CONSERVATION AND MAINTENANCE OF OUR CHURCH BUILDINGS
Our churches and cathedrals are the most public indication of the Church’s role in the community, both as the places in which public worship takes place and as a focus for many events which reach beyond the worshipping congregation to society at large. They have also been integral to this country’s history and development.
The Church of England has some 16,000 church buildings, in 13,000 parishes covering the whole of England, as well as 43 cathedrals. Together they form a unique collection of buildings; between 12,000 and 13,000 churches are listed, i.e. are recognised by the Government as being of exceptional historic or architectural importance, and about 45% of all Grade I buildings in England are churches. Though first and foremost a place of worship, churches are also often the oldest building in a settlement still in continual use. Even in industrial or twentieth-century settlements, they are a focus. Many churches – and cathedrals particularly - are the largest, most architecturally complex, most archaeologically sensitive, and most visited building in their village, town or city.
Church buildings today contribute as richly to the many aspects of the historic environment and contemporary society as ever. As well as being places where God is worshipped, it is from church buildings that Christians often seek to meet the needs of God's created world. In many cases this means using the building as a centre for community or voluntary activities outside of worship, just as they have been used for many centuries. Increasingly, the Church is realising how much church buildings also matter to people who would not count themselves as regular worshippers.
Local congregations are advised in the care and management of churches by their Archdeacon and the Diocesan Advisory Committees for the Care of Churches or, in the case of the cathedral, by the Fabric Advisory Committee.
The DAC and the national bodies are also involved in the Church's control systems over its buildings, which are designed to ensure that buildings are looked after responsibly for the benefit both of current and future worshippers. The control systems are comparable to those used by the Government to control work to historic buildings, but recognise the mission and spiritual dimension of churches. They are intended to conserve churches by allowing adaptations to meet the needs of worshippers provided that these changes are sensitive also to the heritage aspects of the building.
The DAC is here to help you through the process of maintaining and improving your church building and can provide assistance on who to speak to on a wide variety of subjects.
Please contact Mrs Sylvia Johnson, the DAC Secretary, if you have any queries – on 01274 750698 or e-mail sylvia.johnson@bradford.anglican.org
