Comments on: Dispatches from the North: The Church of England http://www.anglotopia.net/countries/england/dispatches-from-the-north-the-church-of-england/ The Website for People Who Love Britain - Anglophiles Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:58:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Edward Green http://www.anglotopia.net/countries/england/dispatches-from-the-north-the-church-of-england/#comment-55247 Edward Green Wed, 17 Nov 2010 22:17:52 +0000 http://www.anglotopia.net/?p=4532#comment-55247 I am a rural Vicar in the CofE and congregations vary from 6 to 40 on a Sunday morning in communities under 400 people. All 6 of my churches are within 10 minutes drive of each other! If you are used to congregations of 100's this can be a shock, but English country churches are considered healthy at about 40 regular attenders! Many Village Church buildings though have never been full on Sunday mornings. The body of the Church - the Nave - was often used by villages for parish meetings, even cattle markets. The seating capacity of a Church building is far more closely related to the space needed for Weddings and Funerals (when guests would come from neighbouring villages too). As you have discovered the most successful congregations are rediscovering the ways their buildings can be used for the communities through the week as well as on Sundays. I have seen Post Offices, Village Shops, Toddler Groups, Farmers Markets and Craft Fairs in village churches in recent years - no cattle yet! I am a rural Vicar in the CofE and congregations vary from 6 to 40 on a Sunday morning in communities under 400 people. All 6 of my churches are within 10 minutes drive of each other! If you are used to congregations of 100′s this can be a shock, but English country churches are considered healthy at about 40 regular attenders!

Many Village Church buildings though have never been full on Sunday mornings. The body of the Church – the Nave – was often used by villages for parish meetings, even cattle markets. The seating capacity of a Church building is far more closely related to the space needed for Weddings and Funerals (when guests would come from neighbouring villages too).

As you have discovered the most successful congregations are rediscovering the ways their buildings can be used for the communities through the week as well as on Sundays. I have seen Post Offices, Village Shops, Toddler Groups, Farmers Markets and Craft Fairs in village churches in recent years – no cattle yet!

]]> By: Lisa http://www.anglotopia.net/countries/england/dispatches-from-the-north-the-church-of-england/#comment-15684 Lisa Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:26:25 +0000 http://www.anglotopia.net/?p=4532#comment-15684 Yes, I agree which is why I made a point of pointing out atheists and agnostics as exceptions to this rule. However, there is a difference between being atheist or agnostic and just being indifferent and this is where England differs from the States. Most people in the UK who aren't particularly religious but don't identify as being agnostic/atheist will more often than not consider themselves CoE and that isn't something you see much of in America. Yes, I agree which is why I made a point of pointing out atheists and agnostics as exceptions to this rule. However, there is a difference between being atheist or agnostic and just being indifferent and this is where England differs from the States. Most people in the UK who aren’t particularly religious but don’t identify as being agnostic/atheist will more often than not consider themselves CoE and that isn’t something you see much of in America.

]]> By: andy http://www.anglotopia.net/countries/england/dispatches-from-the-north-the-church-of-england/#comment-15680 andy Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:55:59 +0000 http://www.anglotopia.net/?p=4532#comment-15680 Don't be fooled that empty churches mean inactive CoE members. Certainly there are a fair number of 'by default' CofE but also an awful lot of atheists & agnostics. There is no stigma at all in calling oneself an atheist in UK. I recall a recent survey that 4% are active churchgoers,about 60% have a vague belief in a god & 18% are 'non believers'. I think there are fairly similar figures across europe. I also recall that in the last census a fairly large number of people (390,000) classed themselves as Jeddi Knights! Interesting stats here: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/profiles/commentaries/ethnicity.asp#religion Don’t be fooled that empty churches mean inactive CoE members. Certainly there are a fair number of ‘by default’ CofE but also an awful lot of atheists & agnostics. There is no stigma at all in calling oneself an atheist in UK. I recall a recent survey that 4% are active churchgoers,about 60% have a vague belief in a god & 18% are ‘non believers’. I think there are fairly similar figures across europe.

I also recall that in the last census a fairly large number of people (390,000) classed themselves as Jeddi Knights! Interesting stats here:

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/profiles/commentaries/ethnicity.asp#religion

]]> By: Lisa http://www.anglotopia.net/countries/england/dispatches-from-the-north-the-church-of-england/#comment-15593 Lisa Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:58:22 +0000 http://www.anglotopia.net/?p=4532#comment-15593 I actually have found one very active church, but its in Durham so its a bit too far for me to go every Sunday. I noticed it was modernized. It was interesting because it a really recognizable landmark in the Durham town square, and you would never guess from looking at it that inside is a modern church. Thanks for the tip about "Community Church" in the name, I will have to keep an eye out for that. Most of my friends and neighbors who attend church are Baptist or Catholic, so I haven't been able to find many friends here who go to a CoE church but I will keep looking. I actually have found one very active church, but its in Durham so its a bit too far for me to go every Sunday. I noticed it was modernized. It was interesting because it a really recognizable landmark in the Durham town square, and you would never guess from looking at it that inside is a modern church.

Thanks for the tip about “Community Church” in the name, I will have to keep an eye out for that. Most of my friends and neighbors who attend church are Baptist or Catholic, so I haven’t been able to find many friends here who go to a CoE church but I will keep looking.

]]> By: Anna http://www.anglotopia.net/countries/england/dispatches-from-the-north-the-church-of-england/#comment-15592 Anna Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:46:08 +0000 http://www.anglotopia.net/?p=4532#comment-15592 Hi Lisa, Lots of churches have 'lost their flock', that's true. But the successful ones seem to be the ones who have modernised. Last Sunday I went to the lovely family service in our tiny village church. We sang songs as well as hymns and had a coffee break in the middle to chat to each other, which was particularly great last week as a new family have moved into the village so we could get to know each other. Then we took our coffees back to our pews and carried on! So look out for churches who have modernised - look for ones with websites, lots of posters on the noticeboard advertising fun things to do or who pop leaflets through your door. Ask you friends and neighbours which one they go to. Or look out for ones that have added "community church" to their name, as these ones tend to be more modern and therefore thriving. You will find one nearby that suits you. Good luck! Anna x Hi Lisa,

Lots of churches have ‘lost their flock’, that’s true. But the successful ones seem to be the ones who have modernised.

Last Sunday I went to the lovely family service in our tiny village church. We sang songs as well as hymns and had a coffee break in the middle to chat to each other, which was particularly great last week as a new family have moved into the village so we could get to know each other. Then we took our coffees back to our pews and carried on!

So look out for churches who have modernised – look for ones with websites, lots of posters on the noticeboard advertising fun things to do or who pop leaflets through your door. Ask you friends and neighbours which one they go to. Or look out for ones that have added “community church” to their name, as these ones tend to be more modern and therefore thriving.

You will find one nearby that suits you. Good luck!

Anna x

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