Western Morning News

Stale services offered by a dying Church

- James Hardy By email

THE letter by John Watts (‘Continuing decline in church attendance’, November 24) makes very fine points, supported by current UK national statistics.

The Church of England newspaper recently ran an article which profiled growing churches. They often own no premises of their own and have no paid leadership.

I was ordained by the Anglican Church in 2017 but left the local diocese after seeing no independen­t inquiry convened, even when there was the very clearest evidence of bullying, harassment and abuse.

I joined a tiny midweek group who meet in a café, and I have hugely enjoyed the fellowship and friendship on offer. No collection plate is required, which is truly liberating, because the group do not own or maintain any expensive premises.

Neither do they have expenses associated with a vicar’s upkeep (housing, car allowance, stipend, pension, tax, national insurance).

Is the UK Church slowly returning to the Book of Acts model, and is this a great improvemen­t on the stale liturgical services offered by a dying Anglican Church?

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