Christians in Cornwall are speaking out to challenge and say no to the change agenda being enforced by the Diocese of Truro in the Church of England (C of E). Their ‘On the Way’ policy is seen as a dangerous and destructive plan to change churches and the face of Christianity in Cornwall. Moreover, this is a change agenda from which even Archdeacons in Cornwall say, “vicars in parishes and church buildings are a thing of the past”.
Against this disturbing backdrop of threatening behaviour within the supposedly Christian hierarchy of the C of E, Ross has had the courage to blow the whistle on the initiative. He is one of a growing number of Christians now asking questions and warning of the destructive outcomes of the 'On the Way' plan in Cornwall, initially sold to parishes during lockdown, when face to face meetings could not be held. Many parishes claim to have been completely misled, and they are horrified at plans to combine their Parochial Church Councils (PCCs) with the loss of administering their own finances.
'On the Way' was sold to parishes on the lie that the Diocese of Truro is short of money and therefore cuts had to be made in both the number of clergy and the number of church buildings. He also believes that the C of E nationally has a significant income of some £360 million per annum from property and investments. The Diocese of Truro isn’t alone in adopting an inflationary corporate structure, which is diverting money from the provision of ordained ministers in parishes to the creation of inflated staff numbers working for the diocese. For Truro, the number of non-ordained staff roles has now reached near-parity with the parish clergy, who are the target of 'On the Way' cuts. Moreover, many of the new staffing roles seem to be aligned with current political policies; Truro Diocese is happy to spend £3.4 million this year on alleged planet-saving expenditure whilst abandoning their core function of saving souls.
The claim of no money also seems to ring hollow against former Archbishop Welby’s public claims that both he and the C of E were working hard to raise trillions with bankers and corporate interests to save the planet under the government’s green agenda. And, yes, that is trillions. The UK Column's article on this topic can be found here.
'On the Way' plans are already grouping churches under only one ordained priest. For example, in Cornwall, some 22 churches have already been joined together under just two ordained clergy; reportedly, one doesn’t work on Sundays. This huge, unrealistic clergy workload leaves little room for wider pastoral duties to save souls within Parish communities, the ‘cure of souls’ being the core function of a parish priest. Non or little-trained laypeople are to take over some priests’ duties and services. Many churches in Cornwall are now only holding services by the goodness of unpaid or retired clergy.
In addition, the potential closure of some parish churches on the basis that "vicars in churches are a failed model" not only removes historic and valued places of organised Christian worship, it also undermines the wider Christian spirit in Cornwall, which can be seen by the unseen many who enter churches in quiet moments alone to pray and seek solace.
Senior clergy in Cornwall sell the line that 'On the Way' cuts will enable greater Christian participation with young people and via outreach such as food banks. Churches, they calmly declare, will be replaced by Christian services in a variety of public places which aren’t churches and in private homes. Ross highlights that the C of E is already assisting this devious and destructive attack by the promotion of so-called evangelical services, many of which are not in fact legal within the C of E, with forms of traditional worship being viewed as unacceptable. Holy Communion administered directly by an ordained priest is under attack. Traditional hymns and hymn books are now frowned upon, and worship ‘songs’ are promoted. Computer screens obscure altars and beautiful architecture alike. Traditionally worshipping churches and their clergy are beginning to feel under outright attack. 'On The Way' will see church buildings turned into multi-function community centres, occasionally holding services. You can be married in a church’s food bank, next to a pain clinic, but only when an ordained priest can be found to take the service.
Ross does not hold back in his analysis of the dangers of 'On the Way'. He points out that similar plans were a disaster in Wigan, Diocese of Liverpool, the situation there made public by the C of E’s governing body, the Church Commissioners. He senses that the C of E agenda is, in reality, designed to destroy Christian worship and community. Furthermore, he adds that the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, presided over a 30% decline in Christian congregations, but ultimately blamed this on God. This was, after all, the same Archbishop who celebrated Holy Communion on Zoom from his kitchen during Covid lockdown, despite the fact that he had access to a fully consecrated chapel at Lambeth Palace, which those he had locked out of their parish churches would have desperately liked to see.
If many Christians are now asking what can be done, Ross has a forthright answer: church congregations and their governing Parochial Church Councils must have the courage to stand up and say “No”, appealing to the newly-arrived Bishop of Truro, David Williams. Churches are being combined at an alarming rate under one ordained priest as 'On the Way' is pushed ahead, often with their PCCs not being fully aware of what they signed up to. He highlights that PCCs and their Churchwardens are far more powerful than they think. They have the ability to say "No" to both Bishops and the Church of England itself.
Lastly, Ross points out the need for the Christian flock to pray and have courage in standing against the attack on their faith and wider Christian ministry. He adds that the need for courage is not new, for Jesus Christ himself said his followers would need courage to do his work against those who opposed him.
Editor's note: Readers might want to consider visiting the Save the Parish website. "Save the Parish is a grassroots movement working to resource the parish system across the nation, ensuring the poorest communities are not abandoned, and that dioceses and the national church have, at their core, the call to put their parishes first".
Watch Brian's interview with Ross about this topic.
