Historic churches could face closure
Friday 25th February 2011, 11:30AM GMT.
Historic churches in the Black Country have been put on “red alert” and warned they could face closure amid a struggle to cope with £1.12 million of urgent repairs and shrinking congregations, it emerged today.
Diocese of Worcester officials today warned that merging congregations or even closing buildings could be the only option for seven churches which are failing to make ends meet.
Four of Dudley town centre’s churches — including the landmark Top Church — have been placed on “red alert”.
An investigation has been launched into the financial viability of all seven of the churches in the Dudley group, which it is claimed are “living beyond their means”.
Andrew Mottram, the diocese’s heritage buildings and community development officer, said there had been a drop in congregation numbers. Fewer than 400 people attend each week in total. He said church leaders would have to come up with ways to bring in more cash to save them
“There was a huge growth in Dudley’s population during the industrial revolution, and with it a huge number of churches being thrown up,” he said.
“Now the economic situation has changed and there has been a change in lifestyle, meaning there are a lot of church buildings which are almost surplus to requirement.”
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Churches could solve their own problems if they stopped being so restrictive to potential wedding couples from outside the parish. Most still insist on a family link or attending weekly for 6 months before a marriage is allowed. Get real & allow anybody who wants to, to get married in their church. There is a lot of revenue in this, especially for underused rural churches, peopkecwould pay for this & in turn save these churches for everyone.
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I agree.
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No, actually there’s very little money in weddings – only a couple of hundred pounds per couple, church running costs run in the tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of pounds. The cost is met by the congregation.
Falling congregation numbers are caused by not preaching the Word of God faithfully, causing many Christians to have to leave and find somewhere else to go or giving up on church as an institution altogether.
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Most if not all churches could be saved if this government stop bending over backwards pumping £billions into overseas interests including foreign aid. It seems to me our sense of tolerance has been savaged by the powers that be, to the point where our historic buildings of significance and our places of worship left to rot whilst certain other people’s interests are put first. They won’t even fund our national day, St. George’s Day. I think it’s just appalling to be honest..and deliberate.
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Spot on John.
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Churches should offer a wider range of services-More mother and toddler groups, sessions in the school holidays. Get the younger generation and their families interested in the church. The problem is a lot of churches are ‘cliqey’ and seem quite unwelcoming to newbies. Maybe more events would help people to feel welcome
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I agree several years ago my husband and I attended a Sunday evening service at Dudley top church there was only a small congregation but the looks we got from 2 of the choir ladies was most off putting they certainly were not welcoming looks therefore we did not go again !
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That is such a shame. Churches should be welcoming, but unfortunately too many are like that which you have experienced. The church I attend goes out of it’s way to be welcoming and to be a valid, active part of the local community.
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If it was as easy as getting in more weddings from all over there would be no problems, but it is not that simple. Churches can seem very daunting to new people but I can safely say when I started going I felt the same until I was in there and everyone came over to me to welcome me, and helped me with various aspects. It is a shame that part of this countries heritage is threatened. This is the problem with this country no one wants to fight for what is right anymore. It would be good to know what the younger folks would want from the church to encourage them to come in.
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I like most people dont attent church, there are far to many which cost an absolute fortune to maintain.
They should close most down and use the land for better use.
The amount of people who attend church just doesnt justify them being there.
Get shut i say!!
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Thankfully most people aren’t as ignorant as you. Who do you think pays for the upkeep of these churches? The taxpayers? Actually, it’s the congregations, not people like you. You should direct your ire at real waste of taxpayers money, e.g. the EU, or however much your local council wastes on stupid things like ‘diversity’.
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I take it you don’t want a funeral or traditional burial?
Maybe just a mass grave for you and no well wishers.
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they can chuck me in the skip if they want i hardly think a few words in church will send you on your way to a better place
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The Christians should start getting back to church.Because this is “Use it or lose it”.And other religions would love to steam roller in and take up the empty faith space.
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Support Your Local Church.
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Its the woolworths effect since the store closed 2 years ago everywhere in the once great dudley town has closed or is closing
why not the churches!
on a serious note there are to many disusssed churches in the town now time to close lower church at least why not give a a church to the muslim community!
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Meanwhile, many Pentecostal and other evangelical churches are also having to sell their buildings… in order to buy even bigger ones to accommodate their fast growing congregations.
As Janet posted, “preach the word”.
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There’s nothing intrinsically Christian about bricks and mortar, consecrated or not. It’s what’s in people’s hearts and minds that matters, and how they express that in their dealings with their fellow human beings.
Having said that, it’s wonderful to have a spacious, beautiful building in which to express one’s faith. No one, Christian or atheist, can fail to enter a cathedral like Worcester or Lichield and not be overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the architecture, the result of centuries of devotion by generations of Christians.
People still flock to Anglican churches, but nowadays sadly that tends to be only at critical points at the beginning and end of human life,ie baptisms and funerals. The rest of the time we can get on quite well without the Almighty, thanks very much.
So, alas it does mean that the diocese must face reality and consolidate: that means selling them off or demolishing them. Economic reality will force that to happen even though the remaining members of the congregation may be in denial. Perhaps the example of St Leonard’s in Bridgnorth could be followed: it’s still open to tourists at certain times because of its beauty, history and architecture, but the congregation has long since moved to the other church in town.
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