News from Save The Parish national office

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An update from Alison Milbank, Professor of Theology and Literature at the University of Nottingham and Priest Vicar and Canon Theologian at Southwell Minster.  Please take note of the very good news - churches can now apply for grants from parish councils (details below)

Leicester Save the Parish Meeting

A number of us from the Steering Committee were in Loughborough Town Hall on 27th Nov, for a packed-out Save The Parish meeting to discuss Leicester Diocese’s reorganisation plans involving the bunching of parishes into large “Minster” groupings.  The link to our leaflet is here:  https://www.savetheparish.com/printable-leaflet/ and slides on the financial situation (which have a wider reference and might be of use to you) here:
https://www.savetheparish.com/about/the-future-of-leicestershire-parishes-event/
 
The Wigan Debacle
Please note from the leaflet what happened in a pilot project in Wigan; the 2023 independent report on Wigan is unarguable evidence that mega-parishes do not work.  Please ask your PCC to vote “no” if asked to merge your parish and formally record this.  Learning the lessons of Wigan, please never, never agree to merge your PCC!
 
STP Gains Formal Meeting with the Secretary-General
 Three Board members of STP met William Nye, the Secretary-General of the Archbishops’ Council and the General Synod, last week.  We asked for a meeting to underline that the lessons of Wigan must be learned.  Bishops and dioceses need to acknowledge that the mega-parish model does not work and stop trying to impose it on parishes to their detriment.  The lack of accountability for what happened in Wigan is striking.  Documents detailing diocesan plans are noticeably lacking in dates, names of those responsible and contact details.  We continue to raise our concerns at the top of the CofE.
 
What You Get for 88k Parish Share
There is an excellent article in this week’s Church Times by an
anonymous churchwarden.  If you Google this link, you can register to get two free articles a month:
 https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2023/8-december/comment/opinion/what-do-you-get-for-an-88k-parish-share
Should you wish to write to the Church Times yourself with reference to the article, the email address is letters@churchtimes.co.uk
 
Grants from Parish Councils
The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 is now signed into law, which removes an ambiguity of wording in the 1894 Local Government Act, which has discouraged most parish councils from making grants to local churches, which have thereby alone been excluded from benefiting from money available for community activities. Save the Parish supported the Bishop of Bristol in her drive to get this amended.
PCCs will be able to apply for grants and parish councillors will be able to approve them if they so wish. This offers the possibility of funding from parish councils for things such as solar panels and heat pumps, as well as all the routine business of a parish church devoted to repairs and improving facilities.
 
Support STP Cornwall Petition for Moratorium on Reorganisation Plans
They need your support to stop the destructive plans across the diocese. Call for a moratorium on these controversial proposals pending proper consultation with local communities and serious consideration of alternative ways forward. Vote at https://chng.it/L8KfGmrs6p
 
Advent is a very busy time for parishes. If you have time to send us any news or pictures of your Christmas activities, we love to receive them. There is so much imagination and creativity out there. I remember the mobile star that made surprise appearances round one Yorkshire parish last year, and even attracted its own whatsapp group!
 
With every blessing as we await the coming of the Christ Child, God with us.
 
Alison Milbank

 


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