The Guardian: Churches must diversify and adapt to stop the rot
  • John de Overa
    490
    In Droxford, a small Hampshire village, we have rescued our Grade I Norman church from the brink of ruin to become a thriving community hub. The church now hosts Wilfrid’s – a volunteer-run cafe open five days a week, a new bell-ringing team, a computer club, and a growing heritage centre. Thanks to the popularity of the cafe and other activities, more than £10,000 was distributed last year to the local community, with over half going towards church and churchyard projects.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/09/churches-must-diversify-and-adapt-to-stop-the-rot

    The way forward?
    John de Overa Options
  • Paul Wotton
    29
    See my comments of 3 months ago in the Ringing 2030 topic which speaks to how, and perhaps why, Church of England churches are felt to 'belong' the communities they are located in. Making these churches into living community assets seems to many the way to go. Doing so would need a serious national debate. As the Establish church CofE incumbents have the care of all souls in the parishes; not just those who attend church. The right to be baptised, married, worship and have a funeral extends to all (Albeit being married in church is subject to restrictions some think wrong). Not all taxpayers will see that this justifies public support for churches and not all shades of churchmanship will be happy for 'their' churches to be used for secular purposes. The way forward is thus not easy.
    Paul Wotton Options
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