Bishop: no plans to close any churches

The Anglican Bishop of Dunedin says he has no immediate plans to close smaller churches in a diocese struggling for numbers.

The Rt Rev Dr Steven Benford said while parishes may need to make some hard decisions, ''size isn't everything''.

Dr Benford responded by email to Otago Daily Times' questions in the wake of comments made by departing St Paul's Cathedral Dean Trevor James last week, and by Dr Benford himself.

Dr James said the church was desperately in need of rationalisation.

He talked last year of a ''crisis of faith'', and the need to reduce the number of parishes because of low numbers.

Both the Presbyterian and Catholic churches have in the last few years closed churches and demolished or sold former church buildings.

Dr Benford, who oversees 28 parishes with 42 congregations from the Waitaki River to Stewart Island, said when announcing Dr James' retirement that the next few weeks would be a time of uncertainty for the cathedral and parishes.

He said on Thursday he was referring to what happens when any parish is without a priest.

''All churches now - Anglican and many other denominations - face change and uncertainty in a rapidly changing world, and we need to make sure that we hear God's voice very clearly about who we need to be, and have the right people to help make God real in Dunedin and beyond.''

He said the cathedral was not alone in facing changes in leadership.

Ministers retired and congregation sizes altered and needed change, and the church needed to be prepared to face and embrace change.

Asked if the church was considering rationalisation of the parishes in the face of decreasing numbers, Dr Benford said church attendance patterns varied, being higher at Easter and Christmas and lower at other times.

The church did not focus on numbers, rather on what God was calling them to do and be.

''Even a small group of people can have a tremendous impact on the community around them.

''It's not so much thinking of rationalisation, but how we can grow in our faith and love, and maybe do things differently.''

Dr Benford said there was no time frame for replacing Dr James.

The process for appointing a new dean was that each parish, including the cathedral, appointed two parishioners to be nominators.

They consulted with the congregation and bishop about the qualities needed for a new dean.

The bishop convened a board of nomination, which would advertise for a new dean and talk to those interested.

After that a recommendation would be made to the bishop, who made the appointment.

On congregation numbers, Dr Benford said the church's demographic was older, and in many congregations not enough new people were coming in to replace those who had moved on.

''We do need to look at how we can engage better with our communities and a world that is vastly different to even 20 years ago.

''There are already some wonderful things happening in our churches.''

david.loughrey@odt.co.nz