tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397377665790588556.post3842893175895954300..comments2022-12-13T13:51:09.590+00:00Comments on Wool gathering of a northern dean: Locked out again!Aquiloniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15098649175728796819noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397377665790588556.post-43123099481314510642012-06-12T08:23:42.108+01:002012-06-12T08:23:42.108+01:00It's nothing to do with the insurance companie...It's nothing to do with the insurance companies, as Ecclesiastical Insurance Group have made very clear.<br /><br />There is wide variation between dioceses (I am afraid Durham shows particularly poorly in this respect) and I think the lead will need to come from bishops and archdeacons.<br /><br />Trevor Cooper, Chair of Council, The Ecclesiological SocietyTrevor Cooperhttp://www.ecclsoc.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397377665790588556.post-12173377187249049692012-02-26T19:45:52.868+00:002012-02-26T19:45:52.868+00:00Thank you for mentioning my website www.digiatlas....Thank you for mentioning my website www.digiatlas.org and its information on church locking. I too would be interested to hear the views of insurers. Your penultimate paragraph raises an interesting point and prompts several questions; why spend vast sums of money, time (and worry) on locked churches which only a handful of people will ever see inside? Is it worth it? What is the point?<br /><br />Having spoken with thousands of churchwardens and clergy over the past 15 years I have more to say on this than could ever fit in this comment - probably enough for a book. However, there is one important observation that I've made that I will relate here; the vast majority of people who have opened locked churches for me have been very proud of their buildings and in many cases they regret having to have them locked. With the right encouragement and support to overcome real and imagined fears, many more PCCs would open the doors to their churches.C B Newhamhttp://www.digiatlas.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397377665790588556.post-61780709143663453232012-02-26T19:20:12.721+00:002012-02-26T19:20:12.721+00:00I belong to a five church benefice near Canterbury...I belong to a five church benefice near Canterbury. We have a policy of churches being open. Three are in remote locations, one of which is on the top of a hill surrounded by trees. There is a notice on the door where people can get the keys if they want to see inside. The other four churches are open during daylight hours, we've been rewarded by attempted break ins, thefts and burglary. But the policy remains unchanged (so far). <br /><br />All are ancient buildings, and on the tourist map for Kent. We don't have the resources in terms of volunteers to have people there all day, but our trust can only go so far. It will be sad if we have to lock them, but at some stage, the insurers will not give us an option.<br /><br />We try to have a service in every church every week, but again, clergy and lay ministry resources are thin on the ground. But there is at least 3 services a month in each church.<br /><br />We also have friends groups using some of our churches for concerts, local events. Even a Farmers Market in one, once a month. We'd love to do more, but its difficult without re-ordering the churches, and that causes more difficulties. While we are in an affluent area, we cover pockets of rural deprivation, which means that income doesn't allow much more than we are already doing.<br /><br />We'd love our village communities to take more ownership and a proactive role in having someone available in each church, but there's not that many coming forward to help. People expect the church to be there when they want it, and complain if we even rearrange a service. Not sure why? It's just a micro-reflection of problems affecting parishes countrywide.UKViewerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18114944341930758335noreply@blogger.com