Interesting times are ahead as the Cartmel Peninsula Team Ministry rearranges itself for the future.   The Diocese is having problems in recruiting clergy for posts in the area and its funding from the Church Commissioners has remained static for just over 10 years.  This of course means that even if we could recruit clergy men and women for parishes, we could not afford to pay them.

Presently we have 2.5 stipendiary (paid) clergy and with the future changes the Archdeacon Vernon Ross has understood that this is insufficient and has obtained funding for Three Full Time posts.  The rethink on the nine churches is to get them into three new Benefices each with one full time vicar.

Discussions are ongoing, but it looks like our end of the existing team has a natural structure of four churches which are geographically close together; these being Finsthwaite, Haverthwaite, Staveley and Field Broughton.

All four parishes are different in their makeup and will focus on their own parishes and growth with the ability to work and share expertise with the other churches and members to the wider benefit of all.

Presently Haverthwaite is in a three parish cluster and this makes if very difficult to arrange set services as three into 4 weeks is always awkward to find a working pattern that can be operated effectively.  The four church Benefice will simplify this.

There are many things we have to do before it all takes effect but we will keep you posted as we move forward.