Covid Carols

Good King Wenceslas logged out
Feeling much dejection
All the slots had been booked out
For Tesco collection
Not deliveries there were
For his sauce and pasta
He would have to fight his way
Through the queues at ASDA
 
Angels from the realms of glory
Kindly stay right in your place
We’ve no wish to get infected
Have you heard of hands face space?
Don’t
Sing that song at us
Don’t you realise
Droplets travel further
We’ll
Have to isolate
We can’t emigrate
No way through at Dover
Wash you hands and please don’t sing
 
Now mask ye quickly gentlemen don’t mingle here today
We need your names for track and trace the church guidance doth say
Our distanced seating’s full so please book in for next Sunday
And we’re streaming on Facebook and Zoom
Meeting Room
And we’re streaming on Facebook and Zoom
 
See them dining now in Tier 4
Masks at table and an open door
All precautions so the covid spores
Don’t land on the Christmas turkey
How to eat up Brussel Sprouts for 10?
We disinvited
Aunty Gwen
At least we won’t get ugly socks again
And bits of gaudy paper chain.

While Donald watched the count at night

Saw he was losing ground

Upon his laptop did alight

And tweeted all around

"Fear not", said Pence, for mighty dread

Had seized his coiffured hair

"That Biden's old, he's got not chance

So please Boss don't despair"

All lawyers heed, clear schedules now

And double up your fee

For Trump will not admit defeat

Till 2023

Reality Check

I've just has this in an email, relaying a Zoom conversation with Christians in Madagascar. 

The diocesan economic development coordinator Ialy has recently returned from a trip to his village in the far south of the island. Good time? Patsy asked. No, Ialy said. His aunt had been used to monthly visits from his cousins, who live 75 km away in a village which is even more remote than hers. Last month they didn’t turn up; nor this month. So she decided to go and see what was happening. She travelled the 75km by ox cart, which is the usual means of transport, and arrived to find that the entire family, parents and three children, had died three days earlier from starvation. They hadn’t been able to come to town to sell their charcoal because the oxen were too weak; they themselves had been too weak to walk. So they hadn’t been able to ask for help.

 One story, one family. But that story is being repeated all over the far south of Madagascar, which falls within this huge, young diocese. They are trying to get rice and beans to the area to keep people alive. 

Random Opinions

The government decision to cut foreign aid is a terrible one, and will cost thousands of lives. It's great that we've produced a low cost vaccine for the world, but pulling the plug on essential programmes will be catastrophic. The Conservatives have had plenty of practice at U-turning this year so hopefully they can put that to good use on this one. 

Justin Welby is perfectly entitled to a sabbatical. I would say that, I'm having one at the same time. We don't have a pop at Jesus because he was only in active ministry for 3 years, took 40 days out in the desert, and repeatedly disappeared off to pray without taking his mobile phone with him. The NHS has sabbaticals and nobody complains that the doctors should get back to work and stop faffing about. If you were in charge of an 80 million member organisation, you might need a bit of time out yourself. 

The news about Megan Markle's miscarriage is very sad, but she was worthy of respect and courtesy before we found out about it. If you were ripping her to shreds before, don't bother feigning concern now. 

The maths of the Christmas bubbling bothers me. If you can spend up to 5 days in the same house as 2 other households, and 1 of you has got covid, the chances are that everyone else in the house will have it by the time you go home. The R rate will go through the roof won't it?

We see the Premier League footballers taking a knee on Match of the Day every week, but has anything actually changed in their sport? They also could show a bit of concern for their fellow footballers by offering a tithe of their wages to clubs in the lower leagues. £950,000 (10% of Gareth Bales annual salary) is around half the wage bill of some lower league clubs. Gareth if you already give it away, well done you.

Joe Biden is a flawed human being too, I hope our media don't do a Barack Obama on him and turn him into some sort of Messiah. He will be a better president than Donald Trump. He will make mistakes. Those two things are about all we can be sure about. 

Remember, 25% of what I say is wrong, the trouble is I don't know which 25%

Church Growth in the Church of England - the other side of the story

After depressing everyone with the latest CofE membership stats the other day, it was encouraging to read some very good news in this General Synod report. 

Yes you heard that right. The Strategic Development Fund is a 10 year project by the CofE to invest in mission. It focuses on areas where the church is struggling to make an impact - mostly deprived urban areas, children and youth. 

Here are some snapshots from the report, of the impact the funding is having:

 - In a seriously deprived parish in Bristol Diocese, a weekly meal after Sunday worship started in 2019 and feeds dozens from the neighbourhood, for many it's their only hot meal of the week. A midweek service (with food) aimed at addicts and life recovery now has a congregation of 30-40, with several coming to faith. 

 - Rochester diocese’s project to invest in church growth in four priority parishes will include growing two new ministries established at Christ Church Anerley: Kings Car Wash helps ex-offenders to get back into work habits and Kings Boxing works with young gang members as an alternative to knife crime.

 -  A project awarded SDF in Leeds diocese has plans to support those battling addictions and mental health problems in the deprived town of Keighley, including launching a social enterprise with a coffee shop and prayer space.

 - Birmingham Diocese have been placing Children and Families workers in several parishes, and seen 800 new disciples in churches which are hosting them.

 - Canterbury diocese’s ‘Ignite’ project, which was awarded SDF in June 2018 to develop new worshipping congregations in the most deprived areas of the diocese and the Channel Islands, has launched eight new communities with attendance already of nearly 350 and testimonies emerging of lives being deeply touched and changed. 

 - At ‘Top Church’, a new church-planting-church in the deprived town of Dudley in Worcester diocese the worshipping community grew to 110 at the end of the first year (far exceeding the anticipated target of 30 in the first year) with four people exploring ordained ministry.

So far it's estimated that over 10,000 people have become new disciples through these projects, many 

of which are in a very early stage. 

And the report finds that intentionality in mission is fundamental. Churches grow where they have an active, outward-facing focus to create opportunities to develop new relationships; and then find ways to intentionally share the gospel with those new contacts, whether through explorer courses, social engagement, small groups, appropriate forms of worship, or through one-to-one discipleship.

All of which applies just as much to individual churches as it does to a national fund. I just pray that all of these have found a way to continue and to grow through Covid.  

Government Consultation on 'Faith Engagement'

The government has just launched a survey on how it engages with faith groups, with an online consultation open for 4 weeks. Here's part of the introduction:

On 10 October 2019, the government announced that Colin Bloom had been appointed as the Faith Engagement Adviser at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
As Faith Engagement Adviser, Colin is leading a review into how best the government should engage with faith groups in England. He will make recommendations to the Communities Secretary about how the government can best celebrate and support the contribution of faith groups, break down barriers and promote acceptance between faiths, and promote shared values while tackling cultures and practices that are harmful.
Colin Bloom’s initial proposal is to structure the review around 4 main sections:

• the first section asks the question, “Are faith groups, places of worship and people of faith a force for good in society?”

• the second section explores the extent to which government and its agencies have sufficient faith literacy and considers the partnership between faith groups and the State

• the third section looks at some aspects where harm might be caused through religious or faith-based practices and a review of the government’s role in tackling them

• the fourth and final section will be a set of recommendations for the government to consider and respond to

The call for evidence will pose a series of questions around how those of all faiths, or none, perceive the government’s engagement with faith groups. Because the review is specifically about faith and religion, priority will be given to responses that fit within those parameters. However, space is given for respondents to share their views in a way that they feel is appropriate.
Respondents should feel free to make use of a range of sources, reports, case studies, surveys or even personal anecdotes to underpin their points where a general response is requested.

Links
Independent Faith Engagement Review: Call for Evidence (government website)
Online Survey 

There will doubtless be well co-ordinated campaigns by interest groups to flood the responses with a particular message. It would be great if it was just filled out by ordinary people, so the government hears what's actually happening, rather than just getting the same shrill voices by another means. 

A few notes on the survey itself
 - you may find some of the questions phrased in an odd way, I wouldn't describe myself as 'having a Belief' - I have a relationship with God through Jesus which is sustained and expressed in conversation (aka prayer), action, attitudes etc., the same way that most relationships are sustained and expressed. I 'believe' that vaccines will make 2021 a better year than 2020 in terms of covid, but that thought/process is of a completely different order to my faith. There's a definition of 'Belief' on the very last page of the survey, which is ok, but it would be better to spell it out on page 1 so people know what they're agreeing to!

 - there are 50 questions, with opportunities to say both what positive contributions churches/faith groups make to society, schooling etc., and what you think is negative. There are plenty of comments boxes, so even where an answer is multiple choice, there's usually a chance to expand on your ideas. 

 - the survey is happy to take citations and evidence, so I would think the more of this you can supply the better. I've answered one of the earlier questions, on the positive impact of faith on society, with quite a few hyperlinks, covering everything from John Wesley to Street Pastors.

 - if you're not fussed about commenting, you could take 15 minutes to complete this. But you could spend hours on it. 

'History is made by those who turn up' - I never know how much notice is going to be paid to these things, but it doesn't appear to be a survey with an agenda (like previous government ones on, e.g., marriage). A good clutch of positive responses from Christians, church leaders and Christian agencies may be a fruitful use of time. 

Review: Seven Sacred Spaces by George Lings

 Back in the days when books were published on paper, and the literature about Fresh Expressions and emerging church could fit on a single shelf, the Church Army began producing Encounters on the Edge. Written by George Lings and his research team, they profiled the growing number of church plants and experiments happening around the UK. Lings visited, interviewed, reflected, and drew lessons for the wider church. 

As well as feeding into the whole Fresh Expressions/Mission Shaped Church initiative in the CofE, one or two of the Encounters took on a life of their own. 'Seven Sacred Spaces', published in 2009, was picked up in a variety of settings, including an entire Welsh Diocese, and is now a full length book. Bible Reading Fellowship, the publishers, have also published a suite of study, follow up and application materials. 

If you want Lings' summary of the Seven Sacred Spaces, its here. In brief, his work focused on monastic communities ancient and modern, and the discovery that the same key spaces were found regularly across all of them. These spaces expressed different aspects of monastic life, and Lings explores whether they give us a creative and fruitful template for discipleship and church life. The 7 spaces are

Chapel – for worship together

Cell – for personal prayer

Scriptorium – for study and passing on learning

Garden/Kitchen – for work/service

Refectory – for hospitality

Chapter house – for decision making

Cloister - for community - planned and unplanned encounters. 

Lings questions whether local church life, which invariably focuses on the 'Chapel' - both the building and the act of corporate worship - is missing a trick. Many local churches have a thin parody of the other 6 spaces if they have anything all, from grim coffee (refectory) to a dated bookstall (scriptorium),  with work nowhere to be seen. What would we look like if we had a balance of all 7? 

The 7 Sacred Spaces book takes us through Lings discovery of the 7 spaces, with a chapter explaining each one in more depth and looking at where it is found in the Bible, in monastic rules and Christian communities, and in the world at large. One chapter shows how different groups have put the Spaces into practice, and there are separate sections applying the Spaces to mission, discipleship and life (the chapter on the latter is mostly a critique of current church practice). Lings, refreshingly, closes the book by downplaying it, cautioning against taking these insights as a new reformation or a silver bullet, but as a resource, lens, portal or diet which can help us grow more in our life in Christ: ‘the mental battle of living a life in Christ, alone and together, is central. The spaces are but the arenas in which that life is played out’

Each chapter is worth reading on its own - the chapter on Cell will help you reflect on your personal prayer life, the chapter on Chapel should be required reading for anyone looking to rethink their church building. I can't remember the last time I read a good Christian reflection on meetings, despite the fact we spend a large proportion of our life in them. But in the Chapter chapter, Lings throws out this challenge “The church should be a community where decision making together becomes sacred, because it faces down grumbling and judging, and where it listens well, because it expresses mutual respect and humility. Bring it on.” 

The section on Cloister - the connecting place in the monastery which allowed for meetings, as well as bumping into the people you wanted to avoid - focuses on the quality of community life. 'Community is the cheese grater of the soul'  The monastic rules tend to say very little about what happens in these spaces, but often this is where the quality of community is found out. Every organisation has rules, but studying the rules won't tell you what it's like to work or live there. 

 There are plenty of insights in the chapters on Work (garden) study (scriptorium) and hospitality (refectory), each of which is probably a post in its own right. Whether you buy into the 7 Sacred Spaces or not, each of these is worth a read on its own. How do we rediscover work as a spiritual practice, part of the 'work of God? What would a church look like if it was centred on a kitchen and shared table rather than a worship space? In a culture which churns through information and attention at high speed, how do we treasure and pass on true knowledge? 

Our Story Part 1

Skip this bit if you want to get back to the book. St Peters church on the Westfield estate in Yeovil is one of the two churches I'm vicar for. Last year we demolished the 50 year old church hall and built a new Community Centre, wrapped around the church. We've ended up with a single building, with a kitchen/cafe area at its heart (refectory), connected by a single door to the church building (worship). The vision for the centre includes skills and learning (scriptorium - we have a mini library in the building already), drop in (cloister), and as a hub for volunteers and the local community association to use to serve the community (work/service). Committees are part of the running of the place (chapter). The vision is not simply to be a building for hire, but to be a community hub which brings positive change to the community - better literacy, skills and employment levels, less isolation, better mental and physical health, stronger community etc. During lockdown, the sole users have been a health team, the local community midwives, which is a bit of a nod to the '8th space' of hospitals and hospices which were often found in monasteries and convents. 

The 7 Sacred Spaces has given us a framework for thinking about the mission of the new Community Centre, and how it expresses the life of the church. More than that, it has given us a way of looking at discipleship. We had an away day in a nearby village hall last year. During it, we tried to tease out the values which underpinned each of the 7 Spaces. For Cloister, we identified Availability. One of the group took a walk through the village during our extended lunch break, and deliberately sought to put that into practice. She came back bouncing with excitement, having had several conversations with complete strangers as she ambled slowly up the main street, smiling at anyone she met. She now makes it her practice to 'bimble' around Westfield, usually taking way longer than she'd planned to get anywhere, because of the 'chance' conversations she gets into. 

The main mission activity of St Peters is..... wait for it.... a coffee morning. Is that it? you cry. But Mondays 'Community Coffee' (Refectory/Cloister), held initially in the church and now in the cafe space, has been the way into church membership for several people over the last 5 years. A couple of years ago when Christmas Day fell on a Monday, the regulars all asked for it to continue on Christmas Day as many of them were living alone, and 15 of them turned up. St Peters has grown from 15 to 50 in the last 10 years, principally by prayer, hospitality, and being available to the community. 

Our Story Part 2

Lockdown shut us out of our churches back in March, and did so again last week. Amidst the wailing and gnashing of teeth lurks the question: is there a way of being church which doesn't depend on gathering together in the same building at the same time every week? Can we be a local church if we can't meet as one body for worship? Again, the 7 Sacred Spaces offer a tantalising answer. Is it possible to be a local Christian community based on some form of rule of life and set of shared values and practices? They include corporate worship, but they aren't defined or exhausted by it. So when corporate worship stops, the church continues. 

So we created a workbook of bible meditations with a week on each theme, and encouraged people to meet in 2s and 3s to reflect together each week on what God was saying. And a set of videos on each theme to complement them. And quite a few people - both from St Peters and from the main parish church -  have taken these up and found them powerful and helpful. Where we go next..... we don't know!

Questions and Comments. 

1. I would recommend the book for anyone who is frustrated with how we do church now, and wonders if there is a better way, but is weary of cavalry charge solutions. Lings is always worth reading, and you are bound to find something which challenges or stimulates you.

2. I see that the original 7 Sacred Spaces booklet is no longer available online. That's a shame - there are people who might read a 40 page booklet but not a 220 page full length book. The BRF resources are some help here, but there's still a space for a substantial explanation of the 7 Sacred Spaces which isn't book length. 

3. There are 3 areas where I was longing for the book to go further

 - Biblical material: in some chapters there were fewer Biblical examples than I'd expected, and some of the 7 Spaces take on different qualities when seen through the lens of scripture. For example, if Cloister is to do with availability, then you see this time and again in the mission of Jesus and the early church (many of Jesus healings, the beggar at the beautiful gate, Philip). The workbook we produced on the 7 spaces is based on a daily bible reflection over 7 weeks, and there were dozens of possible verses and stories which didn't make the cut. 

 - Mission and outreach: monastic rules tend to be inward looking, and focus solely on those who are in the monastic community. There are missional ways to look at prayer, study, hospitality, work, and cloister. Lings notes with sadness that mission - sharing the good news of Jesus - has disappeared completely from the Franciscan 3rd order. This is a failing shared by the local/institutional church too. 

 - Social transformation: which connects to the previous point. After the fall of the Roman Empire (bear with me), monasteries play a significant role in the history of Europe. As well as spreading the Christian faith, they became the hub for thousands of towns and cities. They transformed the land, draining and irrigating swathes of territory to make it productive. They preserved and passed on learning - monastic libraries were often the only place literature was kept safe, and the monks themselves were among the few people who could read and write, so often ended up in key administrative positions. The monasteries housed travellers, cared for the sick, educated the young, invented new technology, developed trades (those Belgian monastic beers......) and pursued science (Bacon, Grosseteste, Copernicus, Lull, Ockham). Though Lings notes that several voices are calling for a renewed form of Christian community within society, there is more to be said about the initial impact of such communities when they first spread across the UK, and what we could learn from this. 

4. How the 7 Sacred Spaces can underpin both an individual and a shared rule of life. This brings things back full circle, as the monastic spaces are themselves expressions in architecture of the monastic rules. There are glimpses of this in the stories Lings shares, but I guess we don't know what this really looks like until there are communities living it. 

I'm so grateful to George Lings for doing this work, and putting it into a framework which can be used in so many different ways. The 7 Sacred Spaces framework is a challenge to the way we 'do church', and Lings calls for a form of Christian community life which gives equal weight to all 7, rather than orbiting 6 as minor satellites around the Chapel space. Historically, the Church of England has always seen worship as the defining activity within the parish church. Out main buildings are for worship, and our main investment in human resources - clergy - puts them in a special caste of worship leaders. But in the days prior to the parish system, it was monasteries which spread the faith and established new Christian communities. Maybe a community along these more holistic lines is a more suitable form of church for  post-Christian England than parishes centred on a worship building for a gathered congregation. And covid makes this an even more pressing question. 

Archbishops Lockdown Letter

 The letter below was issued yesterday by the two CofE Archbishops, and the Bishop of London. It centres on a call to make November a month of prayer. I spotted the letter this morning on Thinking Anglicans, a few minutes after a conversation about our monthly parish prayer meeting, which we'd scheduled for Thursday. Which all now seems quite timely...

To the clergy of the Church of England

1 November 2020

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Greetings to you on this All Saints Day and as we are reminded again that we are indeed part of a universal company of saints.

We are writing to you to set out some of our thinking in the light of the most recent announcement by the Prime Minister. We are very aware that details are still not clear and there is much discussion still to be had about what the impact of the new lockdown will mean. We are also writing to assure you of our prayers for you and our thanks for all you do. We are clear that we do now need to call all Christian people to pray and to do so continually over this next month. In this letter as well as reflection we also set out an invitation to you to join in this call to prayer and to keep both praying and serving our communities.

This is a difficult and challenging time for all of us. We are sure that some of you reading this letter will wish we had made other decisions during the period of the first lockdown, or even challenged the government harder on the decisions it has made. You may be right. However, it is our view that the best way we can serve our nation now is by pouring our energy into doing the things that we can do, which is to pray and to serve. We also dare to hope that we will be kind to each other and that God will give us the courage and humility we need to be faithful witnesses to the gospel of peace.

A second lockdown will be upon us on Thursday. It is going to be different from the first one. The days are getting shorter and colder. We are anxious for ourselves, for those we love, especially those who are vulnerable and elderly, and for our families. We know that this pandemic is having a devastating effect on our economy and on people’s mental health. Thousands of people are dying. The National Health Service is being stretched to the limit. We also know and must continue to bear witness to the fact that the poorest communities in our nation are suffering the most. We are in for a long haul. It is going to be a hard winter.

But this second lockdown will also be different in other ways. There is much that we have learned from the first lockdown and there is much to celebrate and be proud of. Of course we are full of gratitude and respect for the amazing courage and commitment of all key workers especially those working in the NHS. Their contribution is rightly and widely recognised. We also applaud the many creative ways that churches up and down the land have been serving their local communities and working with others to make sure that the hungry are fed and the vulnerable cared for. We have managed to maintain and, in many cases, extend our outreach by streaming worship online and by developing other ways of building community online.

We are grateful for people’s energy, hard work and creativity in making this happen and we hope and pray this will continue. We are grateful that the new guidelines being introduced on Thursday not only allow churches to remain open for private prayer but also enable online worship to be broadcast from the church building. We were cautious about these issues during the first lockdown – perhaps overly so – but in this second lockdown we want to encourage church buildings to remain open for private prayer wherever possible, making sure that their buildings are Covid secure in the ways that we have learned in recent months, and to broadcast services from their church buildings. However, if you do not have the resources or wherewithal to do this, please do not feel that you have failed in any way. The good thing about provision of worship online, is that people can join in from anywhere and therefore we can support each other more easily in this endeavour. Our national digital team will continue to offer training and support and provide national services each week.

However, worship online still means that the people of God do not have access to the sacraments which are so central to our life in Christ. This is a huge loss and since we were not consulted about the lockdown provisions, we fully intend to speak with government about why certain exemptions are made and not others, emphasising the critical role that churches play in every community. The sacramental life of the church cannot be seen as an optional extra. Nor can we separate out our worship from our service, it is always both and not either or.

Nevertheless, we will of course abide by the law and ask you to do the same. We must do all that we can to keep our communities safe and to enable the NHS to manage this crisis. The Recovery Group chaired by the Bishop of London will be issuing specific guidance in the next day or two.

Bearing in mind our primary vocation as the Church of Jesus Christ to pray and to serve we call upon the Church of England to make this month of lockdown a month of prayer. More than anything else, whatever the nation thinks, we know that we are in the faithful hands of the risen Christ who knows our weaknesses, tiredness and struggles and whose steadfast love endures for ever.

Above all we recall people to some of the fundamental spiritual disciplines that shape our Christian life. How we do this is up to each congregation and clergy person. We will publish resources to support you before the first day of lockdown. During the first lockdown we cheered for the NHS every Thursday. During this second lockdown we invite you to fast in a way appropriate to you as well as pray for our nation every Thursday, for its leaders, its health and essential services and all those who suffer.

We thank you for your service and ministry and pray that God will sustain you and encourage you. After consulting the House of Bishops we will be writing a more general letter to the whole nation we serve, a letter expressing the hope we have and calling for courage, calm and compassion.

In one of the climactic passages of the New Testament, Paul says to those who follow Christ that their “love must be genuine, that they hate what is evil and hold fast to what is good.” He asks them to “serve the lord”, exhorting them to “rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.” (See Romans 12.9-12.) None of this is easy. Especially not at the moment. But it is our calling.

Yours in Christ,

The Most Revd & Rt Hon Justin Welby

Archbishop of Canterbury

The Most Revd & Rt Hon Stephen Cottrell

Archbishop of York

The Rt Revd & Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally

Bishop of London

Last Chance To See...... Church of England Membership and Attendance Stats 2019

 The Church of England has published its latest 'Statistics for Mission' for 2019, links to the various documents - press release, Excel spreadsheets (did 16,000 members drop off the end?) etc. can be found here. You'll find analysis of previous years stats here. 

The more upbeat the press release, and the further you have to go before it mentions church membership and attendance, the worse you know it's going to be. This year is no exception. After making a great deal of social action and digital engagement it's paragraph 15 of 16 before we discover that attendance was down a further 2% from the previous year. Here are the figures for 'Adult Weekly Attendance' (average no of adults attending worship each week) for the last 5 years. 

And here are figure over the same period for children:

Hereford has seen an increase from 1000 to 1300 during the 5 years the stats cover. Otherwise, the overall picture among under-18s is worse than it is among adults. 

I've been keeping track of these stats, inspired by Bob Jackson, as far back as they go. A few years ago, church growth enthusiasts like myself were encouraged to see London Diocese bucking the trend, and hoping that where the capital led, the country would follow. Sadly not, here's the stats since the beginning of the century - as you can see above, London is now on the same trajectory as everyone else: 

This is a catastrophic decline. The Church of England now is where the Methodists were a few years ago (305,000 members in 2003, 170,000 now), and the URC a few years before that. The figures for children, as always, are worse: 

There is a generational feed through into other church activity - we are baptising 9% of children, marrying 17% of couples getting married, and taking the funerals of 25% of those who die. Each of these is down 30-40% over the last 10 years, and there is a clear progression through the generations. 

The report does find some good news - over 90,000 people joined an Anglican church in 2019, with a significant proportion being first time church members

10% of parishes are reporting growth, but 4x the number report statistically significant decline. Overall growing churches are still a tiny minority, but some new churches have been planted - 90 recorded in the stats, who have seen their membership more than double since 2016. 

Finally, I'm always interested in this chart, which gives a fascinating cross-section of what the 'average' church looks like:

Translation: the top 5% of churches have an average weekly congregation of 185 or more, of which 1/6 are children. A church exactly in the middle of the 16000 Anglican churches in terms of size has 31, of which 6% - 2 - are children. The largest churches have a larger 'fringe' of non-members, sustainable numbers of children and youth, and enough people to comfortably fill the building. The one upside of social distancing is that the smaller churches can still meet as a whole congregation, since there's plenty of room in the average church for 20 people to sit on their own at the same time. 

By accident rather than design, the Church of England has ended up with a Tesco structure. Tesco has a small number of 'Tesco Extra' megastores (Cathedrals), about 15% of its outlets are 'Tesco Superstore' (large church, kids and youth work, several outreach projects, sizeable fringe), there's a few 'Tesco Metro' stores which are scaled down versions of the superstores (75th percentile churches), but 3/4 are either Tesco Express or One Stop, small corner shop versions, providing local access to a core selection of produce. The management, logistics and life of a megastore is very different to that of Tesco Express, though they all carry the same branding, and some shared products. 

Here's the thing. Half of our churches, 8000 of them, have 26 adults or fewer on a Sunday. If you had 26 people to form a Christian presence in a community, you wouldn't start from here. You wouldn't have a listed building which costs thousands to heat and insure. You wouldn't have the protocols for running the church written into law. You wouldn't have so many aspects to Sunday worship (warden, verger, organist, reader, prayer leader, vicar, sidesperson) that there's barely anyone there who isn't there because they're on a rota. You wouldn't open an Anglican Extra, you'd have an Anglican Express. In fact, you probably wouldn't open a building at all. 

Covid will make the figures for 2020 such a mess that there probably isn't any point collecting them, and 2021 may not be much better. As many have observed, it is accelerating changes that were already happening. Businesses on the edge are shutting down. Trends towards online shopping have increased. What does that mean for the church? There is nothing in the stats to suggest that we are about to turn a corner. Or if we are, it's turning in the opposite direction to the one we want. There are islands - many islands (1600 according to the stats) of growth, many others holding their own, and making a life-changing contribution to local individuals and communities. 

But. But...... the parish system hasn't changed since it was introduced towards the end of the Dark Ages. The overall structure of the CofE hasn't changed for a century. The buildings we operate on haven't changed for (insert your own figure here). The structure of deployment, church life, legal framework seems set in concrete. Witness the absurd debate about communion since lockdown. Don't get me started. 

Maybe the Bishops should have shut us down for longer at the start of covid. Because we shape our tools, and then our tools shape us. Any church that doesn't have a life without it's building, or its Sunday gathering, has been so shaped by them that it has ceased to be a church. Instead of hanging on until we could re-open, maybe 12 months of 'being church' without 'the church' would have done us some good, if we'd allowed it to shape us. For many of our folk it was a break: suddenly the small army of people involved on a Sunday morning could forget the rota, roll out of bed, make a coffee and switch on Youtube. Sure it's great to involve people, but we pour so many resources into worship, and the building and professional caste that make it happen, that there's precious little energy, time and money left for anything else. 

The church in its present form will have to die. It is dying. It's slow and drawn out because we don't have the nerve, or the structures, to make clear and painful decisions. Political debate today is dominated by whether we need a 'circuit breaker' lockdown. I'd argue the CofE needs the same. Shut everything. Pray and seek God. Stop wasting energy, lives and talent on a structure and system which, in most places, no longer works.

The 'Wedding Industry'

 It's a horrible time to be planning a wedding. Our last one of the year is this Saturday, which thankfully just escapes the latest revision to government guidance on weddings. Still, the couple is on something like Plan Q, having started at Plan A, for how the wedding day will work. They were on tenterhooks yesterday as they tried to work out what Boris was actually saying, and whether it affected them. 

On one of the news channels earlier today, an interviewee spoke about the 'wedding industry', and how difficult lockdown is for this sector. The phrase struck me, and jarred with me too. How is there an 'industry' around a solemn and joyful public declaration of love and faithfulness? I used to do a stall at wedding fairs, fielding inquiries on behalf of the church. Whilst trying to be as polite as I could to my fellow stallholders, several of them were offering  - for several £100s - a service which could be very easily done by a guest, best man, etc. There was something parasitic about the number of ways that money could be extracted from a couple, purely on the basis that they were getting married. 

What's interesting now is that the people who wanted to get married, still want to get married. Legally, all you need is the couple, 2 witnesses and a licensed venue. And those who are getting married are finding that a simpler wedding service can still be just as joyful, special and meaningful, than an all singing all dancing £16,000 blowout (which was the average cost of a UK wedding in 2019). Shed no tears for the 'wedding industry'. If people are really providing a valuable service that's essential to wedded bliss, there'll still be a need for it during, and after covid. If not, you have to wonder if it was ever that important in the first place. 

If covid kicks off a trend towards simpler weddings, that will be a welcome counterweight to the mushrooming expectations that the more money you spend, the more 'perfect' your wedding day will be. The Big Spender route certainly doesn't appear to be a great investment in the quality of your marriage.  To be able to just focus on one another, with a small number of guests, rather than a mammoth organisational task that costs 50% of your annual income with 100 guests to stress over, might just be preferable. And it might even be a better start to the adventure of a lifetime. 

Rule of 6 Guidance no.4 - Church of England official guidance (part 1)

 Finally we have some clarification from the CofE on how the Rule of 6 affects church life. As expected, it has pretty much no impact on Sunday worship. The key area was always going to be small groups and social/outreach activities. 

Here is todays updated guidance, with selected FAQs. This important rider is also given:

The Church of England continues to engage with the Government seeking clarification on a number of areas.

We anticipate further updates in the next few days with further additions to the FAQs and we also continue to review the downloadable guidance papers which will be updated accordingly. All updates will be notified at the top of this page.

The Government has introduced new regulations making it illegal for groups of more than six people to meet, unless covered by exemptions.

The intention is to limit the spread of the virus by minimising close physical contact as much as possible. When deciding whether to proceed with an activity, depending on local circumstances, please bear this principle in mind.

Areas covered by exemptions to the ‘rule of six’ include work, children’s activities and charitable services.

There is also an exemption that covers places of worship making it possible for more than six people to gather for acts of communal worship. However, it is not a blanket exemption for any activity in a place of worship.

The advice below is provided to assist local churches in their planning and decision making.

It is everyone’s responsibility to comply with the law. This guidance is designed to help those who have responsibility for organising gatherings, to ensure they comply with the law and protect parishioners and the public, especially those most vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19.

We acknowledge and share the sadness many are feeling at not being able to meet together as we used to do. We prayerfully and confidently look forward to the day when we can all meet together again.

 

FAQs

The rule of six

HOW DOES THE NEW 'RULE OF SIX' AFFECT CHURCH SERVICES?

Public worship can continue. There is an exemption that covers places of worship making it possible for more than six people to gather for acts of communal worship. However, it is not a blanket exemption. People must not be part of a group of more than six unless they are from the same household or support bubble.

ARE PLACES OF WORSHIP EXEMPT FROM THE 'RULE OF SIX'?

There is an exemption that covers places of worship making it possible for more than six people to gather there.  The exemption covers church services and as well as some other activities that take place in church buildings.

However, it is not a blanket exemption. People must not be part of a group of more than six unless they are from the same household or support bubble.

CAN CHURCHES OPEN FOR INDIVIDUAL PRAYER?

Since 15 June, the Government has allowed access to places of worship for individual prayer and funerals. See our guidance on individual prayer.

Individual prayer should be individual. People must not be part of a group of more than six unless they are from the same household or support bubble.

If your church is opening for Individual prayer or public worship, please complete a risk assessment.

CAN CHURCHES HOLD SERVICES OF WORSHIP?

Since the 4th of July 2020, the Government has allowed public worship to resume. New regulations came into force on 14th of September 2020 limiting gatherings to no more than six people. Places of worship, alongside other COVID-secure premises, are exempt, meaning that the number of people able to attend services depends on how many can safely be accommodated, observing appropriate physical distancing and hygiene measures.

However people must not be part of a group of more than six unless they are from the same household or support bubble.

CAN BIBLE STUDY GROUPS OR HOME GROUPS NOW MEET IN PERSON?

A group can meet in someone’s home as long as there are no more than six people in the house in total, including those not taking part in the group at that time.

Groups can meet on church premises under the same conditions as apply to services of worship – for example, people attending must not be part of a group of more than six unless they are from the same household or support bubble.

However, Government guidance states:

“However, for activities and social groups where there is a significant likelihood of groups mixing and socialising ( and where it will be difficult to prevent mingling and therefore breaking the law) should not take place in a community facility.”

Please take this into consideration.

CAN CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S ACTIVITIES START AGAIN?

Yes, children’s activities being organised by the place of worship alongside or within a service or at other times during the week should follow principles in the general guidance from the Department for Education on Out of School Settings.

In outline, these recommend that, to reduce the risk of transmission, children and young people who attend should be kept in small, consistent groups, and of no more than fifteen children and at least one staff member. Children should be assigned to a particular class or group and should then stay in those consistent groups for future sessions and avoid mixing with other groups in your setting.

If possible, those attending should practise physical distancing in line with the government’s current guidance. As the risk of transmission is considerably lower outdoors, providers who normally run sessions indoors should consider whether they are able to do so safely outside on their premises.

The guidance document on children and young people’sactivities has not been amended since 24^th August, and still states that no church pre-school groups can restart. But see the top of this page - I would expect an update to this document soon.  

Rule of 6 Guidance 3 - 'Support Groups'

 Some of the documents I cited last week were updated on Monday. I'm especially interested in what the new covid guidance says about 'Support Groups', as this touches on a lot of what our churches do away from Sunday worship. 

Here's what the guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do) says about them (commentary in italics):

2.10 When can I gather in groups of more than 6?

If you live in a household with more than 6 people, you can continue to gather in and attend all settings together. This same applies for your support bubbles. All venues should continue to accomodate groups larger than 6 who live together or are in the same support bubble to gather in and use their services and venues.

There are exceptions where groups can be larger than 6 people, including:

• for work, or the provision of voluntary or charitable services
• registered childcare, education or training
• supervised activities provided for children, including wraparound care, youth groups and activities, and children’s playgroups
• providing support to a vulnerable person
• providing emergency assistance, and to avoid injury or illness or to escape risk of harm
• for arrangements where children do not live in the same household as both their parents
• fulfilling a legal obligation such as attending court or jury service
• weddings and civil partnership ceremonies and receptions – up to 30 people, in a public place
• funerals – up to 30 people. This does not include wakes, other than for religious ceremonial purposes.
• other religious and belief-based life cycle ceremonies – up to 30 people, in a public place. This only covers the ceremonies, and does not include celebrations of these events.
• organised sport or exercises classes or licensed outdoor physical activity. This does not include informal sport or fitness activity with family or friends – this must be limited to a group of 6.
• elite sporting competition and training
• support groups – formally organised groups to provide mutual aid, therapy or any other form of support. This includes support to victims of crime, recovering addicts, new parents, people with long-term illnesses, those facing issues relating to their sexuality or gender, and those who have suffered bereavement.
• protests – if organised in compliance with COVID-19 Secure guidance

Where a group includes someone covered by one of these exemptions, they are not counted as part of the gatherings limit. This means, for example, that a tradesperson can go into a household of six without breaching the limit if they are there for work.(the same wording is replicated here, in guidance on 'meeting with others safely' https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-meeting-with-others-safely-social-distancing/coronavirus-covid-19-meeting-with-others-safely-social-distancing)

2.11 Does this mean that no more than six people can be in a pub, restaurant or place of worship at once?

Venues following COVID-19 Secure guidelines can host more than 6 people in total, but no one should visit in a group of greater than 6 (unless you are all from the same household or support bubble). When you visit one of these places, such as a pub, shop, leisure venue, restaurant or place of worship you should:

• follow the limits on the number of other people you should meet with as a group (it will be illegal to be in group of more than six from outside of your household or support bubble)
• avoid mingling with anyone outside the group you are with, even if you see other people you know
• provide your contact details to the organiser so that you can be contacted if needed by the NHS Test and Trace programme

2.12 Can I have a celebration for significant or ceremonial life events, other than weddings?

The legal gatherings limit of six people does not apply to standalone religious and belief-based life cycle ceremonies, such as christenings and bar/batmitzvahs. You can have up to 30 people at these events, provided they take place in a public place. This includes events to mark or celebrate a significant milestone in a person’s life, according to their religion or belief, such as events to celebrate a person’s birth (other than a birthday) or coming of age; or to mark a person’s death or celebrate their life following their death.

This does not include celebrations of these events - receptions are only permitted for weddings and civil partnerships.

You should socially distance wherever possible from people you do not live with (or have formed a support bubble with).

the exception here for life cycle ceremonies isn't extended to general cyclical ceremonies, such as Remembrance, Christmas, (plus all the lesser festivals)

3.10 Can I pray in a place of worship?

Yes, places of worship will stay open for services and communal prayer in line with guidance for reopening Places of Worship.

Places of worship can stay open for services for more than 6 people. However, you must not mingle in a group of more than 6 people (other than with people you live with or have formed a support bubble with).

Strict adherence to social distancing is strongly advised and a distance of 2 metres (or 1 metre with additional COVID-19 Secure measures in place) should be kept from people you do not live with wherever possible.

my reading of this is that you can have a prayer meeting in a church building, but people must be kept in groups of no more than 6 with no mingling across groups. 

3.18 Can I go to my support group?

Some types of support group are exempt from the legal gatherings limit.

Support groups can can take place in gatherings of any number in a public place, if the support group is organised by a business, a charitable, benevolent or philanthropic institution or a public body to provide mutual aid, therapy or any other form of support to its members or those who attend its meetings (my emphasis). This includes, but is not limited to, providing support:

• to victims of crime (including domestic abuse)
• to those with, or recovering from, addictions (including alcohol, narcotics or other substance addictions) or addictive patterns of behaviour
• to new and expectant parents
• to those with, or caring for persons with, any long-term illness, disability or terminal condition or who are vulnerable
• to those facing issues related to their sexuality or identity including those living as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender
• to those who have suffered bereavement

This is an exemption to the legal gatherings limit of six people.

Support groups not covered by this exemption can still take place if they do not breach the new gatherings limit of six people. This does not mean that no more than six people can attend. There can be multiple groups of six people attending, provided that the social interaction and shared activity is limited to groups of six. Where this is unlikely to be possible, no more than six people should attend. Anybody who is attending for work purposes is excluded from the gatherings limit.

most midweek groups run by our church have both a social and a support element - the coffee morning which is the 1 piece of social contact in the week for an isolated elderly person, the cell group where people pray for each other and support each other in living out their faith, the baby and toddler group where mums can socialise and get out of the house. My reading of this is that all of this is covered by the above guidance, it can be done in groups of larger than 6, on church premises. The only question is whether they fall into groups 'covered by this exemption' (where a whole group of more than 6 can meet), or groups 'not covered by this exemption', where the whole group can meet but must be subdivided into groups of 6 or fewer, who don't interact with one another. 

3.19 Can I go to my hobby club / amateur musical group / other leisure activity?

It is against the law to gather in groups of more than six, where people are from different households or support bubbles. The rule above does not mean that there cannot be more than six people in any one place. All activities for under 18s are exempt. There can be multiple groups of six people in a place, provided that those groups do not mingle.

In practice, however, this will make it difficult for some activities to take place without breaking the law. Activities where there is a significant likelihood of groups of more than six mingling – and therefore breaking the law – should not take place until further COVID-19 Secure guidance has been developed and approved to enable the activity to happen safely. This may include extended tour groups, large banquet dinners, society or club meetings, or amateur music or drama rehearsals.

The grey area is what counts as a support group. Does it have to be primarily for support (e.g. AA), or with support as one of the collateral benefits? I guess if there's doubt, the group should be organised in clusters of up to 6, which is fairly easy to do with placing of chairs and tables. Not so easy to do with toddlers....

And what's the 'spiriit' of all this? Is it o try to find ways to facilitate groups meeting by interpreting the guidelines generously, or to be consservative and, where there is any doubt, keep the doors shut?

'Rule of 6' Guidance for Churches and Community Centres, part 2

 A follow on to last weeks post on how the new guidance affects places of worship. These are all direct extracts from government guidance published or updated yesterday, my commentary is in italics. 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-places-of-worship-during-the-pandemic-from-4-july/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-places-of-worship-during-the-pandemic-from-4-july updated 14^th September

Gatherings of more than 30 people will be permitted but only in certain public places as set out in law. This will include places of worship and their surrounding premises. There are however activities where it is advisable to restrict numbers to 30 within a place of worship for public health reasons. This guidance sets out those activities as well as how to ensure your place of worship is COVID-19 secure.

Whilst engaging in an activity in the place of worship or surrounding grounds, all parties should adhere to social distancing guidelines. 2 metres or 1 metre with actions taken to reduce the risk of transmission (where 2 metres is not viable) between households are acceptable. For example, use of face coverings.

Communal worship, including prayers, devotions or meditations led by a Minister of Religion or lay person.

Limits for communal worship should be decided on the basis of the capacity of the place of worship following an assessment of risk (see Section 5 ‘Restrictions on Capacity’). Social distancing should be strictly adhered to (see Section 5 ‘Social distancing’).

(No more than 30 in attendance at marriages, funerals and other life cycle events)

Where a place of worship’s premises is used by other user groups, only those activities permitted by law should take place. (refers to multi purpose community centre guidance

Outdoor worship

In the grounds of a place of worship

·         More than 30 people can pray in a place of worship or its grounds, but a risk assessment should be conducted and COVID-19 Secure measures implemented. The number of people who are able to gather will be dependent on the size of the space available.

 Not really any significant changes from the previous version

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-places-of-worship-during-the-pandemic-from-4-july/special-religious-services-and-gatherings-covid-19-checklist

Communal worship or prayer can be attended by more than 30 people but only if the venues used can safely accommodate larger numbers in a way which complies with COVID-19 secure guidance. It is important that risks are managed sensibly. In line with wider Places of worship guidance

(so covid secure prayer meetings are ok)

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-places-of-worship-during-the-pandemic-from-4-july/high-holy-day-services-and-gatherings-covid-19-checklist

4. Gathering outside

We know that prayers in the park and other outdoor spaces are an important feature of some festivals.

It is against the law in England to gather with more than 5 other people in private gardens. Gatherings in a public outdoor space are also against the law unless the gathering is exempt/ has been organised by a business, charity, a benevolent or philanthropic organisation or a public or political body applying COVID secure risk controls.

The organiser must have carried out a full risk assessment (there is advice on doing this in government’s Places of worship guidance) and taken all reasonable measures to limit the risk of transmission of coronavirus, including taking into account any relevant government guidance on gatherings.

Government guidance on Closing certain businesses and venues sets out how gatherings can be made COVID-19 Secure.

Local authorities will make decisions on applications for prayers in public places, including those on private land which is not attached to your place of worship. Councils will be putting the public health and safety needs of communities first when making these decisions.

This year to make sure that people are not putting themselves at risk of contracting COVID-19, where possible you should avoid attending large gatherings.

(would apply to remembrance, Christmas, and may enable larger gatherings than are possible inside church buildings, though there's a balancing act, as large gatherings are discouraged)

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-multi-purpose-community-facilities/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-multi-purpose-community-facilities

updated 14^th September

Managers of community facilities will have discretion over when they consider it safe to open for any activity permitted by legislation and may decide to remain closed if they are not able to safely follow the advice in the relevant guidance, to make the space COVID-19 secure.

Many community facilities are also workplaces and those responsible for the premises should therefore be aware of their responsibilities as employers. The government is clear that no one is obliged to work in an unsafe workplace.

Organisations also have a duty of care to volunteers to ensure as far as reasonably practicable they are not exposed to risks to their health and safety and are afforded the same level of protection as employees and the self-employed. See government information on coronavirus volunteering and how to help safely. Volunteers and other individuals who are shielding should continue to follow the government’s advice on shielding.

Anyone with control of non-domestic premises (such as a community centre, village or community hall) has legal responsibilities under health and safety law, and must take reasonable measures to ensure the premises, access to it, and any equipment or substances provided are safe for people using it, so far as is reasonably practicable.

To help decide which actions to take prior to re-opening the building for permitted activity, a COVID-19 risk assessment should be completed, taking account of the core guidance on social distancing and the points set out below. This will be in addition to any risk assessment which is already in place for the community facility.

 

2a: Social distancing and capacity

Measures should be in place to ensure all users of community facilities follow the guidelines on social distancing, including strict adherence to social distancing of 2 metres or 1 metre with risk mitigation (where 2 metres is not viable) are acceptable. You should consider and set out the mitigations you will introduce in your risk assessment.

The size and circumstance of the premises will determine the maximum number of people that can be accommodated while also facilitating social distancing. In defining the number of people that can reasonably follow 2 metres distancing (or 1 metre with risk mitigation), the total floorspace as well as likely pinch points and busy areas should be taken into account (e.g. entrances, exits) and where possible alternative or one-way routes introduced.

It is against the law for people to gather in a group of more than six, whether indoors or outdoors, unless covered by an exemption. This limit does not apply to meetings of a single household group or support bubble which is more than 6 people.

Community facilities following COVID-19 Secure guidance can host more than 6 people in total, but no one should visit or socialise in a group of greater than 6. Further information on social contact rules, social distancing and the exemptions that exist can be found on the guidance on meeting with others safely. These rules does not apply to workplaces or education settings, alongside other exemptions. See more details on what has changed.

Informal or formal adult social groups, clubs and activities can gather in groups no greater than 6 in adherence to social distancing rules. However, for activities where there is a significant likelihood of groups of six interacting, and therefore breaking the law, should not  take place in a community facility. Further details is set out in section 3c: Recreation, leisure and social gatherings

Support groups ( such as victim support and mental health groups) can take place in gatherings of any number (subject to capacity) in a COVID-19 secure community facility if organised by a business, a charitable, benevolent or philanthropic institution or a public body to provide mutual aid, therapy or any other form of support to its members or those who attend its meetings.

this may cover church small groups, who are a support group for church members. Does the baby and toddler group count as a support group for parents/carers, or a 'club' (see below)?

If partaking in permitted activities users of COVID-19 secure community facilities should limit their social interactions with anyone they do not live with. Whilst activities may have 6 or more people participating (where it is safe to do so and capacity permits) it is important for all parties to maintain socially distant, 2 metres or 1 metre with actions taken to reduce the risk of transmission (where 2 metres is not viable) between households. For example, use of face coverings and encouraging good hand hygiene on entering premises and throughout visit.

3c: Recreation, leisure and social gatherings

Managers and providers in community facilities are not permitted to organise or hold informal or formal social groups, clubs and activities unless limited to groups of six people following social distancing rules.

However, for activities and social groups where there is a significant likelihood of groups mixing and socialising ( and where it will be difficult to prevent mingling and therefore breaking the law) should not take place in a community facility. These may include but are not limited to:

·         formal or informal clubs and hobby clubs (e.g. women’s institute, veteran’s associations, freemasons, sewing clubs, book clubs, crafts clubs, reading groups)

·         amateur choirs and orchestras

·         informally organised sport activities on facilities grounds (professionally organised sport activities are exempt)

Community facilities following COVID-19 secure guidelines can run children groups and other youth activities, subject to their own capacity limits. See section 3a: Early years and youth provision for links to relevant guidance. It is, however, important for people to maintain social distancing and good hand hygiene when visiting these spaces.

People meeting in a club or group context at a community centre should be encouraged to socially distance from anyone they do not live with or who is not in their support bubble.

It's still not clear whether you can have an activity in a community centre where more than 6 people attend, but people are put in groups of up to 6 and not permitted to interact with other groups - e.g. you could do this for a coffee morning, knitting group etc. just by setting out tables and chairs in a safe layout and asking people to stay put during the session.