Proposals on the table to sell off crumbling Staffordshire church which closed in pandemic

Now the Church of England's Church Commissioners have issued a Mission and Pastoral Measure notice relating to a draft proposal to sell the property in Cannock Road to the Living Springs Community Church which currently operates from Avon Business and Leisure Centre in Avon in Cannock.

The notice states: "The Church Commissioners have prepared a draft Pastoral Church Buildings Scheme providing for the church of St Chad, being one of the parish churches of the parish of Chadsmoor in the diocese of Lichfield, to be declared closed for regular public worship and appropriated to use as for Christian worship services and other religious activities by the Living Springs Community Church (part of the Elim Pentecostal church)."

St Chad's was built in the mid-19th century to serve the rapidly growing mining community after evolving from a mission plant.

Website A church Near You states:" The sister church to St. Aidan’s, St. Chad’s, Cannock Road has had regular worship suspended for many years due to severe structural problems with the building, which are not within the means of the parish, or fund raising efforts to repair. Further to previous announcements there are proposals to sell the building to a local congregation (Living Springs Church, Cannock) of the Elim Pentecostal Church, who have the funds to make the repairs and re-open the building for worship."

A copy of the draft scheme is available by at the Co-op convenience store in Cannock Road or via the commissioners’ website churchofengland.org/consultation or obtain. Representations, objections and any comments must be made in writing in writing to Rex Andrew, Pastoral Division, Church Commissioners, Church House, Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3AZ or, preferably, by email to [email protected] to reach him not later than midnight on January 19.

Those making representations should indicate whether they would like an opportunity to speak to the committee regarding their representations in the event the commissioners decide a hearing should be held regarding the case.

For details of this process visit the website ccpastoral.org, phone Mr Andrew 020 7898 1743 or, preferably, email him at the address above.

There will be a joint community carol service led by vicar the Rev Nicola Upson-Smith and Living Springs Community Church at St Aidan's on Thursday (December 18th) at 7.30pm. All are welcome to attend. 

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