Historic Church of England village churches could be closed down except on feasts like Christmas and Easter as a move to cope with dwindling congregations.
A committee of senior CofE clerics and laity is recommending many village churches throughout England be designated as “festival” churches.
This would be a new category of parish used only for important celebrations or occasional weddings and funerals.
The idea, already piloted in a handful of dioceses, offers an alternative to the current choice between maintaining a church with almost no congregation and closing it completely.