This story related to a certain wonderful Anglican building in Putney it became obvious that the building needed a few changes to make it more user-friendly. So the PCC decided to apply for a faculty to do the works. A notice was placed in the porch outlining the intended changes and eventually no faculty was issued because of the complaints from members of the local Victorian, William Morris or some other Society!
One of the members of the offending society visited the building and explained that we were effectively 'guests' in a building that was a monument to William Morris I explained that I thought she was confusing the church building with Kelmscott or Walthamstow and that what she stood in was a container for the people of God. Further discussion revealed this person's contempt for Christianity and her opinion that because she could afford a house near to the building she, and her fellow society members had a right to, "Keep things as they should be!"
I recall being appalled that a bunch of apparently educated, moderately well off (she was a little unchuffed when I called her 'aspiring working class') people can damage the work of a church. I did ask whether the society would like to take on the running and maintenance costs of the building as they held it so dear but apparently it wasn't that dear!!!
The curse of church being limited by so called intelligent morons who appreciate everything except that which they choose not too (especially when it is Church) - mind you my Putney experience was some twenty years ago and was perhaps an averaging rather than the norm. Then again I expect the Putney effect lives on in other places. Makes me glad we occupy a building built some twenty-five years ago :)
Pax
6 comments:
Thanks for the elucidation, Vic.
Well, William Morris is dead, and so will our buildings be if they aren't adapted to the needs of living people and their culture. I thought that one of William Morris's principles was that his creations had to perform a function, albeit aesthetically. I am certainly not an advocate for some of the appalling and disastrous architectural policies of the 1960s, but until very recently every generation made their own mark upon the "heritage" that many now seem to want to preserve in cotton wool. Fortunately, there are signs that planning authorities and English Heritage are beginning to revise their "no change" policies in favour of recognising that the buildings also have a function to perform.
I can see loads of change from the time you describe. Our benefice has 5 historic churches, all of which are Grade 1 listed.
We've managed to form friends groups which do loads of good work, including fund raising for the churches. Many of the friends are non-church people, but who appreciate the church as a community resource and welcome the opportunity to preserve the fabric for community use.
Resistance to change comes more from the congregations, one comment to me was "we like our traditional services, people know what to expect when they come here". All I could say to that was, than,"why are you holding this meeting because you are concerned about the longer term viability of your church".
They want more people, but only people like them! This is really upset me and I withdrew from the meeting and any further activity connected with it. Church needs to be welcoming, particularly of the groups of younger families in their parish, which being rural, has little else in walking distance to be a community resource.
Luckily, this is only one out of the 5. We have 4 more churches joining us next year, with Pastoral Reorganisation being talked about. Loads to do for it, and the last thing we need is one parish pulling in a different direction from the rest. Luckily, its the Vicar who is resolving this, and he is the model of tact and diplomacy, where my perhaps, military style didn't go down to well.
But I've learned from the experience and will be more reflective in future.
One of the churches in a former job boasted a certain Poet/Vicar as incumbent so when permission was sought to reorder the building we were told that we couldn't change anything from the way he'd left it!
Another church in the team boasted nothing and no one of note and so was ripped up, turned around and totally transformed and no one said a word.
Not sure all are like your Putney experience these days but some still are.
Good thread, thanks,
G
I think some of the worst aspects of the don't-touch-a-thing attitude to preservation become manifest after church buildings cease to be used by worshiping communities.
A couple of contrasting examples:
The old Roath Methodist Church in Cardiff is an imposing building in an important location. With the absolute minimum of internal alteration it has become the home of a cheap-jack retailer. And the place is just awful.
On the other hand, the old Kelvinside Parish Church in Glasgow is now the really wonderful arts centre, the Oran Mor. Do have a look in if you are in Glasgow any time. Top of Byres Road. You might think there's a parable in there somewhere.:)
Indeed there appears to be a parable in it Rob!
I find it interesting that some of the places I saw in my Welsh holiday (just back) had many Methodist chapels that had become antiques (i.e. junk) shops and how poorly so many were kept.
I'm used to them becoming arts centres, where as you say they are often sensitively cared for, and carpet shops (because of the size I guess) - rather glad I missed the Cardiff venue but will keep the Glasgow site in mind when we go in search of that nice Mr Macintosh's work :)
Pax
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