photocreadit: St Thomas' Church, Halford near Craven Arms, Jeff Buck, 2018
A rural Shropshire church that nearly closed its doors for good is celebrating a remarkable turnaround, with electricity and heating restored after years of worship in the cold and dark.
The church at Halford, near Craven Arms, faced an uncertain future following the COVID-19 pandemic when regular worship never fully recovered and a church building (quinquennial) inspection revealed the need for potentially six-figure repairs. Most critically, the electrical system was condemned as dangerous, leaving the building without power and facing closure.
What happened next surprised everyone. The public consultation on the proposed closure sparked an enthusiastic response from the community, leading to the formation of a Friends group determined to save their local church.
Churchwarden Janet Dovey said, “We couldn’t let this beautiful church simply close. Without the commitment and enthusiasm of the Friends Group it would not have been possible to keep the church open. They have undertaken much work, such as organising fundraising events, monthly coffee mornings, prize bingo, and fashion shows, as well as maintaining the church and churchyard. It is greatly appreciated by the PCC and local community.”
Despite the challenges, Rev’d Munday continued to hold occasional services in the church, following a practice begun by interim ministers Rev’s Mark and Clare Sanders. Until October, all services were conducted without light or heat, usually during daylight hours, though Christmas services made use of battery-operated lighting.
“We were getting congregations of up to 60 people, even in those difficult conditions,” Rev’d Munday recalled. “It showed us that there was real commitment to keeping this church alive.”
Following discussions between the PCC and the Friends, facilitated by former Archdeacon of Ludlow, Fiona and Rural Dean Rev’d Chris Hargraves, the PCC voted to end the closure process and designate the building as a Festival Church.
Working with Stephen Challenger and Lorna Theophilus, from the central diocesan support team, the PCC and Friends successfully applied for grants that enabled the restoration of electricity and installation of a new heating system. Since December, there has been heating light. Janet adds, "Thanks to Dave Taylor Electrics Ltd, the electricians worked into the evening on December 12th, ensuring that for the first time in two years, we were able to have light and heat at the Carol Service on 13th December."
The achievement will be celebrated at a special service on 7th February, to which Revs Chris Hargraves, Mark and Clare Sanders, and representatives of the grant-making bodies, Lasletts, Craven Arms Town Council and Shropshire Historic Churches Trust have been invited. It will include the company of Deputy Lieutenant of Shropshire, Claire Crackett MBE, DL.
Rev’d Munday concluded: “This has been a real community effort and a testament to what can be achieved when people come together with determination and faith. We’re not just celebrating the restoration of power and heating, we’re celebrating the restoration of hope for this church’s future.”
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