Church Buildings Commission
The team looking at the responsibility of maintaining, managing and paying for the upkeep of church buildings in the Diocese of Norwich is now several months into its work.
The Church Buildings Commission will make recommendations on its findings in a report to the Bishop of Norwich and the Bishop’s Council of Trustees in 2023.
The Commission team consists of a variety of stakeholders, including heritage experts, clergy and churchwardens and is led by independent chair, Laura McGillivray.
Laura says: “We have spent our time so far visiting parishes and benefices and hearing about the challenges that come with looking after these heritage assets. Over this time, we have also come across thriving communities in terms of worship and complementary activities as well. We are working with PCCs and other church members to see how we can help them and reduce their costs. We have also been looking at experiences in other Dioceses as well as hearing from national and regional experts on church buildings, inspections and costs.”
There are over 650 churches in the Diocese of Norwich and 95% of these are listed buildings. The purpose of the Commission has three main elements:
- To identify the parish churches which are most vulnerable to diminishing usage, financial, practical and volunteer support.
- To identify potential opportunities locally and to introduce complementary or alternative uses, drawing on best practice elsewhere.
- To identify options for the future as resources continue to diminish.
There are now opportunities in the work to hear views and comments from the general public. If you have an interest in church buildings, you can attend one of five ‘drop-in’ public sessions across the Diocese.
More information is available in enews or on the website: www.DofN.org/CBC
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