Is the parish priest an endangered species?

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Church of England finances: a 'shocking imbalance between parishes and "Head Office"'

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  Save The Parish's steering committee member Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent writes: You may find it helpful to know that we have just published Church of England financial data updated for 2023 on the Save The Parish website .  This is the most recent financial data that has become available through the annual publishing of accounts.  Our methodology has been shared with and is supported by the central Church of England finance staff.   The Finances of the Church of England as a whole   The accounts reveal a shocking imbalance between Parishes and ‘Head Office’. The Parishes have very few assets but, mainly thanks to parishioners’ generosity, they pull in a colossal annual income of £1bn The Parishes paid £315m (in 2023) to their Dioceses through the Parish Share scheme The Dioceses spent £348m on parish ministry (also 2023) and £47m on clergy pension contributions, making £395m in total. The difference between parish share ‘income’ and p...
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"On The Way" thrown out in Penwith Deanery

There has been a seismic change in the the Diocese of Truro’s controversial On The Way  restructuring in Penwith Deanery. The original plan, drawn up some years ago despite local opposition, has been thrown out.  Other deaneries in the Diocese of Truro, still struggling with On The Way initiatives, should take heart from this radical change of direction. The extent of the 'reset'   -  referred to in technical terms in the February 2026 edition of Penwith Deanery News  - is revealed in detail in the lengthy minutes of a Penwith Deanery Synod held at St Pol de Leon Church, Paul, on 28 January 2026 which was attended by approximately 50 clergy and synod representatives. The minutes - more than 8,000 words long - were approved without amendment at a subsequent Penwith Deanery Synod earlier this month. They refer frequently to decisions made and views expressed at an extraordinary Deanery meeting in November 2025 called and chaired by Rural Dean Rev Adam T...
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TEN WAYS TO RESIST PARISH REORGANISATION

This is a summary of advice from Save The Parish. It is written to offer help and support to Incumbents, Churchwardens, PCC Members, congregations and parish residents  who are presented with plans for pastoral reorganisation - as is currently proposed in Kerrier Deanery in west Cornwall ( click here to read about the background ).     Click here to read the updated Kerrier Deanery Plan . The key message: e ven if you’re feeling tired and exhausted by efforts to save your church from parish reorganisation, PCC mergers and Joint Councils , it is possible to fight back . The more energetically a pastoral reorganisation is resisted, the more likely the fight back is likely to succ eed.   It’s very important to record any consultation that takes place – and your objections.  If the diocese does not engage in proper process, that will be good grounds for objection.   Here are key ways to resist   Agree a position with your PCC . A united PCC is a ...
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