This is your church ......

I have now had the privilege of serving the churches in this Benefice for just over two and a half years and I am enjoying getting to know you and being alongside you as we journey through life. Whilst the role of the Rector today, is of course, the same as it was a century ago, it is not possible to carry it out in the same way. The residents of ten villages plus three hamlets in my care, and ten church buildings to maintain is a challenging task and certainly a century ago there were eight rectors doing the same role. Of course technology has helped in that phone calls and emails can be made where a visit might have taken place a century ago. There is also additional help. We have a part-time minister (hopefully the post will be filled by early summer) and we have a licensed lay minister who gives her time freely, together with one or two other lay members who are willing to lead services. We also employ a Benefice Administrator, without whom things just wouldn't happen. Alongside this team, there is a group of faithful people who help keep our church buildings and churchyards in as good as condition as finances permit. This same group of people also work tirelessly to raise money to pay for the two ministers (myself and the part time minister) and to keep the church buildings open and maintained. This is a huge task. The Church of England (despite what many people think) does not receive any grants from government or other bodies to keep our listed buildings open and we may be facing soon the possibility that we simply cannot raise the money for our ministers and for the running costs of the buildings. Less than ten per cent of the residents of Shelswell Benefice support the church on a regular basis and with the need to raise in the order of £120,000 per year just to keep our heads above water - this is a huge task.

So I am asking you to carefully consider whether you think it is important to have clergy (for school work, pastoral visits, christenings, weddings, funerals, burials and a plethora of other reasons) and church buildings in our villages. This is not something I ask lightly and I certainly do not want to be faced with reductions in clergy numbers or loss of church buildings but we have to be pragmatic.

During March and April there will be an opportunity for you to say what you think about the challenge we face. Each church has an annual meeting to which all residents are invited - it is your church…………..

Do please look out for the date of your church meeting and do come along to hear about the challenges that are being faced. You will find a very warm welcome and your views are important. You might even find something happening that interests you and there is much to get involved in as highlighted in this monthly magazine.

May God bless you and please consider my request carefully.