Church faces closure as congregation dwindles
ACHURCH which just last month marked its 150th anniversary is facing closure due to its dwindling congregation.
All Saints CE Church in Hamer has been getting as few as 18 people attending its services.
Church leaders say that figure is ‘not sustainable’ and have now organised a meeting to decide All Saints’ future.
The Archdeacon of Rochdale the Ven Cherry Vann said: “The Parochial Church Council has voted to explore the option of closing it although it is not the council’s decision to close it, this has just set things in motion to explore the option.
“The church has a small congregation which is largely elderly and while it was packed on the day they had the celebration for the 150th anniversary, on a regular Sunday it gets around 18 people or perhaps 20 on a good day which is not sustainable.”
An open evening will be held at the church on Thursday, January 5, from 7.30pm as part of a public consultation over the church’s future. It will be attended by a member of the church commissioners to listen to people’s views and to answer any questions.
The Archdeacon added: “The reason it’s taken so long to progress is that the anniversary was coming up and the church wanted to make the most of that.
“There comes a time when you have to say it’s been good, but we need to look at the future. If it does close, we are hopeful people will find a new home in another church.”
When the church held its celebration of its consecration it was decked out with floral arrangements from 15 churches around the Deanery as well as flowers from St Patrick’s RC Church and Syke Methodist Church.
There was singing from a number of different choirs while the Vicar, Rev Ian Carter invited the Rev Joseph Sweeney from St Patrick’s RC Church to preach at the Evensong Service.
The Bishop of Middleton, the Rt Rev Mark Davies also took the Sunday celebration service three days later.
The Parish of All Saints came into existence in 1866 and generations of people have used the church since Victorian times. The church went through an ongoing process of restoration starting in the early 1990s and was kitted out with a meeting room equipped for the congregation and the community to use as well as a new kitchen and toilet with disabled access.