During 2025 a group of people from the 4 churches in the Benefice, i.e. Longden, Anscroft, Hanwood and Pulverbatch, formed a group determined to discover God's will for the next few years. This resulted in a survey of the area giving parishioners the opportunity to voice their desires and needs for the coming years.
You may wonder why this task has been undertaken now. Here is an outline of the reasons:
- The Revds Graham and Emma Phillips will retire in October 2026.
- It takes 12 - 24 months from the date of departure to find a replacement.
- We want to be aware of the needs of this Benefice, as well as God's vision for us, so we can search for the right person to be our priest.
Why might the church need to change?
- We have to maintain 4 church buildings and pay for our clergy, yet our congregation numbers are dwindling and, therefore, so is our income. (Each church only receives money from gifts from their congregations, there is no 'central' fund)
- When we get a new Rector, we may not be able to afford one full-time, or (s)he will have additional churches added to their responsibilities.
What are our objectives?
- To be God's people in this place.
- To be more inclusive of the perspective of our community going forward.
- To help mor people encounter God, particularly the next generation.
- To encourage the interest of people considering becoming involved in the life of the churches through giving and volunteering to do the jibs that keep the church running.
- To better attract the right candidate as the next Rector.
A survey of those living in the Benefice was undertaken during the summer of 2025.