Save The Parish - Cornwall

You may be forgiven for not having caught up with the Diocese of Truro's draft budget report for 2025. It has only just been posted up on the Diocesan website, in sharp contrast with previous years when Diocesan Secretary Simon Cade has circulated draft budgets several months in advance, asking for comment.  It's no surprise that Church House will have wanted to keep this under wraps - it's their own 'Halloween' budget.  This isn't a budget for radical change. Rather a budget to manage a Diocese in chaos. A budget with a worryingly large deficit and a plan to plug ever increasing holes with fast-diminishing reserves. To read the details - due to be discussed at the Diocesan Synod on 23 November 2024 - click here. In the budget, the Diocese reneges on a public promise to Save The Parish Cornwall to stop a decline in clergy numbers: numbers are set to fall still further in 2025. Yet again, Church House costs will increase (despite pledges to cut them). And for the

 The Diocese of Truro's 2024 budget deficit will be 'closer to £5 million', significantly higher than the £3 million budgeted for, Director of Finance and Assets Sophie Eddy has reported to the Bishop's Diocesan Council. In a report to be discussed at the next Diocesan Synod (Saturday 23 November 2024), Eddy says 'This is almost entirely due to the significant increase in major works on parsonages to get them ready for the increased number of new clergy.' It is unclear when and where the 'increased number' will be appointed, as the draft budget envisages no rise in clergy numbers - click here to read . Eddy also reports a fall in the level of MMF (Mission and Ministry Fund) payment rates by churches,  which dipped to 95 per cent of budget in September 2024.  She reminded BDC members of 'the importance of achieving 100% rate to enable delivery of the Deanery plans'. As the controversial On The Way deanery plans have been rolled out, there has been

The Diocese of Truro has published the draft of its 2025 budget. There is no planned rise in the critically low number of clergy in Cornwall, promised by the acting Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev Hugh Nelson. The figures will disappoint those who are hoping for more clergy provision: just one example comes from the Parochial Church Council (PCC) of King Charles Church, Falmouth, which has written to Bishop Hugh with a plea for action. They simply cannot find clergy to take services, they say. The papers listed below will be discussed at the next Diocesan Synod on Saturday 23 November 2024. 2025 Diocesan Budget    Appendix 1 - budget summary Appendix 2  - 2025 changes compared with 2024 budget Appendix 3  Bishop's Diocesan Council report to 2024 Synod

Parochial Church Council (PCC) members at King Charles Church in Falmouth have issued a plea for help to Cornwall's church leaders. They have written a letter to Archdeacon Clive Hogger and the acting Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev Hugh Nelson, stating that they do not believe their church's needs are being considered properly. There are - quite simply - not enough clergy in the deanery.  As yet there has been no response to the letter, dated 30 September 2024.   PCC members report that as things stand, the church has no one to take its Christmas Carol Service, nor Midnight Mass. The churchwarden finds it increasingly hard to find a vicar for services. This letter throws a question mark over Bishop Hugh Nelson's pledge to Save The Parish Cornwall that he was committed to increasing clergy numbers.    The letter below, forwarded by the PCC to Save The Parish Cornwall,  explains the situation. Dear Archdeacon Clive King Charles the Martyr Falmouth At our last Paro