Church Commissioners
The hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the
Church Commissioners, was asked—
Parish Ministry
(Broadland) (Con)
2. What recent discussions he has had with the Church on
strengthening its parish ministry.(902270)
(New Forest West) (Con)
6. What recent discussions he has had with the Church on
strengthening its parish ministry.(902274)
The Second Church Estates Commissioner ()
Parish ministry is at the heart of the mission of the Church. The
Church Commissioners will distribute £1.2 billion between 2023
and 2025 to support our mission and ministry—a 30% increase on
the current three-year period—and the lion’s share of this
funding will be used to revitalise parish ministry.
Does my hon. Friend agree with me that the relationship between a
parish priest and his or her congregation is the single most
important element of outreach and service for the Church, and as
such, its support should be the primary objective of Church
funds?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right, which is why the Church
Commissioners continue to fund increasing numbers of ordinands.
In 2020, 570 new priests were ordained and there were 580 in
training, with only 320 retirements. Innovative ways of
attracting clergy from many backgrounds include the fantastic
work of both the Peter and the Caleb streams, which I would
commend to his parishes.
The Church Times is full of adverts for well-paid jobs at
diocesan headquarters, yet clergy are spread ever more thinly
across the parishes. It is the wrong priority, is it not?
I can tell my right hon. Friend, who I know takes a close
interest in these matters, that by far the largest share of
diocesan expenditure goes on parish clergy, and many diocesan
secretaries are reducing central costs to support parish
ministry. We should remember that hard-working diocesan staff
support parishes, church schools and chaplaincies on vital issues
such as safeguarding, vocations, ministry training, youth work
and social action, none of which I am sure my right hon. Friend
would argue with.
(Blackburn) (Lab)
I have heard from dozens of voters in Blackburn who will be
relying on free voter ID certificates, yet the Government have
failed to specify the security features to be included. Can I ask
the hon. Member for Lancaster and Fleetwood (), representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral
Commission—
Mr Speaker
Order. Unfortunately, this is about the Church Commissioners, not
voting.
(Strangford) (DUP)
I thank the Second Church Estates Commissioner for his reply.
Rural communities have been greatly disadvantaged by covid, with
Zoom meetings as a method of contact, and attendance at churches
has started to lessen as well, so there has to be a new method of
reaching out in parish ministry. The hon. Gentleman referred to
extra moneys for this process. Within that process, is there more
help for those who need cars for travelling out to meet people
face to face? That is perhaps how the future of parish ministry
will be.
I am grateful to the hon. Member, and I really appreciate his
interest in these matters. As I have said, the Church
Commissioners are increasing the funding to the frontline by 30%
over the next three years —£1.2 billion—and it needs to go on
exactly the type of initiative that he suggests.
Coronation of King Charles III
(Gainsborough) (Con)
3. What role the Church of England will have in the coronation of
King Charles III.(902271)
A service of holy communion will be at the heart of the
coronation. The , the Earl Marshal
and the coronation committee are planning the service, which will
be a moment of great national rejoicing and deep spiritual
significance.
I am glad my hon. Friend has emphasised that point. By immemorial
custom, the coronation is a deeply religious and spiritual event.
Will he convince us that the Church of England will use its
influence to ensure that it remains as such, particularly the
anointing, and does not degenerate into a kind of dumbed down,
wokefest celebration of so-called modern Britain?
I can reassure my right hon. Friend. The anointing of the monarch
goes back to biblical times, recognising the outpouring of God’s
grace on us all, and the sovereign’s covenant to give his life in
service to his people and his God. That is the foundational
principle underlying our constitutional settlement.
Rural Clergy
(West Dorset) (Con)
5. What recent discussions he has had with the Church on
increasing the numbers of clergy in rural parishes. [R]
(902273)
Rural clergy play a crucial role at the heart of their
communities, for which I know my hon. Friend is, like me, deeply
grateful. I regularly raise this issue with the Church. In his
diocese of Salisbury more than £1.25 million has been invested to
support rural ministry in the Renewing Hope Through Rural
Ministry and Mission project.
Let me say to my hon. Friend that we have a couple of vacancies
in my benefice, and I hope he will feed back on that point. I
would be particularly interested to understand what proportion of
stipendiary clergy goes to long-established small and rural
parishes, versus what proportion goes to more resourced churches,
fresh expressions, and other new or novel forms of church.
I can tell my hon. Friend that 24% of the population live in
rural parishes, and are supported by 38% of total stipendiary
clergy. The figures he asks for are not held centrally as they
are decided at diocesan level. I commend to him the Caleb stream,
which often enables self-supporting clergy to serve in rural
parishes, and of which many bishops are supportive.
(Cleethorpes) (Con)
I spoke recently to a priest who serves a number of rural
parishes in my constituency. He pointed out that church councils
are being asked for their views on the vision for the future of
the Church, and they feel that they do not have sufficient
resources to do that. If they look for guidance from the centre,
they fear that church closures will be the outcome. Will my hon.
Friend give additional support to parishes to plan for their
future?
The Church Commissioners are providing a 30% increase in funding
over the next three years. It is important to remember that they
provide under 20% of the total funding of the Church, most of
which comes from parish giving. In a sense, therefore, it is up
to all of us to support our local churches and worshipping
communities.
Support over the Winter
(Devizes) (Con)
10. What steps the Church is taking to support people facing
hardship this winter. (902280)
The Second Church Estates Commissioner ()
The Church Commissioners have provided £15 million to help
churches with their energy costs, so that they continue to act as
places to worship Jesus but also stay open at other times, if
they are able to, to provide practical community support, such as
being a warm hub.
I thank the Government for ensuring that churches are included in
the package of support that businesses receive to pay their
energy bills. Will my hon. Friend join me in congratulating the
churches across Wiltshire that have opened their spaces to people
in the daytime, providing their traditional role as a place for
fellowship, community and support? Does he agree that the
churches that have found it easier to fulfil this traditional
role are those that have ripped out the Victorian pews, which are
such an obstacle to the traditional role of fellowship?
My hon. Friend is a powerful advocate for exactly this type of
voluntary community action. The Church of England will always be
at the centre of such endeavours, which can be facilitated by
churches that make possible the type of activity he mentions. I
am not yet aware of any warm hubs in Devizes, although I have
noticed some in neighbouring towns. I am sure my hon. Friend will
be encouraging his local churches to facilitate such schemes in
his area.
