnold again: “this is what we do and we are delighted to be able to help these trustees to ensure that the properties continue to be used to their full potential and that the worship and outreach continue in each locality.”
