We offer guidance and advice on the day-to-day maintenance of your church and on how to go about making changes to your building.

If you’re interested in the support available to help church in rural areas, we also recommending visiting the Arthur Rank Centre.

  1. Glass cases with historical objects inside

    Display cases

    Your church may have portable objects that require special protection and display. A display case can be a good solution. But, as a place of worship, you need to balance the long-term protection of your objects against the special function and historic character of your church building. We can help you and your professional adviser deal with the care of your collection.

  2. Stand stands in front of six paintings hanging on a wall

    Disposals and loans

    The church buildings of the Church of England are home to an amazing variety of treasures and artworks that are of high significance. The Church Buildings Council considers that church treasures belong in churches and should only be removed in the most exceptional circumstances. We are temporary custodians of buildings, and have a duty of care not just for the current generation but for future generations. The past for church buildings is also their future – they tell the ongoing story of the church and of those who have worshipped there and cared for it, often for centuries, as a living witness to the glory of God in every corner of the land.

  3. EV Charging

    Electrical Car Charging

    Churches, church schools, and diocesan offices may be interested in installing electric vehicle charging points in their car parks. Clergy may want to install them at their homes.

  4. Scaffolding at Waterloo, St John the Evangelist

    Embodied Carbon

    Embodied carbon is the carbon associated with the material extraction, transport, manufacture and installation of a product. This is important within building projects when carrying out maintenance and renovations to further aid emissions reduction.

  5. Energy Footprint

    Energy efficiency measures

     There are some relatively easy steps which will cut your church's use of electricity and gas, and your utility bills

  6. Energy Performance Certificate

    Energy Performance Certificates and Churches

    Guidance on the circumstances in which church-owned buildings may need an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

  7. Military flags and colours at the Guards' Chapel in London

    Flags and military colours

    There are many options for flying flags and for laying up military standards, guidons and colours. We can help you understand your choices and care for your historic flags and banners.

  8. Close up of the glass doors through the archway allowing you to see inside the church

    Glass screens

    You may want to install glass doors, glazed screens or lobbies to create a draught-proof entrance and allow people to have a clear view into the interior. We can help you understand the benefits and the drawbacks.

  9. Pew Heating St Andrew's Chedworth

    Heating

    One of the most important challenges facing churches today is providing sufficient comfort for the many different users of the building, from worshippers to staff to visitors. Achieving this whilst cutting our greenhouse gas emissions and conserving historic interiors creates specific technical challenges for church buildings.


    A church’s heating system affects its fabric, its contents, its congregation and its mission. Heating makes up the vast majority (over 80%) of its energy use and carbon footprint. Heating costs money to run, maintain and replace. 
     

    There is no universal solution to making a church comfortable and the key to arriving at a solution that provides reasonable comfort at a reasonable cost and reasonable environmental impact is to devote sufficient time and effort to understanding the particular needs of your own church.
     

    We are in the course of updating our church heating guidance. We have divided our guidance into a suite of short stand-alone sections. Pick out the section you need, or read all of them from start to finish. We will add more sections as they are ready.

  10. Close up of the historic inscription on the floor of a church

    Historic floors

    The floor of a church building plays an important role in providing the background to its character. Keeping it clean and well maintained will ensure that it is safe to use for a long time. Sometimes however large repairs are needed. 


Source URL: https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/advice-and-guidance-church-buildings