News from Cathedral and Church Buildings team

Adrian Daffern writes:

1. Day Conference for MPCs and Net Zero

We are organising a day dedicated to the particular challenges faced by MPCs as they seek to meet the CofE's NetZero goals for 2030. There will be expert contributors on technology and funding, and the opportunity for sharing best practice. The proposed date is May 8th; please keep clear in your diaries.

2. Day conference for MPC Administrators/COOs

All kinds of lay administrator, be they employed COOs, volunteers, churchwardens or parish secretaries, are invited to come and hear two keynote presentations from long-standing administrators, and to hear news, insights, plans and good ideas. The date will be released at the beginning of 2025.

3. Heritage at Risk Register 

Historic England published their latest HaR last month. 63 Major Parish Churches are listed: 3 are newly added, with 12 deemed to be at immediate risk  Adrian has written to the DAC Secretaries and Archdeacons of the latter two groups asking them to make contact with the parishes concerned and to offer support.

 If you are one of them, please do speak to your DAC, and your architect, as soon as possible. But do not despair - this designation makes new funding available, and is taken especially seriously by NLHF. More details on HE website.

4. Pastoral/preaching visits 

Adrian continues to visit MPCs on a diocesan/ regional basis several times a year, and has a handful of preaching slots left for 2025. Do please contact Adrian if you would like him to visit. After his most recent visit last month, the parish priest wrote “Thank you once again for your encouraging words this morning. I can assure you that they lifted the spirits of our congregation and church officers. Our designation as a major church has been valuable and your visit today has encouraged us afresh”.

5. Net Zero 

Beginning with the last meeting, MPCs are now a standing item on the agenda of the CBC’s Net Zero Carbon and Building Services Committee, and Adrian has become a committee member. It is evident that MPCs will need particular support if the Church of England’s Net Zero goals are to be met, and Adrian is working with colleagues to explore possibilities. Seven MPCs were designated as Demonstrator Churches in the first round; seventeen (from thirteen dioceses) were nominated in the second round.

Contact Adrian Daffern directly about any of these opportunities

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