A number of smaller churches across the Hunter are being flagged for possible closure and sale as the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle seeks funds to meet redress for survivors of childhood abuse in the church.
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Churches at Weston, Mount Vincent and Millfield are among those being considered for possible closure, while the parishes of Telarah-Rutherford and Thornton-Beresfield are also under the microscope.
In a media statement released yesterday by the Anglican Church of Newcastle, Telarah-Rutherford and Thornton-Beresfield were being asked to “consider their present and future building needs”.
Conversely, the parishes of Maitland and East Maitland are being asked to exercise significant leadership as the Maitland region develops.
Bishop of Newcastle, Peter Stuart said the Diocese estimates its current redress obligation is around $4 million, but expects that figure to climb.
“In order to fund that redress we are needing to make use of our historic assets such as trust funds and the sale of property,” he said.
Bishop Stuart has initiated a period of intense consultation through which parishes are being asked to consider some specific long-term proposals.
“Each time the Anglican Synod has discussed this responsibility in recent years it has shown overwhelming support to do the right thing,” Bishop Stuart said.
“It remained the number one priority of Anglicans when we met in five regional consultations.”
Anglicans in the parish of Mount Vincent and Weston are being asked to consider focusing their work through the one church building at Kurri Kurri, while exploring the possible closure of St Mary’s Weston and Christ Church Mount Vincent and relocating the Weston Op Shop.
In the Cessnock parish, the Diocese has proposed consolidating services into St John’s Cessnock, and closing St Luke’s Millfield.
Bishop Stuart said the proposal for church sales focused on the redeployment of assets.
“Many of our church buildings were established when the population of our region lived and worked differently,” he said.
“We have some areas with many church buildings and Anglican ministry and other areas where we have insufficient resources.
“Anglicans in the region have affirmed the need to redeploy assets in order that the footprint of our ministry might better reflect population changes.”
Every parish in the Diocese has until August 10 to make submissions to the Bishop and the Diocesan Council.
Parishes are also being invited to propose alternate strategies to the sell-off.
