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Telegraph
2 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
‘The bell tower door was barricaded': The 14th-century church at war over its priest
Not much happens in Malpas, a small Cheshire market town set in lush countryside near the border of Wales. With a stately medieval church at its centre, a population of roughly 1,600, and an overactive Facebook group, the biggest news is usually distributed by the parish newsletter and is no more scandalous than the cancellation of the number 41 bus. Recently, however, Malpas has been set alight by an explosive row between its rector and her parishioners – one that has made national headlines and torn the church and the town in two. On an early summer's afternoon in the centre of town, the church is locked and the surrounding roads are quiet. With my notebook and a photographer in tow, a dog walker eyes me warily. The people of Malpas are not used to the media attention. Parochial disputes like this also do not usually make it out of the pages of the Church Times, but the heated battle for St Oswald's, a 14th-century church set atop a hill in the centre of Malpas, has unfolded in a spectacularly dramatic fashion. Once you get people started on the subject, the floodgates open. A vocal group of parishioners and former lay people claim that the Rev Dr Janine Arnott, the rector in question, has taken what was a thriving rural parish – an increasing rarity in the Church of England – and put its flock asunder. She is variously accused of banning individuals from the choir (it has since been disbanded entirely), removing the chief bellringer, barring access to the bell tower with 'broomsticks', and has reportedly overseen the dwindling of the congregation of around 60 to fewer than 10 people. The recent village-wide celebrations of VE Day in May this year were seen by many to be the last straw, as Arnott reportedly declined to allow a village choir to sing a rendition of I Vow To Thee My Country in the churchyard (her detractors claim that this was because some members were her ex-congregants). 'The story here is of a complete lack of accountability of a newly trained minister who is clearly having difficulty running her first parish,' claims one parishioner, Dr Gregory Williams, 60. 'Within a short period of time, the director of music resigned and the choir left. A while later, the tower captain was locked out of the bell tower with no explanation given and the bell tower door was barricaded. The bells fell silent. The congregation numbers soon collapsed, and at the current time, very little money is coming into the church,' he says. In fact, the tower captain, Ben Kellett, had apparently found himself locked out of the tower after declining Arnott's request to sign a 'volunteer' agreement outlining his duties. Arnott had also asked Kellett for a list of churchgoers with keys to the tower and, it is claimed, took issue when he did not provide one. Several parishioners wrote to the Bishop of Cheshire, the Right Rev Mark Tanner, hoping to persuade him to intervene, and even filed an 'informal' complaint, which wasn't upheld. Now, an insurgent group of Malpas parishioners or allies – their identities remain unknown – have taken matters into their own hands, and Tanner has had to intervene after 'libellous' flyers signed from the 'Little Malpas People' were plastered around Chester Cathedral over Easter. One of the flyers, glued to the exterior of the cathedral with permanent adhesive, said: 'Dear Bishop Mark. Please do your moral duty and protect your flock. We shouldn't have to keep toeing the line only to get demonised by you. It's disgusting. You wasted our time and kept your hands clean for three years now at our expense. You know it, as do we.' Notes were also left on the windscreens of cars nearby in envelopes that appeared to bear the seal of the Diocese of Chester. It signified a nasty escalation of a dispute that has been raging since Arnott was appointed to take over the large rural parish in June 2022. In a letter sent to churchgoers, Tanner said the leaflets calling for her removal were 'anonymous, factually incorrect, libellous, and sought by forgery to impersonate a bishop.' A separate letter to the parochial church council (PCC) from the diocesan legal team, which was leaked to the local newspaper, the Whitchurch Herald, last month, said Arnott is a victim of 'unlawful and inexcusable harassment'. One churchgoer, meanwhile, told The Telegraph that she has been so upset by the rector's behaviour that she can't speak about the dispute without getting a nosebleed. The rift began with an unlikely argument over the Agnus Dei. In a meeting with the church choir in 2023 that has since become infamous locally, Arnott told them they could no longer sing this prayer (which often precedes Communion) in Latin as they had done for years, as this was against canon law. Diana Webber, a former safeguarding officer, resigned over this disagreement and Arnott's handling of relationships with parishioners. From the start, she was 'very concerned about [Arnott's] attitude,' Webber says, claiming that Arnott 'appeared to have taken a dislike to the choir.' A PCC meeting was called shortly afterwards – unfortunately, on Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week, despite protestations from members of the council. The meeting became heated when Liane Smith, 65, a former PCC member, stood up and called a vote of no confidence over the rector's 'authoritarian' leadership style. It turns out, perhaps unsurprisingly given the scale of the row, that confidence was in short supply. '[Arnott] counted the votes and it was, if I recall correctly, 23 had no confidence, three had confidence in her, and six abstained,' Smith says (this was before the alleged exodus of church members took place). Arnott said she had been 'trying to run the church calmly in the face of strong opposition', according to minutes of the meeting. In an apparent attempt to oust her, Smith then attempted to publish the minutes of the meeting (including the details of the vote against Arnott) in the parish newsletter, but says she was prevented from doing so by the rector. 'They were shortened minutes, but they had the salient facts in,' she says. 'Just to fit on an A5 page in the back of the parish news. And that was considered 'vexatious'.' Despite losing a vote of confidence, Arnott remained in post. Smith was subsequently asked by Arnott to step down from her roles, including as the parish newsletter's editor (Arnott made clear, though, that she was welcome to continue worshipping at the church). 'I thought that was quite excessive and had nothing to do with the fact that I had published, or attempted to publish the minutes,' she says. 'I left the church at that point [… ] My husband and I have been married for 45 years and have been churchgoers for that whole time. Now we no longer go to any church.' Most of the existing church laypersons eventually resigned or were asked to leave. They carry with them a range of grievances and accusations, some more reasonable than others. Among the complaints is the disbanding of a longstanding, talented church choir. One anonymous parishioner criticises Dr Arnott as 'one of those born-again Christians' who does not face the East (face the altar) for Communion. What is clear, however, is that deep ill-feeling runs on both sides. The situation escalated this year with leaflets distributed to Malpas residents and plastered on Chester Cathedral calling for Arnott's removal. It is not known who is responsible. While some locals say this smear campaign has undermined their genuine concerns about the running of the Church – one said they were 'furious' as it 'gives them a bad name' – others are unrepentant. Williams describes the flyers as 'not an act of crime but actually a courageous act, a heartfelt cry for help from yet one more individual or group of people who feel that they are being let down by the Church of England.' A spokesperson for the diocese of Chester says that parishes 'operate with a large degree of autonomy, provided they act within legal boundaries', adding: 'The Bishop and other diocesan figures have limited scope to intervene directly in parish matters. However, we have consistently offered support, guidance, and assistance throughout this situation as we would elsewhere. 'Whilst it would not be right to comment publicly on personal pastoral matters, wherever the diocese is aware of matters which require response, appropriate action is taken involving other authorities where necessary. 'The Bishop is aware of the concerns raised locally in and around St Oswald's and has been engaging through proper channels. Whilst we are not commenting further at this time in order to care for those involved, all are encouraged to remain in conversation, and support is available for anyone who wishes to access it.' Arnott declined to comment. Parish disputes – even those as bitter as this – are, sadly, increasingly common. In a curiously similar case in Wiltshire, for instance, a church choir refused to continue singing over a dispute with their vicar, Father Oliver Learmont, and his handling of relationships in the parish. A number of lay people resigned. Last year, Church of England clergy warned that some vicars were being bullied out of their posts by parishioners, who were taking over PCC meetings and launching malicious email campaigns against them. Some in Malpas feel the discord in parish churches – which have, for generations, been the backbone of the Church of England – points to a lack of direction in the organisation as a whole. That appears unlikely to be rectified any time soon, with the Church awaiting the appointment of a new archbishop of Canterbury, seven months after Justin Welby announced that he planned to stand down over failures in the handling of an abuse scandal. 'The state of the Church of England at the moment is very sad,' says one churchgoer. 'They can choose a Pope in a fortnight. How much longer do we have to wait for directions from the top?' In the meantime, it's clear there will be no winners in Malpas' unholy civil war.
ABC News
3 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Parishioners avoid injury after car crashes into Wollongong church
An Anglican Church minister says he is thankful no-one was hurt after an out-of-control car ploughed into his church. A driver was treated for minor injuries after a car crashed into St Mark's Anglican Church in West Wollongong about 1.30pm Monday, narrowly avoiding parishioners. Wollongong police said the car had left the Princes Highway before crashing through a church fence. The car then crashed through the front doors of the building. The vehicle went through a front area containing a cafe before driving through another door. It finally stopped after it crashed into another car at the rear of the church. It is understood there were eight people inside the church at the time. Senior minister Alex Zunica said he was grateful the accident did not occur at a busier time. "The place is often quite full of people and children, so we are just so thankful to God it wasn't at another time," Reverend Zunica said. He said the cafe had closed for the day, with the car missing eight women who were meeting at the cafe. "We are providing support to all the people who were involved to make sure they are OK and to help them process what happened," he said. He said there was significant damage to the building and the cafe but the area where the church held its service was not impacted. "We are currently assessing the state of the cafe to see if we can do some make-safe repairs and secure it," he said. A female driver, believed to be aged in her 70s, was treated for hand injuries. Police are investigating the cause of the crash.
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE 'Britain's most callous crooks' ARRESTED: Vicar celebrating after metal military memorial plaque returned... but one is still missing and more 'iron thieves are on the loose'
A vicar has been left stunned after one of two stolen bronze war memorial plaques was dramatically recovered by police, as officers confirm two have been arrested. The 90kg plaque, which vanished from the entrance of a Kent churchyard in a heartless raid, was found dumped at a scrapyard in Essex on Wednesday. In emotional scenes, four officers carried the historic tribute - dedicated to 150 local men who died in the First World War - back to Christ Church Luton in Chatham, where a jubilant Reverend Angela Leonard, 65, is now deciding where to reinstall it. 'I just can't believe it. I had thought it would have been cut into pieces by now,' she said. 'The police have been so good. We just hope we can get the other plaque returned so we have them both back. I honestly just can't believe it.' But while one plaque is home, the hunt is still on for its missing twin, with detectives warning of more 'iron thieves on the loose' after the church was targeted in a night-time raid that has left the community reeling. Police confirmed two people had been arrested in connection with the theft as the search continues for the second piece. A Kent Police spokesperson said: 'Officers investigating the reported theft of two memorial plaques from a Chatham churchyard at around 10pm on Friday 23 May 2025, have detained two men. Callous iron theives are being hunted by police after stealing two metal military memorials from a villiage churchyard. Devastated parishioners have been left in tears after the plaques - which held the name of the town's 150 First World War heroes for more than 100 years - were ripped from the wooden gateway. Thieves are said to have carried out the cruel operation under the cover of night. Jonathan Pout, the head gardener of Christ Church Luton, in Chatham, Kent, was horrified to discover the bare spaces on Saturday, May 24. The retired engineer told MailOnline: 'I am the one who discovered they were gone so you found the right man. 'It was on Saturday morning at 10am, I came to do some bits in the garden and as I walked through the gate I noticed some wood on the floor and I thought 'strange'. 'Then I looked up and saw the plaques were gone. Devastated parishioners have been left in tears after the plaques - which held the name of the town's 150 First World War heroes for more than 100 years - were ripped from the wooden gateway 'Thankfully within a matter of minutes there were other people here with me, and within the hour we'd posted it all over the website and the police had been contacted. 'It was very strange, I must admit, you just never expect items like that to be stolen. 'They're not just in the church grounds, they also hold a lot of significance, a lot of sentimental value. 'The immediate community have been informed too and they are a little bit disgusted with the thieves actions. I think initially people just felt rage.' The family of one of the war heroes offered £500 as a reward for its return after hearing about the church's loss. The plaques had been a focal point for remembrance day commemorations, with crosses and poppies left below the names. They had recently been refurbished and restored to their original position on the lynchgate. Mr Pout suspects the plaques were taken with a crowbar and said they would have been recognisable had the crooks tried to sell them on. Mr Pout suspects the plaques were taken with a crowbar and said they would have been recognisable had the crooks tried to sell them on Reverend Andrea Leonard, 65, who has headed up the church since 2015, said the plaques had been taken under the cover of darkness on Friday night. The former missionary said: 'At first it was a terrible shock, we all felt violated and very sad - there were tears on Saturday. 'On Saturday morning there is a group of volunteers who come and do the garden and cleaning and stuff, so we all came in. 'I arrived a bit later and everyone was just stunned because you can't quite get a handle on who would do something like that. 'I've looked up the price of brass and it's £3 a kilo, suppose they're both around 25 kilos, that's £150, but to us they're priceless. 'I think what has shocked people, and I've said his before is, if it was a laptop you'd just think 'oh I'll get another one' but this is something different. 'It just feels like, well, it is desecration, isn't it really of a memorial. That's not the Christian way, you know, we have a certain example, and if everyone forgave like that, they wouldn't have been a war in the first place.' The plaques were secured to the walls with security bolts - leading Reverend Leonard to believe they were stolen by someone who knew what they were doing, as opposed to opportunists. Failing recovery, Reverend Leonard says the plaques will be replaced with replicas made of less valuable materials. The current church was built in 1983 and replaced a Victorian church which had to be demolished due to subsidence. Jennifer Reddich, 56, was left heartbroken by the actions as her great uncle lost his life in the war and she often went to the plaques to remember him. She said: 'The people who took the war memorial are really bad people because they are disgracing the people who fought for our country. 'I have got family who died within the wars, and they should be remembered, not stolen. 'It is really upsetting and it is really bad what they've done. It's disgraceful that they've taken war memorial, it's absolutely disgusting. 'On Remembrance Day they do services there and now there's nothing they can do them with.' Alex Ayears, 37, who has lived in the area for almost eight years and attends the church on special occasions including Christmas, said: 'It's horrible, it's a real, real shame because they've been there for so long. 'I had hoped they'd be a bit too hot to handle and we'd get them back. She added: 'I can't think of anything else like this that's happened around here. 'You think even the lowest people wouldn't sink that low.' Churchgoer Dawn Crook, 56, who attends the church every Sunday, said: 'It's awful, it's disgusting, I can't believe someone would do that. 'Those soldiers died for our county - I hope they catch them. 'It quite emotional really because they've just put in a grave for a local soldier - and now the memorial has been taken. 'I felt very upset when I heard, so was the whole church family, because we love our church and it's just disgusting that someone would do that.' And Leigha Pope, 19, added: 'It's just outrageous, it's disgusting. A war plaque memorial was stolen, it's an outrage. 'I haven't really heard anything else, it's just disgusting.' A spokesperson for the church said: 'We are beyond sad to announce that our first world war memorials have been stolen from the lychgate. 'For over a hundred years these have been in place, honouring those from this area who gave everything for us to be free. 'If anyone knows anything about this desecration, please do contact us.' They added: 'We have very kindly been offered £500 as a reward for information given which leads to the retrieval of our memorial plaques.'
CBC
19-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Wellington residents sad but optimistic over closure of P.E.I. community's historic church
A historic church in western Prince Edward Island's Évangéline Region has closed its doors after more than 130 years. Wellington United Church has been sold to a new owner, though it's not clear what their plan is for the building. People in the community said there were only about 10 regular members of the parish left, and that wasn't enough to keep the church going. "Sad that we had to come to that agreement," said former church member Christine Arsenault of the decision to sell. "It's just a part of Wellington history." Arsenault got married in the church, and attended many funerals and baptisms there over the years. "The church was full back then," she said. "It had a lot of families." Declining numbers Arsenault was part of the team that looked into selling the church. She said the decision was just a matter of time, as the number of regular members continued to decline. "The nail in the coffin was when the furnace broke down," she said. "We had to take a hard look at the finances and how many people were donating to the church and sitting in the pews." Wellington Mayor Irene MacCaull regularly attended services at the church, but she could also see its closure was inevitable. "As the older members passed on, a lot of the children didn't live in the community anymore," she said. "They lived in Summerside or outside the area so that's where they would go, in their own community rather than here." What comes next? MacCaull doesn't want to see the church torn down, and hopes it can still be put to good use. "I'd just like to see it kept neat and tidy," she said. "If apartments are made, that would be great because that means more people would be able to come to the area and the building would still be used." The rural municipality's chief administrator, Jean-Pierre Arsenault, said at least two apartments could fit inside the church, but some fixes to the sewer system and foundation may be needed. The new owner plans to arrive this summer to possibly start work on the building.
CBC
16-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Archdiocese wary of heritage designation for Hintonburg Catholic church
The Saint-François-d'Assise Catholic Church is a landmark for the Hintonburg community, but the archdiocese is worried a heritage designation would be a burden on parishioners.
