A cry from the heart in Mullion, west Cornwall

Mullion Church is in the heart of the village – the largest on the Lizard peninsular - and central to life there. Outside is a tree festooned with blue and yellow ribbons in support of the people of Ukraine. By the gate is a noticeboard filled with news of village activities. 

On the cover of a 2023 calendar for sale at the local café? A photograph of the church. 

Yet Mullion Church's future and priest is at risk through Kerrier's controversial OnThe Way deanery plan which will see a huge super parish stretching across the deanery under just one rural dean (currently being recruited). Chillingly the plan (page 17) says God has been saying in the On The Way process 'We don't need lone leaders but a team of lay and ordained leaders'.

In fact good parish priests are not and never have been lone leaders. They build up a team from their church congregation and sometimes the wider community and together serve the whole parish.

Save The Parish Cornwall has received a poignant message from a churchgoer in Mullion who certainly believes this and is devastated at the prospect of losing her vicar who is much respected in the village.

"There is now only one parish priest in the Deanery of Kerrier in Truro Diocese.

He is about to be dispossessed of Mullion, Cury and Gunwalloe. He has a wife with MS and a daughter still at college and is unlikely to find another post. 

I cannot find when Parliament passed this awful bill which allowed someone to just lose their home and job. I cannot think of any other profession where this would be done without the employee having failed in the job or the business failed itself! An Anglican all my life - but once our priest is thrown out I will not feel comfortable in our churches. What date did this awful bit of legislation pass into law?"

Click here to read Kerrier Deanery Plan.

The Mullion churchgoer quoted above s not alone. A momentum against the Plan is building. Germoe Church is holding a meeting next week to discuss the implications of the On The Way proposals which will change church life locally forever. And St Keverne PCC met recently to discuss issues around parish re-organisation and recorded their determination to resist Joint Councils.

Archdeacon Paul Bryer, who is now overseeing the implementation of the Kerrier deanery plan, has written extensively on the merits of parish re-organisation. Save TheParish Cornwall asked him for information about plans for the sale of parsonage houses in Kerrier and the parishioner's concern and received this one-sentence brush-off:

"Please be assured that due consultation process is followed in any pastoral reorganisation and should a parishioner be concerned about a clergyperson’s welfare do refer them direct to me."

So much for openness and transparency - and compassion  It is no wonder that the people of Kerrier - and the wider community - are concerned.