Governance & Leadership Training Day for Trustees, Elders and Operations Leads

Join us for a day of governance and leadership equipping for UK trustees, elders and the operations leads who work closely with these groups.

We also encourage you to invite potential or future people in these roles.

We will be joined by Stephen Mathews, Senior Consultant at Stewardship and a former trustee of New Ground.

‘And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skilful hands he led them.’
– Psalm 78:72

‘And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others’
– 2 Timothy 2:2

When and where

The day is taking place on Saturday 3 October 2026, 10am-4pm at Crawley Community Church (near Gatwick airport)

The Charis Centre, West Green Drive, Crawley RH11 7EL
(Car park entrance in Town Barn Road, RH11 7EB)

Tickets are £15 per person and include lunch.

Aims of the day

- Highlight the importance of governance in church life
- Build community and connection among Trustees, Elders and Operations Leads
- Encourage and affirm Trustees in their role
- Share updates and best practices
- Provide space for shared experiences, discussion and prayer

Who’s it for?

- All trustees
- At least one elder/senior leader
- Operations leads
- Potential or future people for these roles

Topics that will be covered

What it means to be a trustee in a Newfrontiers church
- Relationship with elders and senior leadership teams
- Expectations of charity regulators

How governance has changed over the last 5–10 years
- What has gone wrong in the UK and wider church/charity sector
- The details of regulatory focus
- Governance: the overview/smell test
- What are the key financial issues
- Finance teams
- Specific problem areas

Learning from experience
- Insights with Simon Elliott & Helen Dennis-Smith from Everyday Church, London and Oli Stevens & Jeanette Williams from King’s Church, Eastbourne
- Lessons from real governance situations and church contexts

Draft Programme
10am   Arrival, Coffee & Welcome
10:30   Session 1 – Governance Matters
10:45   Session 2 – Stephen Mathews (Stewardship)
11:30   Reflection & Discussion
12:00   Interview and Q&A – Insights from two churches followed by Q&A
13:00   Lunch
13:45   Seminars – More details to follow
14:45   Session 3 – Learning from real-world situations
15:30   Next Steps and Prayer
16:00   Finish

Seminars

We are planning seminars designed to serve both those who are newer to these areas and those with greater experience as trustees, elders or operations leads. Further details will be confirmed in due course.

About Stephen Matthews

Stephen has been at Stewardship for over 20 years, advising churches and Christian charities on a breadth of issues around money, culture and governance. Previous to that, he gained valuable experience working for 20 years in the accountancy profession, alongside church leadership in his spare time. This included many years at King’s Church, Oxted and as a trustee of New Ground. He is passionate about Local Church, UK Poverty & Debt and International Aid, with a particular focus on educational development in Africa and in youth violence and racial inequality.