Act now to save the village church, Welby urged, over fears of financial ‘collapse’

Calls to scrap or reduce voluntary Parish Share as clergy warn of ‘huge burden’ on rural parishes

RURAL churches are struggling to pay their vicars, as clergy and wardens issue a stark warning to the Archbishop of Canterbury to act now to save the village church.

Rural churches are struggling to draw the same level of congregation numbers and funds as their urban counterparts, with the pandemic exacerbating pre- existing problems, such as diminished collection-plate donations.

However, The Daily Telegraph has spoken to multiple serving and retired clergy and members of the General Synod, as well as wardens, treasurers and lay people, who revealed their fears that the Church could “collapse” in rural communities. They also spoke of a multi-million pound debt facing countryside parishes, amid a “pressure” to contribute to the Parish Share.

They claimed “bullying” f rom Church authorities, together with a pressure to “toe the party line”, meant they were scared to criticise policies.

The Parish Share – a voluntary contribution paid by each of the 12,500 parishes – often goes toward vital resources such as paying for a vicar. However rural congregants and clergy warned they had been forced to share one vicar across multiple parishes, or claimed they had been told they would not receive a vicar unless they paid thousands of pounds to the Church.

One member of the General Synod, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “The Parish Share has become a huge burden and it needs to be scrapped or reduced. We need localism, not managerialism … If there isn’t reform, the Church in rural areas will go out, not with a bang but with a whimper.” Angela Tilby, Canon Emeritus at

Christ Church, Oxford, said: “The financial collapse of the Church is quite likely if this agenda goes on being pushed. I’m more worried about that bullying culture than the finances…. You can’t get rid of that culture of turning clergy into little robots in a hurry.”

A spokesman for the Church of England said it relied on “generous giving by its members to support mission and ministry in every community”. Covid-19 had “brought challenges”, but “giving income has proven more resilient than might have been expected”.

Investment in a vicar in an urban area was around £8 per head of population compared with around £20 in rural areas, he added, but “we are committed to making this investment together across our diverse communities”.

A Lambeth Palace spokesman added that the Church had been “committed to localism for centuries”. He added: “Ultimately it is our churches and our clergy on the ground that are its lifeblood.”