The General Secretary of the Presbyterian Church of Wales (PCW) has said the denomination faces a “do or die” situation ahead of its General Assembly, due to be held next week in Porthmadog.
Since 2020 the Church has seen its membership decline by eight per cent. Of its current 11,430 members, only 275 are under the age of 25.
Financially the denomination is in a better position, with a combined wealth of £21 million across its 443 churches, described by the church as a “robust financial cushion”.
For the last year the PCW has been holding a consultation with its members about the future direction of the denomination.
Following the consultation a restructuring plan is to be placed before the Assembly next week. Much of the plan centres on reorganising the Church’s administrative structure, with an emphasis on cutting down on “red tape”, allowing for greater focus on prayer, relationships and mission.
The plan also recommends additional training and support for leaders, in a bid to help smaller, elderly or rural congregations, many of which do not have a pastor.
Another key proposal centres on church buildings, with plans for a Buildings Working Party to find ways to get the most out of church buildings, hopefully turning them from financial liabilities into missional opportunities.
Commenting on the plan, PCW General Secretary, Rev Nan Powell Davies said that responses from the consultation underlined the sense that reform is not a silver bullet.
“The consultation has given both a mandate and a warning,” she said.
“It grants permission to continue because there is broad agreement that the present system is too heavy, too opaque, and too thinly resourced for the Church now before us.
“However, it warns that reform will fail if it is perceived as centralisation, an uncosted administrative exercise, or a withdrawal of support from fragile congregations. It’s now do or die for us as a denomination.”
