Crossing the Threshold Toolkit

The Crossing the Threshold Toolkit offers a step-by-step guide to managing a church building project.

First created by the Diocese of Hereford in 2009, and subsequently updated in 2013, this newly updated resource is packed with 268 pages of advice, hints and tips for any group taking a community development approach towards adapting a church building for wider community use while balancing the needs of existing worshippers.

Thanks to the financial support from the Allchurches Trust and the expertise of the Historic Religious Buildings Alliance, this all-new toolkit is a free resource available to anyone to download here. It breaks down projects into three key stages:

• Preparing the Ground,
• Looking at Your Options,
• Delivering Your Project.

With numerous case studies, top tips and end-of-chapter checklists, as well as advice from experts in their fields, and with input and expertise from a range of national church organisations, this practical document draws upon the lessons learned from recent church projects of all denominations across the UK.

Download a FREE PDF Copy

You can also download the whole toolkit here

Alternatively, you can download individual chapters, in PDF format here:

• Chapter 1 - Developing Your Vision
• Chapter 2 - Undertaking a Community Audit and Consulting with the Community
• Chapter 3 – Developing a Team and Assessing Your Skills and Abilities
• Chapter 4 – Governance – Choosing the Right Organisational Structure
• Chapter 5 – Developing Your Ideas – Options Appraisals, Feasibility Study, Architect’s Brief and the Design Stages
• Chapter 6 – Balancing the Need for Change with heritage and Liturgical Considerations – Legalities and the Church Planning Process
• Chapter 7 – Planning Your Project
• Chapter 8 – Writing a Business Plan
• Chapter 9 – Ensuring Your Project is Sustainable
• Chapter 10 – Raising the Funds
• Chapter 11 – Identifying the Right External Funders
• Chapter 12 – Completing Applications – Selling Your Project to Funders
• Chapter 13 – Managing Project Cash Flow
• Chapter 14 – Managing the Building Works on Site
• Chapter 15 – The Final Stages – Claiming Money, Celebrating, Impact and Evaluation
• Chapter 16 – Further Information

Should you have any queries about finding funders, or project development, then please contact Wendy Coombey, Community Partnership and Funding Officer. Contact details can be found on this in the Staff Directory