READERS’ CHARTER
Not only are churches there for services but in many cases they are an outreach point for their community. My own local church in Lavant runs a toddler group, a weekly tea and chat group, a monthly lunch house and a monthly brunch cafe, activities which are open to all with a large take up. It also has very close ties with our local primary school where the rector is a welcomed weekly visitor.
Without these activities our community would be the poorer. But keeping our churches in Lavant going is an uphill struggle as we are expected to pay the diocese a parish share of £73,000 a year.
The parish share is a huge struggle for most parishes, but failure to pay up could result in their closure.
As the former Archbishop George Carey says, the Church of England is a rich church. Instead of getting rid of the parish system it should be cherishing it and encouraging it to grow and thrive.
Our churches have been in existence for hundreds of years faithfully serving their communities.
It is unthinkable that we could lose them now.
I encourage everyone to write to their local Parochial Church Council – every church has one –to find out more and to join the fight to save their parish church.
If you live in a parish, regular attender or not, it is your right to know what is going on.
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