Agenda Volume 3 - Methodist Conference

57. The Fruitful Field Project
connexional assets, the Committee
recognises its complementary duty
to adopt a realistic attitude towards
the income which the Network can
expect to receive through the District
Assessment and from connexional
funds. Consequently, in order to
achieve a sustainable income stream
which can support the entirety of the
Network’s purposes and activities, the
Committee is confident of the need
for the fund and asset management
strategy outlined above.
270 Acting on the advice of the
Connexional Treasurers, the
Committee also recommends that
this strategy include consideration of
fundraising and the encouragement
of generous giving to support the
Network’s activities. The funds
contributed by Circuits and Districts
during 2001/2007 to establish
the Training Assessment Fund
may demonstrate a readiness to
support focused and intentional
fundraising campaigns in this area
of the Connexion’s life. Grass roots
involvement and engagement is
essential to the success of the
Discipleship and Ministries Learning
Network in many ways. Moreover,
interest has already been shown
by a number of Partner Churches
in collaborating with the life of
the Network, and this may also
open avenues to other fundraising
opportunities. Any such fundraising
initiatives will clearly need to
exist within the wider connexional
fundraising strategy.
Capital expenditure
271 Planned preventative maintenance
costs at Cliff College and the
Queen’s Foundation will form part of
a developing premises-management
strategy for both centres. It is
anticipated that these costs will
be met from revenue expenditure,
including from the budgeted allocation
within the Network’s expenditure for
maintenance and premises-related
purposes. However, within both
centres, development work will be
required both to generate increased
capacity and to enhance the quality
of the learning environment. These
moderate capital projects will be in
addition to those capital projects
which both centres have already
been developing and whose costs
the centres anticipate being able to
meet from funds already earmarked
for the purpose. The Committee
recommends that the costs of
moderate capital expenditure projects
at the two centres should be met
from the Network’s funds. Prudent
management of the funds and assets
of the Network will largely determine
the magnitude of the additional
capital expenditure projects which the
Network will be able to support.
Other centre activities
272 The two centres at Cliff College
and the Queen’s Foundation will,
as is currently the case, continue
to serve significant constituencies
outside and beyond the life of the
Methodist Church, and to meet goals
Conference Agenda 2012 757