Merrymeet villagers brave rain as Truro's Bishop broadcasts Christmas message

Locked out Merrymeet villagers sing carols in rain...

Bishop delivers his Christmas message from his armchair

Villagers in Merrymeet, east Cornwall, braved rain and freezing temperatures to hold carols on a local drive this weekend after Truro's Bishops closed their church this autumn and changed the locks. As they sang in the cold and wet, the Bishop of Truro recorded an upbeat Christmas message from the comfort of his front room.

Under a hastily-built shelter, villagers gathered around a sound system in a garage for their Christmas celebration - yards from the church which was closed in mid October and the locks changed despite strong local opposition. Last year, due to Covid, they sang carols outside the church. This year, they had hoped to be inside. This was not to be.

"Even though the weather was far from ideal our carol service still went ahead and was well attended," said Residents' Association chairman Peter Luck. "Approximately 30 turned up to sing and have refreshments after. There is faith to make people turn out in that weather to sing in our makeshift venue."

"Thanks to everyone tonight coming out in the rain," said Sean Smith. "All had a good singsong and celebration to the meaning of Christmas."

The Diocese of Truro has ignored the villagers' requests for information about plans for Merrymeet's church. Residents  - who hope to raise money and grants to buy the building - fear it will be put on the market without their knowledge as soon as possible in the New Year. The Diocese has taken little heed of the evident distress of people for whom the church is more than just a building. For some in the village, links with the church go back generations. They have experienced a deep social and cultural loss - as well as being deprived of a spiritual focus.

Archdeacon Kelly Betteridge - involved in discussions about the closure - declined to comment when approached by Save The Parish Cornwall, referring to communications officer Kelly Rowe who has been left to manage what can only be described as a public relations fiasco. Ms Rowe, who says there is no episcopal involvement in the closure of the church, responded by pointing out that a carol service this year would be held on the same day in nearby Menheniot, dismissing Merrymeet villagers' desire to have a local celebration. Villagers in Merrymeet, naturally, want to celebrate Christmas in their own village.

Meanwhile, 40 miles away in Truro, Cornwall's Bishop, the Rt Rev Philip Mounstephen, has released his annual Christmas message from the comfort of his front room. The Bishop has overseen divisive and controversial deanery plans through his On The Way restructuring programme over the past 12 months.

Sitting in a plush armchair, he referred to 'the chaos' of the past year.

"And in our diocese too we have been facing up to the challenge of change as we seek together to be fruitful and sustainable in a post-pandemic world," he said. "It hasn’t been easy but we are beginning to see the first green shoots of what is to come."

Among 'the first green shoots of what is to come' will hopefully be the delivery of the oft-repeated promise by the Diocese to cut 'head office' costs.

The homeless, those on the breadline and the many children in Cornwall living in poverty, will look at the Bishop's surroundings as he delivers this Christmas message and wonder just where these cuts should start.