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How the Church of England recovers

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Thoughts from the Reverend Marcus Walker, founder and Chairman of Save The Parish This has been a very difficult and troubling week for the Church of England. The prayers of all of us at Save the Parish have been with those who suffered such terrible abuse under John Smyth and for all those who have worked with them in the process of delivering the Makin Review. Although this has not been a Save the Parish issue, some of our prominent members have passed comment on this, including Giles Fraser, whose  article can be found here . The resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury means that the church needs to work out what kind of person shall lead us over the next decade or so. On this matter Save the Parish must have a strong voice. The direction set by the new Archbishop will define so many matters which directly affect parishes - from how they are funded, to how the church can rebuild clergy numbers, to how volunteers are treated, to how easy (and expensive) it is to ...
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Signs of cracks in support for Bishop Hugh's vision for the Diocese of Truro

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Significant dissent emerged at today's Truro Diocesan Synod in St Erme, Cornwall, when more than one in five elected representatives either voted to send the 2025 budget back for further work or abstained. The budget passed comfortably eventually with 40 votes in favour. But nine people supported sending the budget back to the Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF) and three abstained.  This is the biggest challenge the Diocesan machine has received in recent years at the Synod. It is a sign that the dissent caused by controversial restructuring plans known as On The Way is growing, not receding. The now approved 2025 budget is deeply concerning: it proposes further heavy drains on reserves and no increase in clergy numbers. Click here to read more. Those who voted to send the budget back, or abstained, are not alone. Answers are needed, Bishop, please.  The budget draft states that the current drain on Diocesan reserves is not sustainable. How it will be financed in the future (othe...
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Strategic Rural Deans. All clear?

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The acting Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev Hugh Nelson, has distributed a letter and a Frequently Asked Questions sheet on proposed new 'Strategic Rural Deans'. Unfortunately both his letter, and the FAQ are well nigh incomprehensible.  Save The Parish Cornwall looks forward to hearing from anyone who has managed to fathom what on earth this is all about.  Will these be new jobs? Or yet another layer of bureaucracy from an Episcopal College already proposing yet further central costs in its draft 2025 budget? Here's the letter.  And here's the Frequently Asked Questions sheet.
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Diocese of Truro's Halloween budget - 10 key takeaways from draft report for November Synod

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You may be forgiven for not having caught up with the Diocese of Truro's draft budget report for 2025. It has only just been posted up on the Diocesan website, in sharp contrast with previous years when Diocesan Secretary Simon Cade has circulated draft budgets several months in advance, asking for comment.  It's no surprise that Church House will have wanted to keep this under wraps - it's their own 'Halloween' budget.  This isn't a budget for radical change. Rather a budget to manage a Diocese in chaos. A budget with a worryingly large deficit and a plan to plug ever increasing holes with fast-diminishing reserves. To read the details - due to be discussed at the Diocesan Synod on 23 November 2024 - click here. In the budget, the Diocese reneges on a public promise to Save The Parish Cornwall to stop a decline in clergy numbers: numbers are set to fall still further in 2025. Yet again, Church House costs will increase (despite pledges to cut them). And for the...
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Diocese of Truro 2024 budget deficit to be 'significantly higher', Finance Director reports

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 The Diocese of Truro's 2024 budget deficit will be 'closer to £5 million', significantly higher than the £3 million budgeted for, Director of Finance and Assets Sophie Eddy has reported to the Bishop's Diocesan Council. In a report to be discussed at the next Diocesan Synod (Saturday 23 November 2024), Eddy says 'This is almost entirely due to the significant increase in major works on parsonages to get them ready for the increased number of new clergy.' It is unclear when and where the 'increased number' will be appointed, as the draft budget envisages no rise in clergy numbers - click here to read . Eddy also reports a fall in the level of MMF (Mission and Ministry Fund) payment rates by churches,  which dipped to 95 per cent of budget in September 2024.  She reminded BDC members of 'the importance of achieving 100% rate to enable delivery of the Deanery plans'. As the controversial On The Way deanery plans have been rolled out, there has been...
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Diocese of Truro publishes 2025 budget draft - no rise planned in clergy numbers

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The Diocese of Truro has published the draft of its 2025 budget. There is no planned rise in the critically low number of clergy in Cornwall, promised by the acting Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev Hugh Nelson. The figures will disappoint those who are hoping for more clergy provision: just one example comes from the Parochial Church Council (PCC) of King Charles Church, Falmouth, which has written to Bishop Hugh with a plea for action. They simply cannot find clergy to take services, they say. The papers listed below will be discussed at the next Diocesan Synod on Saturday 23 November 2024. 2025 Diocesan Budget    Appendix 1 - budget summary Appendix 2  - 2025 changes compared with 2024 budget Appendix 3  Bishop's Diocesan Council report to 2024 Synod
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Help us please, Bishop! King Charles Church, Falmouth, receives no response to plea for support

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Parochial Church Council (PCC) members at King Charles Church in Falmouth have issued a plea for help to Cornwall's church leaders. They have written a letter to Archdeacon Clive Hogger and the acting Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev Hugh Nelson, stating that they do not believe their church's needs are being considered properly. There are - quite simply - not enough clergy in the deanery.  As yet there has been no response to the letter, dated 30 September 2024.   PCC members report that as things stand, the church has no one to take its Christmas Carol Service, nor Midnight Mass. The churchwarden finds it increasingly hard to find a vicar for services. This letter throws a question mark over Bishop Hugh Nelson's pledge to Save The Parish Cornwall that he was committed to increasing clergy numbers.    The letter below, forwarded by the PCC to Save The Parish Cornwall,  explains the situation. Dear Archdeacon Clive King Charles the Martyr Falmouth At o...
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