Top down not bottom up: Cornish Bishops' interference in On The Way planning

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As the Bishops continue to push through unpopular On The Way plans, Save The Parish Cornwall is gathering together evidence of the lack of proper consulation and - very importantly - interference in the planning on deanery level. This evidence conclusively shows that these plans were not 'bottom up - emanating from ideas within the deaneries, as both Cornish Bishops repeatedly suggest.

They were instead 'top down', with the Bishop of St Germans, the Rt Rev Hugh Nelson, micromanaging at every stage with the Episcopal College. The plans developed according to his directives.

In Carnmarth North this was particularly evident. Click here to read the December 2021 update by the deanery lay chair where Bishop Hugh says that the plan is for On The Way and Transforming Mission are going to be merged:

"Caspar Bush (rural dean) then reported back on discussions the Steering Group had had with Bishop Hugh earlier in the day. These concerned two what he called ‘elephants in the room’, specifically the relationship between On The Way and Transforming Mission – with the particular focus on the role of the Pioneer Minister based in Camborne parish who was part of the Transforming Mission Team, but not funded by Transforming Mission and the situation in the Five Saints cluster where their new priest Jem had only just been appointed with reassurance as to the stability of his position, even though MMF income from the parishes was not adequate.

Bishop Hugh stressed that On The Way and Transforming Mission were supposed to dovetail together with latter able to deliver some of the objectives of the former. To this end the diocesan oversight groups for both projects were going to be merged. The possible role of LICF (Lowest Income Communities Fund) in relation to both projects was also discussed. Staffing of LICF projects could involve both lay and ordained people and so it could contribute towards stipends where a priest was ministering directly to the needs of one or more of these communities and/or giving support and oversight to those doing so."

And click here to read the report in April 2022, which again shows Bishop Hugh micro-managing the process. The Steering Group goes to him with questions: Bishop Hugh - and Archdeacon Paul Bryer - tell the group which direction to follow.

"Caspar went on to repeat the answers that had been received by the Steering Group from their questions when they met with Bishop Hugh and Archdeacon Paul.
  • There was a possibility for TM money to be re-set if necessary to achieve the Deanery Plan
  • There needed to be some equity in the ratio of ministry to (sic)
  • A compelling vision statement could only justify extra diocesan financial support if it over-rode business-as-usual
  • When we are thinking about funding, we need to remember that what the Church Commissioners give us does not constitute all the resources that God has for us!
  • We should consider resourcing just a few significant projects in the deanery, rather than spreading our resources too thinly over many projects."







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