On The Way out in Penwith .... a new start for fraught deanery plans
Deaneries in the west of the Diocese of Truro - Kerrier and Penwith - have been struggling with controversial restructuring plans known as On The Way, introduced by the former Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev Philip Mounstephen.
After years now of heated and often painful discussion, Penwith deanery has abandoned its On The Way plan. Following a well-attended meeting last November, it is moving on and making a fresh start. Details below, circulated in the February 2026 edition of Penwith Deanery News....
Deanery Plan Development
1. Deanery Planning Day
1.1. The Deanery Planning Day (November 2025) began with Eucharist as a visible symbol of our unity. Each person shared the Body and Blood of Christ with each other. This rootedness in worship was deliberate to help us all focus on the source and destination of our work for the day.
1.2 We agreed how we all wanted to behave towards each other moving forward and a session in which everyone was listened to helped to identify what mistakes and pains had been caused in the past and how we could ensure that they were avoided going forward.
1.3 The key principle was collaborative engagement, not just on this day, but in the process and structures going forward.
1.4 We worked in groups looking at Opportunities, Threats and the Most Urgent Challenges, to see what shared priorities came forward
1.5 This work resulted in three priority areas:
Intergenerational Growth
Better Use of Resources
Improved Patterns for Ministry
1.6 We engaged in a group exercise to produce a long list of ideas within these three priorities and started to look at what the success criteria might be.
1.7 This did not produce workable projects, but was the first step in guiding what areas any projects should look to address.
2 Next Phase of Development
2.1 The task now is to flesh these areas out into definable projects, with clear success criteria and achievable outcomes that will help parishes to make significant progress. This has to be a collaborative effort with all parishes, the Synod and our Diocesan team together refining and inspiring a plan that is truly ours and that we believe in and trust.
2.2 We propose that we undertake this task over the next four months and dedicate a proportion of Synod time in each meeting to focus on one of the three priority areas and the emerging detailed action plans.
2.3 We are meeting with our Diocesan colleagues before this Synod, where each Head of Service has given time to help shape our plan, and ensure that it knits with the developing work by those teams.
2.4 We are therefore seeking Synod approval to this timescale and process to develop the detailed plans.
3. Early Wins
3.1 There are some early wins from the day that we would like to propose to Synod. We are seeking Synod approval to each of these early wins:
3.2 SMALL GRANTS SCHEME
From May we will allocate £10,000 to a small grant scheme open to every parish in the Deanery. The grants will be for up to £500 for any project that targets:
· Intergenerational Growth,
· Improved Patterns for Ministry (including overt evangelism projects, social outreach, new times/places or ways of worship etc),
· Improved marketing and communications such as websites,
· A parish celebration
· Or any scheme that prioritises growth within the parish.
The application will be one side of A4 and will be responded to within 3 weeks of being received. Each project will be asked to provide a short report on completion on how the money was spent and its impact on growth.
3.3 RESOURCES
3.3.1 AUDIT – That, coordinated by the Deanery, we undertake an audit in each parish of: different types, times and places of services, intergenerational work that is being delivered now, skills of laity and clergy, enquirer courses, spirituality/discipleship programmes or activities that already exist, partnership that already exists, outreach activities both social and evangelical, income generation activities/projects that are already successful. This Audit will be carried out in the next three months and published on the new Deanery Website. (Resource needed – existing administrator’s time)
3.3.2 SHARING - We will facilitate visits by parishes to each other to see how these services, courses, projects and activities are being planned, resourced and delivered to help share in good practice. (Resource needed – existing administrator’s time)
3.3.3 SERVICE -Any parish that wants to, perhaps especially those in vacancy or in difficulties, will be able to ask Sarah to organise their service leader rota. Sarah will “book” PTO clergy, Readers and Lay Worship Leaders working with Wardens to ensure that each service rota reflects each parishes’ individual needs. Sarah will also be available to book clergy cover for sabbaticals and leave. (Resource needed – existing administrator’s time)
3.3.4 SERVICE – Any parish that wants to, perhaps especially those in vacancy or in difficulties, will be able to use Sarah’s administrative experience to help coordinate initially all bookings of weddings, baptisms and use of church halls using the free Church Organiser software. A link will be provided for each parish website, Facebook site, A Church Near You listing for all wedding and baptism enquiries. The forms once filled in, will be accessible by the parish representatives and Sarah to help coordinate clergy and the responses in a timely manner. A calendar of bookings, Banns processes, marriage documents and service profiles will be produced automatically by the software. Funerals can be added for those churches that want that service as well. Sarah will help any parish that requests it to ensure that their A Church Near You site is up to date. (Resource needed – existing administrator’s time)
3.3.5 SUPPORT – We propose engaging, on a consultancy basis, faith organisations with expertise in working with parishes, to help produce realistic income generation projects. For those parishes that want to work with such consultants, a planned engagement will start in September 2026 with the first group of parishes, with every parish who wants to take part, to be engaged over a four year period. Six parishes a year to be engaged with. (Resource needed – the cost of this proposal will be brought back to the next Synod for approval -we are seeking in-principle support at this time)
3.4 Patterns for Ministry
3.4.1 ENQUIRER/SEEKER – using the audit of what is already going on, parishes who don’t currently have enquirer/seeker courses will be offered a buddy parish who already runs one, to help them run their first courses. Neighbouring parishes will be encouraged to jointly advertise such courses and coordinate so that enquirers needs can be met in a timely manner. (Resource needed – existing administrator’s time)
3.4.2 SPIRITUALITY/
3.4.3 SPIRITUALITY/
3.4.4 TRAINING NEEDS -a second audit of training needs will be undertaken May until June, and working with our Diocesan Colleagues and external providers, local based training will be organised. (Resources needed – the audit existing administrator’s time – training costs to be reported back to Synod for approval – in-principle support sought at this time)
3.4.5 COMING TOGETHER – three major Deanery celebrations will be planned for 2026. One children and young people focussed, one music focussed and one All Age ecumenical worship. (Resources needed - £4500 - £1500 for each event to cover booking costs, PA systems, and travel support if needed)
3.5 Intergenerational Growth
3.5.1 SUPPORT– in addition to sharing good practice and ideas from the audit described above, we propose engaging on a consultancy basis, faith based organisations with an expertise in developing intergenerational and children and young people’s worship and developing links with schools. This will include support on recruitment, training and retention of new volunteers and projects that link children and young people with older people. For those parishes that want to work with such consultants, a planned engagement will start in September 2026 with the first group of parishes, with every parish who wants to take part, to be engaged over a four year period. (Resource needed – the cost of this proposal will be brought back to the next Synod for approval -we are seeking in-principle support at this time)
3.5.2 PAID WORKERS – We have been approached for financial support for two existing schemes. One in the Penlee Cluster that works with Families and Young People and the other an ecumenical youth project in Hayle. The two schemes are requesting more than the entire annual available budget. We propose that both proposals are looked into by a sub-group and assessed for viability, fit with the emerging criteria of our three priorities, likelihood of intergenerational growth within our churches and long-term sustainability. We propose that no more than £30,000 be allocated in total if the schemes are deemed to pass the above assessment. (Resources needed – potentially up to £30,000 per annum for 3 years. We are seeking in-principle support for the process with the decision on allocation to be brought to the next Synod )
4 Next Steps
4.1 Subject to the audit having been completed, we propose to bring back the above proposed in-principle actions to the March Synod.
4.2 In addition we will look at the priority areas of Resources and Intergenerational growth at the next Synod, using a workshop process so that everyone can have a chance to work on the detailed plans and agree the success criteria to be set.
4.3 At our May Synod we will finalise the plan by working on the Patterns for Ministry section.
5. Deanery Implementation Team (DIT)
5.1 It is clear now how much work has been previous undertaken by the DIT. I know that Synod will want to express their thanks to the member of the previous DIT for the dedication and time.
5.2 The Archdeacon disbanded the previous DIT. We have a clearly emerging plan, with areas of priorities well defined by the November planning day. Ourt task, with the Archdeacon, now is to establish new teams to help implement the early wins as indicated and support the developing projects.
5.3 We are seeking Synod approval to the establishment of three implementation teams for the three priority areas. This will allow for the matching of skills and areas of interest to the work needed.
5.4 We will be sending to all Synod members, and other parish contacts, a suggestion, or self-suggestion form, of people to join the three DITS. You can suggest yourself or someone who you feel has the skills needed in the three areas.
5.4 All candidates will be invited to a DIT formation day on the 28th of February from 10am-2pm. The Archdeacon will appoint the teams formally before our next Synod.
5.5 We are seeking Synod approval to the appointment of these teams, and each team will report back to Synod on the progress of the implementation, with all changes to any of the agreed actions or allocations requiring Synod approval
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