LONG-TIME readers of the Church Times shall be accustomed to our annual Lent appeal for the Church Times Train-A-Priest (TAP) Fund. For the past 73 years, our readers have been giving generously — to the tune of greater than £4.7 million — to assist to alleviate ordinands of monetary worries.
A couple of years ago, the TAP fund received a really generous legacy from a former headmistress, Angela Tuddenham, which gave us confidence that C of E ordinands in difficulties could be well supported for some years to return (News, 28 February 2020). As a result, in 2020, we shifted our focus towards Africa, and, after consultations with the Anglican Communion Office and USPG, a plan was hatched to send readers’ donations to ordinands in need in that continent.
In the past six years — despite the economic pressures of the pandemic — now we have been very happy to send nearly £180,000 to those in training for ministry within the countries that fall under the aegis of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa. Recipients of TAP Africa grants have expressed heartfelt gratitude to readers for his or her support, something that we’re glad to pass on.
In 2026, we’re returning our attention to those with a vocation to serve within the Church of England. The financial support of ordinands in training was recently overhauled — and, since the regular grants that ordinands receive will now be more generous, the necessity for hardship payments, corresponding to people who TAP provides, must be less mandatory than was once the case.
As a result, we’re going to extend the reach of the TAP fund to assist people at an earlier stage of exploring their vocation. This seems particularly timely, given the Church’s technique to nurture the vocations of individuals with working-class backgrounds (News, 30 January). Our hope is that the provision of TAP grants will help to remove a few of the barriers to participation for people from less financially secure situations.
The director of the national Ministry Development Team, Canon Nick McKee, said: “We are grateful to the Church Times and its readers for his or her generosity through the years, which has made an actual difference to ordinands. We are delighted we may even now have the option to work with dioceses to make small grants where this may enable people to explore their vocation without this resulting in financial hardship.”
We open our TAP appeal annually on Ash Wednesday. Thanks to a different legacy, we’re starting with almost £80,000 within the kitty. May I encourage readers, none the less, to provide as generously as possible?
Every penny that you may give will go to ordinands, and those that are exploring a vocation to ministry within the Church of England and face financial difficulty. Nothing is retained to cover administrative expenses.
Donate online quickly and securely here.
Or you may give by cheque or charity voucher. Please make cheques payable to: “The TAP Fund” and send to: TAP Fund, Church Times, Hymns Ancient & Modern, 13a Hellesdon Road, Norwich NR6 5DR
If you might be a UK payer of income or capital gains tax, a payment by Gift Aid signifies that the Church Times, through the Hymns Ancient & Modern charity, can get well 25p for each £1 that you just give. If your donation is eligible for Gift Aid, please include a accomplished TAP Gift Aid form along with your cheque. You also can go for Gift Aid when making a web-based donation.
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