The Dean of Guernsey, the Very Rev. Tim Barker, leaves the island this week, in a month which has already seen St Martin’s rector Daniel Foot leave the island, with long-serving western parishes priest Mark Charmley set to follow shortly.
It means that only four parish churches are currently served by incumbent clergy, at a time when parishes have been actively considering their responsibility to house a rector and the future of the churches has also come into scope.
‘There are undoubtedly significant challenges facing some of our parish churches, particularly those currently in vacancy, but it is important not to rush to conclusions,’ said vice-dean Jon Honour, who serves as the vicar of Trinity Church.
‘We are working closely with the vacant parishes to understand their particular circumstances and to find a sustainable and hopeful way forward. That may require us to be open to change, to think creatively and to explore new ways of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and serving our communities.’
There are now vacancies for clergy in Castel, St Martin’s, St Andrew’s, St Saviour’s and Torteval, while St Sampson’s has not had a permanent rector for more than five years.
Though the island can expect to see the arrival of a new dean, there is no guarantee that whoever takes on the post will also serve as a parish rector, as Mr Barker did in St Andrew’s.
The official profile for the role on the Guernsey Deanery website states that the role has been revised and the Dean will no longer be expected to take charge of a parish, instead taking on greater responsibility for Alderney, Sark and safeguarding.
‘I would argue now is an opportunity for the church to look at how it’s organised, but that’s down to the new dean plus his or her team,’ said Mr Charmley.
‘I know there have been conversations happening, because they’ve got to work out the best way of taking things forward. And there’s definitely a role for the church and for rectors within the island, but what shape and form that takes in the future, that’s above my pay grade to answer.’
In an interview with the Guernsey Press to be published later this week, Mr Barker admitted that there were some difficult decisions about the future of the churches for whoever replaces him.
‘My successor is certainly going to face some fairly significant challenges,’ he said.
‘We’ve kept all our churches, where the Catholic church and the Methodist church have significantly reduced the number of church buildings they’ve kept. So I think there’s going to have to be a question over the next few years about how we staff our parishes and how we support ministry across the island.’
But Mr Barker said he hoped that the church buildings would be looked after, whatever their future.
‘The ancient parish churches are very precious – some of the most precious buildings in Guernsey,’ he said.
‘Even if people don’t go to them to worship, even if people don’t have a faith themselves or if they belong to other churches, I think I would hope that most people value the significance of the parish churches – both as places of faith, but also places that carry the history and the story of Guernsey’s life and the individual parish communities.
‘It’s unimaginable to think of St Peter Port’s townscape without the Town Church. I think as a community we’ve got to think about the preciousness of those buildings.’
Mr Honour agreed that the buildings were important, but said that the future of the Church of England in the island was about more than walls, bells and steeples.
‘Our church buildings are deeply valued, both as places of Christian worship and for their historic and cultural importance, but the church is ultimately the people of God,’ he said.
‘Jesus said that he would build his church and our task is to prayerfully discern where he is at work and faithfully join in.’
None of the vacant rectors’ posts are currently being advertised on the diocesan website, though the Castel position is listed on the Guernsey Deanery site.
Interviews with the Dean and the Rev. Mark Charmley to follow.