Save The Parish - Cornwall

 A crucial deanery synod meeting in west Penwith next week will test both diocesan commitment to maintaining levels of ministry and the deanery’s ability to negotiate with Church House while taking heed of the concerns of anxious churchgoers. At the meeting - the latest step in the Diocese of Truro’s controversial On The Way restructuring plans - there will be a vote on hotly contested clergy numbers.  Thrashing out a plan for the Land’s End peninsula has been beset with problems due to a high number of vacancies as well as recruitment difficulties. The situation is complex: Penzance has some of the highest levels of poverty in Cornwall and the area has some of the county’s most historic churches and fiercely loyal church communities. In the spotlight now: the Diocese’s commitment to increasing number of priests in post and its stated priority ‘to answer the ministry needs of the deanery'. The latest West Penwith Area Ministry Proposal - click here to read   - includes the welc

Save The Parish's co-founder Alison Milbank throws a spotlight on the Diocese of Truro's deeply flawed approach to Communion by Extension. Alison is Professor of Theology and Literature at the University of Nottingham and Priest Vicar and Canon Theologian at Southwell Minster Communion By Extension: A Critique 1.       1. In legislation, it was only intended for occasional, ‘exceptional’   use. In 2001 the Archbishops’ Council agreed to allow Extended Communion, in which the consecrated elements would be taken the same day from a central benefice eucharist (as was envisaged) and shared by people in another church in the group. The legislation stressed that this practice should not replace regular eucharists. 2.       2. The diocese of Truro is going against the spirit of the legislation in authorising its widespread use . It is presented as regular liturgical fare, as a way of dealing with the rationing of priestly ministry in their ‘On the Way’ pastoral reorganisation

 An article in today's Daily Telegraph by columnist Madeleine Grant. Notably - mention of unsettling changes at Winchester where the former Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev Philip Mounstephen now has his hand on the tiller.  Mounstephen introduced the Diocese of Truro's controversial and divisive restructuring plans known as On The Way.

A message from Save The Parish national steering Committee member Admiral Sir James Burrell-Nugent:  Our Spring Conference on "Campaigning" was a great success, with a record number of attendees.  We have had excellent feedback and many requests for transcripts of the speeches. The keynote address was given by Bishop Andrew Rumsey, Bishop of Ramsbury, entitled " Common Ground? The Past & Future of the English Parish. "  Notes of his address are here . Chris Loder MP then spoke on " How to make best use of your MP ."  The most important point he made was that  we must all write to every general election Parliamentary candidate in our constituency asking for support for Save The Parish .  The more of us that write, the more traction we will get.  Ideally then your winning candidate will have given their support in writing before they are elected and get busier.   Notes of his talk are here . Andrew Orange, an STP General Synod member, then spoke on "