Fighting back against pastoral re-organisation - write to your patron

-


Radical parish re-organisation is planned in Kerrier, Penwith and East Wivelshire deaneries - and possibly others too. These moves will change the nature of the Church of England in Cornwall forever.

It's important to resist pastoral re-organisation schemes as soon as they are published.

You could strengthen your position by seeking help from potentially powerful allies with a strong ‘voice’ and influence with the Bishop.
 
Each parish has a patron. In many cases in Cornwall, this is the Bishop. But there are a few parishes with independent patrons. If the patron has not been consulted, it may be grounds for complaint when the schemes are issued.
Parishes unhappy with proposals could write a letter something like the below.

“Dear [Patrons’ name], 
I am writing to you as the [e.g. churchwarden] of [name of church].  It is my understanding that you are our church’s patron.   
I would like to bring to your attention that… [details].   It appears that this proposal may adversely affect your inalienable property right to appoint a vicar.   
Our parish is inclined to resist [action proposed] and would be delighted to have your support.  Please, could you very kindly let us know (i) whether you have been consulted on this matter and (ii) whether you would be prepared to make representations against the proposals, in support of our position?   
Yours sincerely… [full contact details]”  


 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Save The Parish Cornwall responds to Diocese of Truro statement

-
Image
Save The Parish Cornwall issues the following response to a regrettable statement by the Diocese of Truro published on its website on 5 March 2024. The Diocese misleadingly says that Save The Parish Cornwall is 'targeting clergy' and providing inaccurate clergy figures. Save The Parish Cornwall’s recent analysis of clergy numbers in the Diocese shows that there were just 39 priests for Cornwall’s 200 plus parishes and 300 churches at the end of December 2023 - according to figures supplied by Church House sources at the end of January 2024. A further 19 other incumbencies remained vacant. Stipendiary priests in Cornwall at the end of December 2023, and their locations: data supplied by Church House sources to Save The Parish Cornwall at the end of January 2024. There was, therefore, one stipendiary priest to 15,000 people: the population of Cornwall is just over 600,000. The number of stipendiary priests in Cornwall at the end of December 2023 was 39. Save The Parish Cornw...
Read more

Cornwall's Bishops in tailspin after BBC Sunday Politics coverage

-
Image
Cornwall’s Bishops have been stung by hard-hitting coverage on BBC Sunday Politics South West of their controversial On the Way cost-cutting programme which is cutting clergy numbers, merging parishes and threatening church closures. In a 1200-word statement on the Diocese of Truro website , and an accompanying letter to all churches, the Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev Philip Mounstephen, and the Bishop of St Germans, the Rt Rev Hugh Nelson, complain about many aspects of the report ( click here to view the report ). The problem is, as so often with the Diocese of Truro statements, rhetoric does not coincide with reality. Truro complains (on the Diocesan website): “The report lasted just under five minutes but…. Much of the time was given to four speakers from a campaign group, three of whom have no connection with the church in Cornwall or with wider Cornish society." Save The Parish Cornwall explains: The four actually included two well-respected...
Read more

Diocese of Truro's Halloween budget - 10 key takeaways from draft report for November Synod

-
Image
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...
Read more