10 C O N T E X T 1 4 5 : J U LY 2 0 1 6 of our buildings’ genuinely serving future society in any meaningful way, other than as museums.’ This too recognises the need for churches (that is, church buildings) to change if they are to survive at all. In short, the parish that keeps its church closed from one Sunday to the next is failing to offer to the local community a resource – a large building, possibly with an associated hall and other facilities – that may be of use for a variety of purposes. It is also, incidentally, missing out on a potential revenue stream that may assist in meeting the cost of maintenance. By contrast, a parish that welcomes the local community into the church every day of the week is widening its ministry – and possibly encouraging those who come for other purposes at least to consider also coming for worship on Sundays. Worship and related uses The use for which a church is most suited is, of course, worship. However, that need not be only the worship of a particular Church of England congregation. Many churches are used by neighbouring schools, either on an occasional basis or regularly, for their carol services and on other special occasions, or even for regular assemblies where the school does not have a suitable hall. As for use by other worshipping groups, it will often be appropriate to allow the building to be used by other Christian congregations – either those of established denominations or independent church groups – again, perhaps on an occasional or experimental basis or, as often, on a regular basis.Where such an activity happens on a single occasion, there will be no need for anything other than an informal (possibly oral) agreement. Where it takes place more often, it will be helpful to both parties if there is at least a written note of what has been agreed, which will provide the ground rules that may help to minimise any future misunderstanding or ill feeling. Such an agreement is likely to be technically a licence. It will be important for the parish to consider carefully all the likely implications of such an activity – such as the provision of special arrangements for children, the storage of items owned and used by the visiting group, and the use of ancillary facilities such as catering – not so as to prevent them occurring, but so that they can be properly dealt with. In addition, thought should be given as to whether the use of the church and associated buildings by a visiting group will hinder or prevent use of them for the parish’s own activities, and whether any such conflicts can be resolved. And external notices and signage may need to be sensitively co-ordinated. Such issues can almost always be readily dealt with if thought about in advance. Other uses As well as specifically Church-related activities, many churches and halls are used for activities that are either more loosely related to Christian mission and ministry, or which are entirely secular. Both the church itself and, if there is one, any associated hall will contain large spaces that are in principle suitable for a wide variety of purposes, and may be the only such spaces in the area. Making them available throughout the week may represent a very valuable service to the community. Obvious activities in the church are lectures, concerts and plays, as these may require relatively little adjustment of furniture; although note that some of these will require space (and time) for rehearsals as well as performances. Such activities will also be greatly assisted if there is an area in the church cleared of fixed seating.This may have been achieved for the purposes of facilitating new forms of worship, but it will also greatly assist the use of the church for dramatic, choral or orchestral performances. Indeed, the possibility of such uses may be a factor in allowing the creation of such an area in the first place. Film shows may also be appropriate if there is a suitable screen. If the seating in the body of the church can be moved, that opens up a further range of possibilities, including exhibitions, a mother-and-toddler drop-in centre, lunch clubs for the elderly or the homeless, keep-fit classes, meetings, youth clubs, and many more.There may also be rare or one-off activities such as blood-donor sessions, public meetings and inquiries, and use as polling stations. Indeed, the possibility of accommodating such events may be one factor in determining whether fixed seating should be removed, to be replaced by chairs or All Souls Bolton, now a community venue, see www.visitchurches.org.uk/ AllSouls (Photo: Andy Marshall courtesy of the Churches Conservation Trust and Future for Religious Heritage)
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