Friends of the Friendless

[Nemesis]

I freely admit to being linked with this - I am a member. I am also a member of the AMS with which this is associated.

However - it's the 50th anniversary of the Friends of Friendless Churches in 2007, and a number of events are taking place.

http://www.friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk/festivalforthefriends.htm


All and any support welcome, it's a very worthy cause

 

[Moo]

Does anyone know how much money the CofE/Church Commissioners have washing around (cash, investments etc)?

 

[Nemesis]

Not enough I think to support the repair and upkeep of all the churches and chapels now being made redundant.

It does however help fund the CCT:

http://www.visitchurches.org.uk/frontpage.asp

 

[Nemesis]

Marcus in the Times:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/court_and_social/article1629847.ece

 

[Penners]

the repair and upkeep of all the churches and chapels now being made redundant.

Sorry, but I'm of the opinion that redundant churches and chapels should be deconsecrated and sold for other purposes. I don't see the point of retaining them as places if worship if there's nobody to do the worshipping.

Buildings are meant to be used by people.

I await the bolt of lightning....

 

[Moo]

I agree, Penners. (Will you let me hide behind you?)

 

[plumbers mate]

I'd rather see the buildings reused rather than become expensive empty meaningless shells - BUT...

What do you do with a Church?
As a home it would be rather uninhabitable (high, single room etc) and what other uses?
Art galleries (I know of at least one in a converted Chapel which was closed a couple of years back and then it's a disused art gallery ex chapel that's for sale.
Car showrooms? There's a converted Chapel car showroom for sale in Harlech(IIRC) now.
Each sale takes it a stage futher from what it was.
They are not the easiest of places to convert if you want to maintain any historical integrity.

 

[Flyfisher]

What do you do with a Church?
As a home it would be rather uninhabitable (high, single room etc) and what other uses?

I've often thought the same thing about barn conversions, but some people seem keen enough on them.

 

[Lime]

The Church Commissioners were once very wealthy.
Didn't they lose it all in the 80s in one of the stockmarket crashes by taking too many chances to make profit?

I take a slightly different view of old churches than some people.
I prefer churches to remain old places of worship for one simple reason, the link to the past.
Most old churches were built "to the glory of God" but it was the skills of the craftmen that these buildings really show now, not the rambling and wavering beliefs of any past congregation.
The church members that I speak to care not one jot for the building as long as they can use it the way they wish.
You only have to look at some of the more modern desecration being carried on to "improve" churches.
I cringe in my local church each Christmas as I survey during prayers the lines of old cable clips nailed into the stone columns rising to the roof.
(Has anyone noticed how few people know how to behave in church now?
The vicar behaves like a dance caller in a local hop.)

Personally I think church buildings are much too good to be wasted on modern day worshippers.

I'm fortunate, Norfolk and the surrounding areas are full of historic churches well worth preserving.
Walking into a church built a 1000 years ago all alone except for the birds and the bees is magical to me.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

The Church Commissioners were once very wealthy.
Didn't they lose it all in the 80s in one of the stockmarket crashes by taking too many chances to make profit?

I take a slightly different view of old churches than some people.
I prefer churches to remain old places of worship for one simple reason, the link to the past.
Most old churches were built "to the glory of God" but it was the skills of the craftmen that these buildings really show now, not the rambling and wavering beliefs of any past congregation.
The church members that I speak to care not one jot for the building as long as they can use it the way they wish.
You only have to look at some of the more modern desecration being carried on to "improve" churches.
I cringe in my local church each Christmas as I survey during prayers the lines of old cable clips nailed into the stone columns rising to the roof.
(Has anyone noticed how few people know how to behave in church now?
The vicar behaves like a dance caller in a local hop.)

Personally I think church buildings are much too good to be wasted on modern day worshippers.

I'm fortunate, Norfolk and the surrounding areas are full of historic churches well worth preserving.
Walking into a church built a 1000 years ago all alone except for the birds and the bees is magical to me.

We die with the dying:
See, they depart, and we go with them.
We are born with the dead:
See, they return, and bring us with them.
The moment of the rose and the moment of the yew-tree
Are of equal duration. A people without history
Is not redeemed from time, for history is a pattern
Of timeless moments. So, while the light fails
On a winter's afternoon, in a secluded chapel
History is now and England.

T S Eliot, Four Quartets; Little Gidding

 

[worms]

...as I survey during prayers...

Has anyone noticed how few people know how to behave in church now?

Condemned from your own lips! However, I am guilty too as I was admiring some rather fine lime mortar pointing in an interesting corbelled archway on Sunday!

 

[Lime]

...as I survey during prayers...

Has anyone noticed how few people know how to behave in church now?

Condemned from your own lips! However, I am guilty too as I was admiring some rather fine lime mortar pointing in an interesting corbelled archway on Sunday!

Huh! But not quite. It's always been acceptable behaviour in church.
What I was referring to was that most people do not wish to stand up for nearly anything, can't wait to sit down, look at those singing in an odd way, talk most of the time even during prayers and last Christmas a family brought out drinks bottles and crisps!!!

(Mind you, if I hear Little Bl**dy Donkey never again it will be too soon for me. It's the vicar's favorite and is sung ad nauseum during the procession of Christingle. Probably getting his own back on the huge congregation he never sees for the rest of the year.)

 

[Nemesis]

I have no doubt that St Mary's Shrewsbury, a redundant church in the care of the CCT, would make an ideal wine bar, club with loud music, Wetherspoons, block of flats, car repair shop, or some such, or be demolished to make way for something like a car park but personally I'm glad that it is still a place of peace and unspoilt beauty and its history and architecture (including the important and famous glass) is still available for all to visit.

There is a special event there on Wednesday 16th May which some may be interested in attending, details via the link:

http://www.visitchurches.org.uk/frontpage.asp


During the past few days I visited several historic churches in Suffolk thankfully not yet redundant and in need of rescue or new uses - my favourite remains this one:

http://www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/Blythburgh.htm

 

[glayzell]

I feel inclined to agree that an empty chuch has little use empty, but as someone with little interest in religious beliefs, i do admire the architecture and ambience of churches. I think there should be a sensible balance.

There is a chuch in pretty much every villiage and more than one in every town, and therefore it would be fair to assume they make up a significant proportion of rural buildings accross the uk. why not convert a few, resotre a few and heaven forbid (ha!) turn the odd one into a nightclub that people can enjoy for a different reason (I think it ironic that such a religious place should be used as something so secular as a nightclub). I went to a nightclub which was formally an old ballroom with the most ornate plaster work, it had retained all its character, I felt lucky to be there.