AROUND 30 people came to All Saints in Herodsfoot to hear what the future might hold for their church.

With regular services down from around eight each month to just one, the church cannot afford to keep paying the common fund of £4400 each year.

But there’s a thriving community in the village, and a Friends group which uses the church building for events, so the overheads to keep the church open – around £2,000 per annum – are always met.

A programme of repairs to the stonework and repainting has recently been completed.

During a meeting led by the rural dean, Reverend Steve Morgan, the possibilities put to the congregation and wider village were: to close the church altogether; to hand the church over to be run by the community, (which would mean that All Saints would no longer be a parish church, and so churchyard and baptisms would go out of parish); or to become a festival church, which could include the option of remaining a parish church, said churchwarden Ian Gordon.

In the background to the decision is the formation of a new benefice which will comprise the churches of St Martin’s and St Nicholas in Looe, St Wenna at Morval, St Cuby in Duloe and Herodsfoot.

The minister for Looe, the Reverend Philip Sharpe, left his position at Easter and interviews are set to take place later this year for the new incumbent.

Herodsfoot, which up until now has been together with Duloe but not part of a wider benefice, has not had a permanent vicar since the Reverend Martin Jones retired 18 months ago, although he has continued to take services.

All Saints Church will be able to continue as it is for another 18 months, said Mr Gordon, but after that, as yet, lies uncertainty.

“Because we’re not running so many services, we’re not getting the income.

“I think we’ll find a lot of churches in the county will struggle to survive.”

Reverend Steve said that the meeting at Herodsfoot had been very positive.

“It was agreed by all that the current situation was not sustainable, and to explore ways of keeping the building open, but perhaps with a community trust managing or owning it, and the church becoming a festival church.”

Under this model All Saints would be able to hold events and services at Christmas, Easter, and Harvest, as well as weddings and funerals.

“The church will remain as it is for this year as we explore what the best way forward is.”