CONCERNED CHURCHGOERS SEEK CONSTRUCTIVE WAY FORWARD AT PACKED COMMUNITY HALL MEETING IN CAMBORNE

The five churches in Camborne Cluster: Camborne, Crowan, Tuckingmill, Treslothan and Penponds.

A meeting of churchgoers from churches around Camborne - dissuaded by senior figures in the Diocese from meeting at Camborne Church - filled a community hall nearby last night in an effort to find a constructive way forward from the controversy sparked by expensive mission plans for local churches. 

The meeting - which started and ended with prayers and a hymn - was prompted by concerns about a lack of transparency over the Transforming Mission programme in Camborne and surrounding churches, funded by the Church Commissioners(60%) and Diocese of Truro reserves (40%). 

The multi-million pound programme, which initially envisaged a spend of more than £750,000 in Camborne between 2019-2025, has also been rolled out in four other Cornish towns (Falmouth, St Austell, Liskeard and Highertown). It originated as a well-meaning attempt by the Diocese to reach ‘missing generations’ and invigorate churches. In Camborne, however, as elsewhere in Cornwall, expected new worshippers and increased giving have not materialised and it has become something of an embarrassment to the Diocese. 

In St Austell, Liskeard and Highertown, TM finances are monitored directly by Parochial Church Council (PCC) charities and accounts are produced for the Charity Commissioners. In Camborne however this is not the case, and the PCC does not have sight of the accounts, nor the formal reporting on the programme. Repeated requests for transparency have fallen on deaf ears. Large sums have been spent on capital works and salaries without sufficient scrutiny, churchgoers say. 

Jim Geach, a long-time member of Camborne Church congregation, started the meeting by saying there was a need to explore constructive ways in which things could be handled differently. The Diocese had agreed to an independent review of the TM programme in Cornwall and he had corresponded with Wendy Matthews, Head of Mission and Pastoral Services for the Church Commissioners. Ms. Matthews had sent a considered reply and suggested that local people who were concerned about TM should be involved in the independent evaluation planned by the Diocese. 

The Rector of Camborne Cluster, the Rev Rosheen Browning, was invited to attend the meeting but sent her apologies due to a prior commitment. Archdeacon Clive Hogger, also invited, also did not attend and told the meeting’s organisers beforehand that he feared a meeting would not be productive until a formal review of TM had been taken. Though this is due to start in September, it is likely to take several months. 

Emma Gerardin, Sunday School leader, said the problems would not wait but needed to be addressed urgently. She spoke about the lack of morale in the Cluster – and the distress caused by the lack of pastoral care by ordained clergy. Rev Browning oversees five churches in total over a large geographical area – Camborne (population 21,000), Treslothan, Penponds, Crowan and Tuckingmill. 

“We are just ordinary everyday people wanting to move forward without church politics hanging over us all the time,” Ms. Gerardin said. “We want to move forward with love, unity and trust.” 

The meeting, chaired by former magistrate Rod Bowen, put forward two proposals to be sent to senior Diocesan figures, and the new Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev David Williams. 

Transforming Mission 

- We ask for your support in the action we have taken in asking for the detailed accounts of Transforming Mission to be submitted to the PCC and monitored on a regular basis going forward, as requested by the Bishop of St Germans, the Rt Rev Hugh Nelson. 

- We request that the statistics produced by the Transforming Mission team to justify their project be made available to church members to peruse for transparency. 

- We also ask for support in putting together a small team and accept the opportunity strongly suggested by Wendy Matthews (see above) to be involved in the external review that is to take place at the beginning of September surrounding Transforming Mission. 

Pastoral care 

- We collectively feel there is a lack of pastoral care being provided throughout the cluster of churches by ordained clergy. We respectfully as that the Diocese of Truro review and reflect on this going forward and we again respectfully ask that any findings and decisions made regarding pastoral care be shared openly with the church families. 

The organisers said a further meeting would be held once a response had been received from the Dicoese. ends