The Church's pension scheme is in crisis. In 1998, when pension demands seemed about to gobble up all of the church's assets, the scheme reorganised. Now the employer's pension contributions for the C of E's 10,000 working clergy are financed through covenants, donation schemes and the collection plate.
Clerics now have another reason to want to see an upturn in church attendances.
But they may want to build up a little private income as well - just in case.