Merrymeet villagers fight Diocesan decision to shut mission church

Villagers at Merrymeet in east Cornwall are working hard together to fight  Diocesan plans to close their local church, St Mary's.  The Cornish Guardian (20 May 2022) picked up their press release and ran with it this week. They are awaiting a response now from the office of the Bishop of Truro to their open letter to him.

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"What is going on?" Church treasurer resigns in protest at Diocese of Truro’s MMF spending plans

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John Kennaugh, Treasurer of a church in east Cornwall,  has asked to be replaced . He has written this article and is happy for it to be widely shared . "I think what is happening is morally wrong," he says.  He profoundly disagrees with the Diocese of Truro’s MMF policy and spending plans. John took on the job of Treasurer for his local church Parochial Church Council (PCC)  in 2024.  He explains:   "My local Church community is a wonderful example of what a Christian community should be and it is a privilege to be a part of it but what I discovered regarding the Mission and Ministry Fund (MMF) and the bureaucratic monstrosity the Church of England  has become has totally disillusioned me.  I have asked to be replaced having ...
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MMF - what will happen if your PCC resists payment in full

Following our  Fact Sheet  on key questions to ask regarding MMF (Mission and Ministry Fund), we have received a number of further queries from Parochial Church Councils (PCCs). Here are some answers. Neither Save The Parish Cornwall nor Save The Parish nationally are advocating at this time a total MMF or Parish Share “strike” by PCCs. But we in Cornwall in the Diocese of Truro believe the annual Call has been much too high for some years and in 2024-25 needs particularly to be strongly challenged and resisted.  The 2025 MMF, split by benefice within each deanery: click here to read What will happen if we don’t pay our MMF - and how do we do it? First of all, remember that MMF is NOT a statutory charge that you have to pay - like your gas bill, for instance. It is in fact a voluntary charity donation. It is true that, generally, a PCC is getting something in return for that charitable gift. But in times when that return is often getting noticeably less and less, while th...
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TEN WAYS TO RESIST PARISH REORGANISATION

This is a summary of advice from Save The Parish. It is written to offer help and support to Incumbents, Churchwardens, PCC Members, congregations and parish residents  who are presented with plans for pastoral reorganisation - as is currently proposed in Kerrier Deanery in west Cornwall ( click here to read about the background ).     Click here to read the updated Kerrier Deanery Plan . The key message: e ven if you’re feeling tired and exhausted by efforts to save your church from parish reorganisation, PCC mergers and Joint Councils , it is possible to fight back . The more energetically a pastoral reorganisation is resisted, the more likely the fight back is likely to succ eed.   It’s very important to record any consultation that takes place – and your objections.  If the diocese does not engage in proper process, that will be good grounds for objection.   Here are key ways to resist   Agree a position with your PCC . A united PCC is a ...
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