‘Catastrophe’ of COVID-19 may lead to sale of Manx churches

Strategy finds buildings proving an ‘unsustainable drain on resources’

The ‘catastrophic’ impact of Covid-19 on church funds could see religious buildings across the Island sold to keep finances afloat.

With dwindling resources, the Diocese of Sodor and Mann is said to be facing ‘harsh realities’ over the future of places over worship, an issue accelerated by the Island’s three-month lockdown.

It’s accepted a strategy which has called for a realistic assessment of how many buildings can be kept running, and for essential ‘hub churches’ to be prioritised over those with smaller congregations.

Prepared by a strategic review group, the document considers how properties enable the Diocese to ‘engage with the Mission of God’.

With 40 churches to manage across the 17 parishes, the Diocese is under significant financial strain to maintain many large, old buildings.

Pressures include ensuring places of worship are ‘fit for the 21st century’, close to population centres, and they meet the Church of England’s decision to go carbon neutral by 2030.

The stark assessment comes against a backdrop of diminishing collections from an ageing congregation, with parishes unable to fully pay their part of a shared ministry fund.

It’s said the Diocese could run out of money in five years if the situation isn’t addressed.

The strategy was accepted by the Diocesan Synod in August, with an implementation group now established to categorise religious buildings and report back by December.

In conjunction with church commissioners, the group will then advise Bishop Peter Eagles, who makes the final decision on these matters.

You can read the Diocesan Strategy for Church Buildings 2020 document here.