Withdrawal Application Guidance - Churches and Circuits
Standing Order 917(2) Application of Model Trust Money.
(2) Subject to clauses (1) (3) (4) and (5) below and to any consents required by the Model Trusts or Standing Orders the balance may be applied for such of the following purposes and in such amounts as the managing trustees may from time to time decide:
(i) the repair, maintenance, and decoration of the trust property.
(ii) the replacement of lost, worn out, damaged or unserviceable chattels comprised in the trust property.
(iii) the cleaning, lighting, heating and caretaking of the trust property and the supply of water and other services.
(iv) the reimbursement of the managing trustees, their stewards, treasurers or other officers or any other person for any expenses incurred in the execution of the Model Trusts.
(v) the support of personnel serving in the District or any of its Circuits.
(vi) subscriptions or other payments to the funds of any other model trust property or of any of the organisations, societies, institutions or charities specified in section 4 of the 1976 Act.
(vii) those of paragraph 13(a) of the Model Trusts.
(viii) the promotion of the work of God in the relevant church organisation, as specified in clause (4) below.
(ix) any other charitable purpose for the time being of that church organisation.
(x) the establishment of or payments to any district Advance Fund, or payments to the Connexional Priority Fund.
(xi) any charitable purpose of a Housing Association if either the Housing Association is subsidiary or ancillary to the Church or the application of the money is made in furtherance of ecumenical work or activity within the purposes of the relevant church body.
(xii) the exercise of any power conferred on the managing trustees by paragraph 16 of the Model Trusts.
(xiii) any other purpose specifically authorised by the Conference, provided it is one of the purposes of the Church.
Other 917 clauses (1), (3), (4) & (5)
(1) Subject to Standing Order 916 and to clause (5) below money which is model trust property shall be applied in the first place to or for the following purposes:
(i) the payment of all taxes, assessments, rates and other outgoings lawfully payable in respect of the trust property and of all rents, hire charges and [916] The Constitutional Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church 2021 649 Part 9 Property similar payments due in respect of any part of the trust property held on lease, hire, licence or similar terms.
(ii) the payment of insurance premiums adequately to insure the trust property against destruction or damage by fire and other such perils as require to be insured against and to insure the trustees against such other risks and liabilities as they may be likely to incur.
(iii) the payment of interest due on all moneys borrowed by the managing trustees in the execution of the Model Trusts or due from them by virtue of section 11 of the 1976 Act or otherwise charged upon the trust property.
(3) Subject as in (2) above model trust money which is local property may also be applied to any purpose for which the relevant general church fund may be applied under Standing Order 650(4) or (5).
(4) For the purposes of heads (viii) and (ix) of clause (2) above the relevant church organisation is the Methodist Council or other connexional organisation, the District, the Circuit, the Local Church or other church body in connection with which the relevant model trust property is held.
(5) This Standing Order shall not govern the application of money in a district Advance Fund, which shall be applied in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order 963(3). For the authority to make this Standing Order see para. 19(1)(d) of the Model Trusts (Book II, Part 2). For ss. 11 and 4 of the 1976 Act see Vol. 1, pp. 16 and 10. For paras. 13(a) and 16 of the Model Trusts, see Book II, Part 2. For the conditions upon which money can be granted to a Housing Association see S.O. 935. For the purposes of the Church see s. 4 of the Methodist Church Act 1976 (Vol. 1, p. 10). For district Advance Funds see S.O. 963(3).