Sir, The success of the Church Commissioners in achieving excellent returns on their investments over the past ten years (letter, Jan 19) is good news for the Church of England. These assets cannot, however, be the sole solution to maintaining a fragile legacy of buildings that are not only places of worship, but are often landmarks of architectural or historical importance and offer vital hubs for social cohesion.
The cost of running the Church in 2004 was about £900 million, of which the commissioners contributed 18 per cent. Most of this contribution (£100.2 million) was devoted to paying for clergy pensions, alongside which the commissioners help to fund the ministry of bishops and cathedrals, as well as parish ministry, particularly in poorer dioceses. Most of the remaining four fifths of the Church’s costs are met through voluntary donations by worshippers and visitors. Almost half the Grade I listed buildings in England are churches, which the Church spends £120 million a year to maintain on behalf of the nation.
Many parish churches are the only community building left in their area. Surveys undertaken on behalf of regional development agencies have revealed that, on average, every church hosts two forms of community activity, from mother and toddler groups, through art exhibitions to internet cafés and self-help groups.
While the Church of England sees it as an important part of our mission to the nation to support such uses, there is a cost that neither the commissioners alone nor the Church as a whole can sustainably meet. A system that better reflects the immense value that the Church’s built heritage brings to communities, today and tomorrow, must be found.
ANDREW BROWN
Church Commissioners
London SW1
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Sir, When faced with the Church of England’s demand for £55 million, Roman Catholics, from whom all the medieval churches were stolen from in the 16th century, are entitled to feel aggrieved. We live in a delightful Sussex village but do not take kindly to being asked to donate for the upkeep of the Norman church when we already contribute towards the Catholic Church.
LAVINIA WATSON
Shipley, West Sussex