Getting a Faculty

Before any major work is done in a church it is necessary to obtain a faculty. This is as it should be.

It can, however, be the case that small jobs could be done without the need for a faculty and some very necessary jobs have all kinds of conditions placed on them. As is common with human beings, those who invent rules may not always have the interests of a parish and the people in mind. As a species humans seem to enjoy placing restrictions on what others can do - just for the sheer hell of it.

I know of a case where an organ needed rebuilding but it was thought necessary - by the men in suits - to take it back to the condition it was in when first installed and the 'modern' full pedal board, added by a builder in the 1970s would have had to be removed, making the instrument useless for 21st century worship. Needless to say the work was not done and the organ is falling apart.

Also, a church wanted a modern bell frame but were not allowed to remove the old wooden one, just in case somebody in the future wanted to see it.

Yes, there needs to be a veto on ripping things out of churches but there comes a point when the church is living in the past.

It will be missed

There have been a great many comments in a Facebook group about the church which is closing.

Although the congregation is very small it seems that a number of people larger than the number in the current congregation do not wish the church to close and will miss it when it has gone. Cries of "Shame" and "Why is the C of E allowing this to happen?" abound. Here are a few which I hope are sufficiently anonymous.

• My grandad and my dad both sang in the choir at St Augustine’s both as boys and men and my mum and dad were married there 79 years ago.
• It was the church my mum went to. Generations of her family were married there, christened there, including me and {Name]. My grandmother spent a Lot of time there. She’d have been so upset to see this. My mum is upset.
• I went to the Sunday school there.
• So sad to see a historic building which is such an integral part of the community close for worship. Shame on the Diocese for letting it get in this state over the years. Hope it gets a secure future.

 I feel moved to say it is a case of 'use it or lose it'.

The organ will not be greatly missed although I worked for my ARCO on it. The bells were a superb Gillett & Johnson light 6.

Beware of door handles

Churches have large door handles and some are very old.  I have injured myself on two church door handles in the past.

• By my finger meeting a hiddle sharp piece of metal
• Trapping my finger in a door latch because there was not enough light to see the potential risk

The handle below (both outside and inside are shown) was quite safe but shows the typical age of device I am talking about.

 

Another glory hole

As I travel I now seek out the wonders of church glory holes. Enjoy these 2 views of the same place.

Congratulations

I have visited all sorts of churches over the last 60 odd years. There is only one church which find unattractive and almost ugly inside. Obviously I shall not name it and I do not generally name specific places on this blog.

I will make an exception today because I really did like the way the reordering has been done at Thrapston.

The interior looks splendid and the way the furniture has been selected fits well with the building whilst providing the necessary comfort. There is a spanking new kitchen/servery area at the back on the West side and the stairs up to the balcony and ringing chamber have been carpeted (I think they were on my previous visit) and new banisters installed in well-chosen wood (oak I think).

It may be that the style of worship would not suit me but I fully support all that has been done and the way the layout opens up the nave and makes the worship space fully functional. Although I suspect it is not much used, they have retained the pipe organ which did surprise me a little.

Well done St James, Thrapston!

If they were not there

It has often been said that if churches were not there, they would be missed even by people who do not attend very often. Churches are usually big buildings and used as venues for events of all kinds.

• Flower Festivals
• Bellringing competitons
• Concerts
• Displays

The Diocese of Exeter website says, "In the Middle Ages, churches were used for a variety of functions such as courtroom, school and library, and hosted meetings, elections, debates, plays and festivities. In fact, until relatively recently, churches were multifunctional community centres. After the nineteenth-century restriction of secular uses of churches, attitudes are now changing again."

The whole page is HERE.

Crack

I was quite shocked to see a huge crack in a church wall recently. I was even more shocked and saddened when I obtained the key to the church to look round and I saw that the crack was evident on the inside of the transcept wall: I didn't take a photo of the inside crack. 'Crack' is putting it too lightly. This was a church in a small village. There was an harmonium and no organ which always suggests a small congregation to me and, hence, no source of funds for a repair. I left a small donation of £10.

It seems to be an allegory for the C of E.