Kerrier deanery votes for mega benefice

-

 Kerrier deanery synod has voted for a mega benefice, uniting 23 churches under a single rural dean.  The synod on Thursday 3 August 2023, voted by 23 votes to four for the proposals which have attracted critical attention and widespread concern on both sides of the Tamar.

Many question how one rural dean could properly oversee such a wide area - and point out that such benefices have failed elsewhere. The draft proposals for the re-organisation were described last week by a member of the Synod (who voted against them) as having 'potentially dire consequences for small rural parishes'.

Click here to read the proposals which need the approval of the patrons of the various parishes (though the Bishop of Truro has the casting vote. The summary reads:

These draft proposals provide for the union of the six benefices of Constantine, Helston and Wendron, Menegae, Mullion and Cury with Gunwalloe, St Keverne, St Ruan with St Grade and Landewednack, and West Kerrier.
It provides for the 'cure of souls in the new benefice to be shared by a team rector and one team vicar'.

The synod's approval of the mega benefice, and the setting up of a Community Interest Company (CIC) to employ new lay and clergy workers, is the latest step in the deanery's angst-ridden On The Way plans - championed by the Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev Philip Mounstephen.

The Kerrier On The Way plan, approved by Kerrier Deanery Synod by just one vote in 2021, has ever since caused widespread division and anxiety. Before last week's Deanery synod, several members say the need for a CIC was not mentioned when the plan was drawn up and some considered they were being pressured by the Diocese into forming a CIC so that the plan could go forward.  

Archdeacon Paul Bryer has however, since the 2021 vote, insisted that the deanery synod should 'own' the plan - despite people's subsequent questions and misgivings.

 

 



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

Save The Parish Cornwall calls for a moratorium on the Bishops' divisive On The Way plans

-
Image
Click here to read our dossier, published today to coincide with a meeting with the Bishop of St Germans, the Rt Rev Hugh Nelson, and Diocesan Secretary Rev Simon Cade. It contains testimonies from people across Cornwall who are dismayed and alarmed at the Bishops' On The Way plans that will change the nature of the Church of England in Cornwall forever. Bishop Hugh has the power to press the 'pause' button as the controversial plans attract national attention. We are urging him to have the courage to do so. How does healing of the church of Cornwall now happen?  Many have been badly hurt and threatened…. Can a safe place be created where all might flourish? We are calling for a moratorium, an increase in clergy numbers, a halt on the sale of parsonages and an end to oversight ministry.
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 SouthWest MPs who are i
Read more