If the Church of England is struggling to provide clergy for an ever-growing number of churches and parish responsibilities. Rev Paris - Haines issues a statment asking the CofE to stop being Selfish!

I believe this issue could be solved far more quickly than the Church of England appears to realise.

If the Church of England is struggling to provide clergy for an ever-growing number of churches and parish responsibilities, perhaps it is time to look beyond its traditional structures. There are experienced, fully trained clergy from other Christian traditions — including those who identify with the Old Catholic tradition — who have a genuine calling to ministry and could provide valuable pastoral support within communities.

The bigger question, however, is about the churches themselves. Are these simply buildings owned and controlled by an institution, or are they places that exist to serve the people and communities who have worshipped in them for generations?

I fully accept that there are legal and ecclesiastical processes governing ownership, closure and disposal. But when a church is closed or sold, communities can lose much more than a building — they can lose a spiritual home and a vital part of their local identity.

Perhaps instead of churches sitting unused, or being closed altogether, there should be greater willingness to work with other Christian denominations and properly recognised clergy who could help keep these places of worship serving their communities.

The Church should surely be about people, faith and ministry — not simply buildings and institutional boundaries.

If there are clergy willing and able to serve, perhaps the question should be: how can we make use of that ministry, rather than putting barriers in the way?