Save The Parish - Cornwall

A tweet this morning by Robert Thompson ( @Rgt71Robert) , Vicar of St Mary & St James, London NW6 suggesting that 'consultation' about the Church Commissioners' Strategic Development Funding spend is as deeply flawed elsewhere as it is in Cornwall. He writes: Thanks to those many clergy who contacted me about my tweet on these successful SDF bids They have been called ‘vanity projects’ & forms of ‘money laundering for particular networks’ & it is clear that the ‘consultations’ instead of leading any change of plans, partnership or co-creation, were simply an information events about their imposition on others. There is also a clear disquiet about the lack of any meaningful listening from Senior staff in the Episcopal Areas affected & the Diocese. The entire process has simply exacerbated low levels of trust & clergy morale. The questions ordinary parish clergy are asking are 1) why can they & their parishes be invested in rather than we continually p...

 The Carnmarth North deanery synod to approve its On The Way  cost-cutting plan has failed to meet Episcopal College approval - for reasons that remain unclear. Last month a shambolic synod approved the plan - despite an admitted lack of consultation with congregations previously.   Click here to read the original plan. Rural Dean Caspar Bush circulated an email yesterday saying the original plan had been rejected by the Episcopal College over the MMF (Mission and Ministry Fund) budget deficit it envisaged. This despite the fact that the Bishop of St Germans, the Rt Rev Hugh Nelson. micro-managed the development of the plan from the start. A deanery synod to approve the revised version is scheduled for 8 September 2022. Rev Bush's email reads: To: Carnmarth North Deanery Synod reps and other interested parties This email is to update you on On the Way, and to set a new date for our next Synod. We apologise that once again it has been necessary to postpone this Synod...

As the Diocese of Truro's housekeeping exercise  On The Way  moves forward, both the Bishop of Truro and the Bishop of St Germans repeat regularly that there is 'no plan'. Deaneries will discern the way forward through prayer and discussion, they say. Both Bishops have repeatedly said this process is 'bottom up' rather than 'top down'. In fact anyone who has been involved in On The Way discussions knows that this is not, in fact, the case.  Leadership teams report regularly to the Bishop of St Germans who 'responds' to suggestions. Another oft cited mantra is that 'there is no plan'. In fact, there is - of course - a plan - a plan for the Church Commissioners' funding to go towards 'Transition funding' and Low Income areas (through the Low Income Community Fund) i.e. the Transforming Mission benefices.  This report published in 2021 by the Archbishop's Council states that clergy stipends are met by parish giving and fees and c...

For people following events in East Wivelshire and the debate over plans for parish re-organisation  the Bishop of St Germans, the Rt Rev Hugh Nelson, has sent out an email this week 'to clarify the reality of the situation'. The East Wivelshire Deanery Synod is tonight (Thursday 30 June 2022) when its On The Way plan for clergy cuts - and inevitable church closures - will be debated. The issue of the extent of diocesan plans in East Wivelshire - and the heated debate over church closures - has been covered by this blog. This week's Private Eye also reports on it. Here Save The Parish Cornwall's analysts take a forensic look at key points in the Bishop's email: THE BISHOP SAID: There is no Diocesan policy in favour of any particular form of local church governance. In case that is not clear enough let me repeat it; there is no Diocesan policy in favour of any particular form of local church governance. WE SAY:  “... no diocesan policy”.  The dismal diocesan track r...

  Very good to see this story in the latest issue of Private Eye about the Diocese of Truro's On The Way plan for clergy cuts - and eventually church closures and sales.

The weekly local press across Cornwall today carried our Open Letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury ahead of his recent visit to Cornwall. Our Save The Parish message continues to hit home..... Bishops: please listen to the people of Cornwall.

Documents written by Archdeacon Paul Bryer clearly citing the advantages of joint Parochial Church Councils (PCCs) click on the links below. An Introduction to Parish Re-organisation by Archdeacon Paul Bryer Advantages of One Parish Frequently asked questions - setting up Joint PCCs Background to parish re-organisation from the C of E