TWO Lancashire churches have seen the immediate fruits of generous financial giving as our Diocese continues to encourage ‘Healthy Churches Transforming Communities’ as part of its Vision 2026 strategy.

St Chad’s in Poulton-le-Fylde has taken its Biblical responsibility to ‘love thy neighbour’ very seriously (alongside its sister church St Hilda’s) by making large contributions to the finances of St Nicholas Church in Fleetwood; a total of £30,000.

In return, St Nicholas’ has been able to use the money to turn round what was a difficult financial position in 2019 to a much more positive one in 2022; giving the parish new and ‘real purpose and energy again’.

And today, the relationship between the two churches was praised by Rt Rev Philip North, Bishop of Burnley, who is a passionate advocate of ‘parish twinning’; as well as the redistribution of the Church of England’s financial resources between wealthier Dioceses and poorer ones.

Bishop Philip said: “I am delighted that the close friendship between St Chad’s and St Nicholas’ is so courageously pioneering something at a local level which ought to be happening across the country.”

St Chad’s, led by the Rev Martin Keighley who is also the local Area Dean, committed itself to putting £10,000 a year into the finances of St Nicholas’ for three years from 2019. They did so in conjunction with the people of St Chad’s daughter church, St Hilda’s.

Vicar of St Nicholas, the Rev Carolyn Leitch, was originally appointed Curate at St Chad’s in 2015 also spending two years as Curate in Charge at St Hilda’s in subsequent years.

St Nicholas’, meanwhile, is in the same Deanery as St Chad’s. Towards the end of her time in Poulton, Carolyn was asked by Martin to take some of the ‘occasional offices’ (eg baptisms and marriages) there during a vacancy.

“Though I felt drawn to the town and to the parish it was not in the plans of the Diocese to fill the vacancy with a full-time Priest at the time,” Carolyn explained.

“St Nicholas had a considerable shortfall in its parish share payment at the time and was deemed to be financially struggling; possibly not even viable.”

As Area Dean, Martin was party to some of the conversations happening around the vacancy and was aware that Carolyn felt called to serve St Nicholas’ longer term; so he supported her to be appointed Vicar there in July 2019.

The subsequent decision of the St Chad’s ‘Parochial Church Council’ (PCC, the ruling body of the parish) to financially support their former Curate’s new parish has been accompanied by a growing relationship between the two congregations;

Martin said: “We have supported each other's events throughout the year, Covid permitting of course, for two out of the three years and also marked our growing relationship at a special service, when both parishes came together in Fleetwood for shared worship followed by fellowship and refreshments.”

St Chad’s paid £5,000 twice a year specifically to be used toward the St Nicholas’ parish share. Parish share is an annual amount Church of England parishes are encouraged to contribute which pays for mission and ministry, including clergy stipends and their housing.

In so doing, both parishes have been living out the strategic objectives of the Diocesan ‘Vision 2026’ to be and to grow ‘Healthy Churches Transforming Communities’.

Said Carolyn: “This has enabled the people of St Nicholas to begin to believe in a future for the church in their community; it has been a real catalyst for the church to rise up and step out with purpose and energy again.

“It has also fostered new leadership at St Nicholas and there are already fruits in terms of discipleship and witness in the parish.

“Generous giving has to be taught; head knowledge has to become heartfelt, before people respond financially. At St Nicholas we are progressing in that direction.”

“While it is certainly possible to draw a link with the three original strands of our Diocesan Vision 2026, the reason this link began and has worked so well is principally that it was based on a personal connection of course.”

Given Bishop Philip’s view that the richer dioceses should begin to share their wealth with the more challenged dioceses in England, is this arrangement an example of how this could also work at a parish level?

Martin believes so: “We're in this together. Churches should be using their funds to grow the Kingdom of God and in support of our desire to have a Christian presence in every community.

“It is surely a natural response to use everything we have to promote this in communities beyond our own parish boundaries. In the Bible, Acts 2:44-45 tells us that keeping money for a rainy day could be seen as reneging on our mission to build healthy churches and being witnesses.”

But Martin adds: “Looking back this is about more than the redistribution of resources. It is a wonderful blessing to be able to give; especially when you see the flourishing of Carolyn’s ministry and of the Christian community at St Nicholas that has been made possible. The people of St Chad’s and our daughter church St Hilda’s, where Carolyn was Curate-in-Charge for two of her years with us, are proud to be associated with this link.”

In welcoming the relationship that has grown between St Chad’s and St Nicholas’, Bishop Philip added: “If the Church of England is to be a truly national church, present even in the most deprived communities, it is critical that wealthier churches are actively supporting poorer ones.

“The early Christians shared what they have in common because generosity models the love that is seen in Jesus Christ. It is so good to see such a strong example of that love here in Lancashire.”