Save The Parish - Cornwall

Extract from paper for discussion at Diocese of Truro Synod, September 2025 We - and other churchgoers across Cornwall - had hoped that the advent of a new Bishop of Truro might halt the onward march to Oversight and Lay Ministry in large groupings of parishes.  The concept was introduced during the controversial On The Way deanery restructuring  programme championed by the former Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev Philip Mounstephen, and his suffragan Bishop, the Rt Rev Hugh Nelson.  Sadly, in the years since, there have been many examples of Oversight Ministry proving just too much for those charged with it - impossible administrative loads resulting in physical and mental exhaustion. However ... a paper due to be discussed at next month's Diocesan Synod offers complete endorsement and suggests full steam ahead with Oversight and Local Ministry - despite high profile failures. Click here to read.    The model enables 'incumbent status stipendiary priests to lead...

Diocesan Communications Officer Kelly Rowe has requested both a printed and online correction to the article that appeared in yesterday's Falmouth Packet, which misleadingly said a third full-time stipendiary priest had been recruited in Kerrier Deanery. The article took local PCCs (Parochial Church Councils) by surprise.  Contacted by Save The Parish Cornwall about the apparent change in clergy provision, Kelly Rowe said in an email that a priest had not, in fact, been appointed: "I think this story might have got ahead of itself. As far as we are aware, we have agreed the appointment of a third stipendiary priest but have not yet advertised the post. I am guessing that the person would not be in post until the end of the year, more likely early next year. The deanery is currently in the throes of radical  and controversial pastoral reorganisation - with a giant benefice of 23 churches proposed under just one rural dean.  Kelly Rowe  went on to confirm th...

The controversial Kerrier Deanery plan, bringing together 23 churches under one rural dean, has been updated. Click here to read. This is useful background for those preparing to object to current proposals to create a mega benefice in the deanery.  The new introduction to the plans says it incorporates .... " all recent revisions approved through the appropriate governance processes. To enhance clarity and transparency, an overview table at the beginning of the document outlines each change request, including the nature of the change, the date of approval, and links to the relevant section it affects. Change requests have been noted alongside the original text and are clearly highlighted with a red underline for ease of reference with a link back to the change request table. Corresponding endnotes provide further context and justification if needed, ensuring a clear audit trail. These updates reflect ongoing developments and alignment with strategic priorities. "  The Pastor...

Following our  Fact Sheet  on key questions to ask regarding MMF (Mission and Ministry Fund), we have received a number of further queries from Parochial Church Councils (PCCs). Here are some answers. Neither Save The Parish Cornwall nor Save The Parish nationally are advocating at this time a total MMF or Parish Share “strike” by PCCs. But we in Cornwall in the Diocese of Truro believe the annual Call has been much too high for some years and in 2024-25 needs particularly to be strongly challenged and resisted.  The 2025 MMF, split by benefice within each deanery: click here to read What will happen if we don’t pay our MMF - and how do we do it? First of all, remember that MMF is NOT a statutory charge that you have to pay - like your gas bill, for instance. It is in fact a voluntary charity donation. It is true that, generally, a PCC is getting something in return for that charitable gift. But in times when that return is often getting noticeably less and less, while th...

MMF (Mission and Ministry Fund) - a headache for many PCCs. Meetings are currently underway in the Diocese of Truro discussing MMF payments for 2025.  We've had many questions from around Cornwall about this, so have compiled a Fact Sheet. Click here to download the Fact Sheet.   Please circulate widely. The 2025 MMF, split by benefice within each deaner y In passing - and separately - please be aware that the Diocese is launching a consultation on revising the MMF formula from 2026. This does not impinge on your discussions around your current call. Read on for a transcript of the Fact Sheet: MISSION AND MINISTRY FUND (MMF): KEY QUESTIONS TO ASK   There is no legal or contractual obligation for Parochial Church Councils (PCCs) to pay MMF contributions. This payment is discretionary. PCCs have the right to withhold it.   We are not suggesting that PCCs do withhold MMF payments. But PCCs should ask pertinent questions and insist on detailed answers – particula...

Local newspapers (Reach Group) in Cornwall covered the debate raging this week over clergy numbers in the Diocese of Truro . A Save The Parish Cornwall report has revealed that, at the end of December 2023, the Diocese employed more administrators at Church House, Truro, than clergy.  Read on for the Editorial column published in Cornish newspapers alongside coverage of the report.  

Save The Parish Cornwall issues the following response to a regrettable statement by the Diocese of Truro published on its website on 5 March 2024. The Diocese misleadingly says that Save The Parish Cornwall is 'targeting clergy' and providing inaccurate clergy figures. Save The Parish Cornwall’s recent analysis of clergy numbers in the Diocese shows that there were just 39 priests for Cornwall’s 200 plus parishes and 300 churches at the end of December 2023 - according to figures supplied by Church House sources at the end of January 2024. A further 19 other incumbencies remained vacant. Stipendiary priests in Cornwall at the end of December 2023, and their locations: data supplied by Church House sources to Save The Parish Cornwall at the end of January 2024. There was, therefore, one stipendiary priest to 15,000 people: the population of Cornwall is just over 600,000. The number of stipendiary priests in Cornwall at the end of December 2023 was 39. Save The Parish Cornw...

 What does £88,000 pay for? more than one Save The Parish Cornwall supporter has asked recently.  The answer (if you put this question to the Diocese of Truro) is  - 'a clergy post'.  Cornish parishes are constantly being asked to contribute - via Mission and Ministry Fund (MMF) payments to 'clergy salaries'.  But to make an obvious point, if there are no clergy - as is increasingly the case in Cornwall as the acting Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev Hugh Nelson, rolls out plans for 'oversight ministers' in huge benefices - where exactly is the money going? And why should people in the pews continue to pay it? Click here to read an article in the latest edition of the Church Times written by a curious - and weary -churchwarden. As unease spreads about Church House plans - known as On The Way - which will result in radical restructuring of the C of E in Cornwall, Save The Parish Cornwall supporter Sue McClaughry has started a petition calling for a moratorium. Pleas...

As unease spreads about Church House plans - known as On The Way - which will result in radical restructuring of the C of E in Cornwall, Save The Parish Cornwall supporter Sue McClaughry has started a petition calling for a moratorium. Please click here to sign. Sue writes: The rural parishes across the whole of Cornwall are under threat, churches are at risk of falling into disuse and closure. There should be deep concern about the current and planned alterations to the practices of the Church of England across the Diocese of Truro. It is our belief that the process entitled On The Way which has instigated large scale changes in almost every parish in the Diocese is fundamentally flawed.  In many cases the plans will result in a reduction in clergy numbers, for example in one area there will be one priest overseeing 10 churches and 3 chapels, whilst in another two members of the clergy, one of whom will not work on Sundays, will be responsible for 23 churches. In these l...

An excellent article today in Anglican Ink on our dossier calling for a moratorium on the Diocese of Truro's damaging restructuring plans, known as On The Way. Cornwall’s flame of faith being deliberately doused by parish consolidation2/07/cornwalls-flame-of-faith-being-deliberately-doused-by-parish-consolidation-save-the-parish-charges/ The Diocese has reacted aggressively to the dossier and dismissed the concerns of churchgoers across Cornwall. The Bishop's Diocesan Council elected not to report on it to the latest Diocesan Synod .  Save The Parish Cornwall is calling for a  moratorium on these plans. Save The Parish Cornwall supporter Sue McClaughry has started a petition calling for this. Please click here to sign.

Proposed pastoral re-organisation in Powder deanery in the Diocese of Truro is proving controversial with many people anxious and angry about the prospect of ancient parishes being merged. The Church Commissioners have put out a call for comment / objections. If you go to this URL https://www.churchofengland.org/consultation and put “Truro” into the search box you will find "Proposals for pastoral reorganisation affecting benefices of St Just-in-Roseland and St Mawes; Gerrans with St Anthony-in-Roseland and Philleigh; et al, in the diocese of Truro.” The consultation period ends on 18 December. Anyone can comment and clearly it is important that people should do so. Pastoral re-organisations like these are aimed at creating 'super parishes' where traditional Parochial Church Councils lose their power and autonomy and the centuries' old power of 'the local' is eroded forever. Once these steps are taken, they are taken forever - so it is important to object soon...

The Diocese of Truro has approved a radical plan to use reserves to fund its ten-year Plan for Change and Renewal, ignoring wide-spread concern from churchgoers across Cornwall.  Click here to read the official report of the decision by the thinly-attended Diocesan Synod on 18 November 2023.  Save The Parish Cornwall's Martin Saunders argued strongly against this short-term approach, saying Church House's approach was 'profligacy' which would make it harder for future generations. Read on for the text of his speech.   A better title for this paper would be "Selling off the family silver" All that we are doing is that we are relying on the charity of our forebears to make life easier for ourselves at the expense of our successors. I repeat. All that we are doing is that we are relying on the charity of our forebears to make life easier for ourselves at the expense of our successors. The diocese have held dangling in front of us what they think to be lovely carr...

In the latest twist in the Diocese of Truro's steady march towards disastrous On The Way restructuring plans: the acting Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev Hugh Nelson, has admitted that rural deans are finding the demands of proposed new huge benefices just too much. He is a creating a new role for what effectively are 'area deans' covering several deaneries. He and his colleagues have heard 'clearly and consistently' from rural deans over the past 18 months that their role is not manageable,  he writes in a letter to the Diocese this week. "As a result, there will be a 'significant changes' to the rural dean's role. "The new Deans for each area will carry all the legal responsibilities of a Rural Dean, will play a key role in deanery plan implementation, will support parishes and benefices with the practical and relational work of change and will provide clergy and lay leaders with practical and pastoral support. ... This change is designed to ...

An evaluation of ‘Transforming Wigan’   - a controversial programme for change - has been published: click here to read an Executive Summary . This evaluation is an 'absolute shocker' and should be a game changer, writes Rev Marcus Walker of Save The Parish on Twitter. This is so important given how many other dioceses are implementing schemes following what we can safely call the Failed Wigan Model, he says. Sadly, the Diocese of Truro is one of these dioceses: click here to read more. The highlights of 'Failed Wigan'? £1.2 million wasted Weekly attendance 1/3 Annual giving 1/3 Deficit £56,000 to £295,666 In figures that is almost 600 people stopping going to church and £500,000 less given. Read the report here: https://d3hgrlq6yacptf.cloudfront.net/603eb0893e402/ What was the plan? Merge all the 33 parishes of Wigan into one super benefice with seven “parish hubs” (they love “hubs” in the new CofE). Slash the number of clergy from 24 to 15 (they actually o...