IN THE SHADOW of Canary Wharf's glass-and-steel towers lie the foundations of St Luke's, Millwall — one of three new churches under development by the London Diocesan Fund, the Church of England's business management wing. The fund serves 70,000 worshippers at 480 churches north of the Thames. With 106 employees, this small organisation provides wide-ranging support to the clergy, running the payroll as well as property development and maintenance. The Rev Ed Dix, minister at St Luke's on the Isle of Dogs, appreciates the training and advice it provides to “free us up, not tie us up with bureaucracy”. While the new church is under construction on the site of the old St Luke's — damaged in the Blitz and finally demolished in 2014 — Dix has been conducting services at a nearby community centre. Nine flats will be built for private sale to help fund the development. The workplace is not divided by power struggles, scoring 75% positive, in fourth place among small organisations. Managers care about their team members as individuals (85%, also fourth). General secretary Richard Gough says his staff have an outward-facing focus to help the church flourish, “and that's what excites them and motivates them to make sure we're doing a good job”. www.london.anglican.org
