Unheard yesterday but published today: views on Oversight Ministry from Trigg Minor deanery

Abigail Kirby-Harris (representing Trigg Minor deanery) had intended to speak at length at yesterday's Diocesan Synod discussions on Oversight Ministry but sadly was prevented from doing so as - unexpectedly - the morning's schedule was curtailed and an early lunch announced without explanation. Abigail had been able to make a few remarks on Oversight Ministry before the session closed - as did other Save The Parish supporters: click here to read.

But she had consulted her PCC (Parochial Church Council) and was planning to say much more on their behalf. She was frustrated - to say the least - not to be able to deliver the short speech due to the abrupt and unexpected end to the morning session. Abigail understands that the Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev David Williams, having been informed about the situation by Diocesan Secretary Simon Cade, has asked to see a copy of Abigail's speech. We reproduce it here in full.

"I understand that the Save the Parish Cornwall website is carrying many posts along the same lines as what I will say but I am here representing my PCC and also the views of our Rector, who feels it is necessary that the views of a practising Priest in a rural area are heard. I live in the village of St Breward, a rather isolated one on the edge of Bodmin Moor and am a member of the PCC and representative at the Deanery Synod of Bodmin and Trigg Minor. 

I am quite new to both Deanery and Diocesan Synod so have done some research into the origins and implementation of all these new (to me) regulations etc of how the Diocese now seems to be run. 

1. My first conclusion is that it was introduced, and then implemented by our previous Bishop who, during the four short years of his tenure – spanning the Covid years - introduced On The Way and drove forward its implementation. 

2. He came with very little experience of Parish Ministry – and certainly none of Rural Ministry as his only stint of Parsh Ministry in the UK was over 25 years ago in Streatham, South London – and for most of his career had been an administrator 

3. He was joined by Bishop Hugh Nelson in 2020 and whilst he had more recent experience of real Parish Ministry, Goudhurst in Kent (which I know well) is in the affluent and relatively densely populated south east. 

Here in Cornwall – over 100 miles long and with a very scattered rural population of under 500,000 and where even the “pocket” city of Truro has only 21,000 inhabitants, it is all very different. 

We have discussed this topic in our PCC (my husband is the Churchwarden) and the following conclusion was reached: 

View of the St Breward PCC

 “On the Way has created a secular, expensive and top heavy HQ at what is perceived the expense of the Parishes. The Parishes do not understand why they are not supported by Ordained Priests when there is money held by the Church Commissioners which should be returned to the Dioceses. We wholeheartedly support and agree with the views of our Rector and which he has so eloquently expressed” 

I quote: 

I am writing primarily on my own behalf but also at the request of many of my PCC’s who I believe have written individually as well regarding the proposed plans for Kerrier Deanery. As a Rector within the Truro Diocese who has a very rural Benefice of seven Churches I feel I am able to give some representation as to the impact such a large Benefice could have not just on the Rector but also the Parishioners.

There has been a lot of talk around ‘Oversight Ministry’ which I would like to address from a rural perspective. My villages know I have many churches, they understand I cannot be everywhere at the same time and the upcoming Remembrance Service in November - which takes place every year in each of the seven villages - is a prime example where I can only physically be at one church that day. It is on this day the villages will come together and hold a civic service, join in with the Methodist Chapel, or have a lay led service. I will be making my way round the churches each year making sure they all get a fair share of their Priest but even so it will take me seven years to get back to the first one. With 23 (20?) Churches and 2 ordained clergy we will be asking each church to have a service led by their stipendiary clergy member once every 10 or 11 years. When we are trying so desperately to increase our presence and grow our congregations how can we possibly do this if our only opportunity to be seen by those not regular church members is once a decade? While attendance on a Sunday may be small in these rural villages, these occasions are an incredible opportunity to show the Churches relevance and importance in peoples lives. Last year I was at a church that has a committed 4 members each Sunday but at that Remembrance service the whole village arrived at the War Memorial and came back to the church afterwards for a service where I was able to preach the good news of the Gospel. None of which happens when there is no ‘vicar’ present. The previous years have been a short silence and roll call of names at the memorial before everybody slowly walked back home. While I whole heartedly agree in lay led ministry and I have many members of my congregations who are wonderful at leading a morning prayer, the presence of a ‘collar’ is important to people in these communities. 

With seven Churches I will travel up and down the moors in order to provide as many of my churches with weekly communion as I physically can, often three or four every Sunday, I cannot begin to understand how 23 (20?) Churches can be in receipt of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ if there are only two ordained Priests. Sadly, I fear the use of Communion by extension will have to be utilised despite its strict instruction to only be used in an emergency. When ‘On The Way’ was being discussed we were assured this was not favouring one form of churchmanship over another but this is clearly not the case. Lay led Service of the Words are replacing Eucharistic services. One is clearly being felt as having priority over the other as the provisions for communion are being eradicated. As a Church we should be doing everything we can to share the meal that Christ shared, to remember the sacrifice he made on the cross. This also applies to the sacraments of Baptism and Marriage, as well as Confession and Absolution, Ministry to the sick, and Confirmation. How can we be expected to expect people to come forward when there is no one to come forward to? 

On a personal note I would like to give an example of something that I have experienced with only seven churches but will be all too common in this deanery if the proposed plans go ahead. I have a wonderful group of people in my churches who I know will visit the sick, pray with them, check up on them etc. They are known church members (some of them are wardens) by the communities. And yet, I was unable to visit a member of the parish (not a regular attender of church) but I knew that they had been visited by members of the church. When they regained their health I was told how disappointing it was that ‘The Church’ (to mean the vicar) did not come round to see them. It may be in some places in this country and even county, that the world has a different idea of Church and how it should be but here in Rural Cornwall the idea of the Vicar of Dibley is still held. People go to the church that they went to as children, that their parents went to, where generations have been buried in the church yard. They still talk of picnics in the rectory garden, of the processions on St Pratts day etc. This is church in Rural Cornwall. Someone may never set foot inside the building other than for a wedding, funeral or baptism but it is their church and they will defend it and repair it when it breaks. If there is a hole in the roof I have to explain to a willing band of volunteers they are not allowed to go up and fix it themselves despite what they have done for generations. 

I hope that by writing this I can give you an idea of ‘on the ground’ rural ministry in Cornwall.

I can add nothing further to all this and in Camelside Benefice we look forward to welcoming you, Bishop, on 14 December and your having the opportunity to shadow Robin and see what a stupendous job he does, and meet the members of the congregations which have grown since he took up his position as our Rector."