The group of Church of England parish churches along the west coast of the Island has been realigned to form ‘The Parish of the West Coast’ Skeerey yn Clyst-marrey. On the evening of Monday 3rd September, at a service at St John’s Church led by Bishop Robert, the parishes of Patrick, German, St John’s and Michael, come together as one to mark the inauguration and to welcome the Very Revd Nigel Godfrey as first priest in charge of the new parish.

All four historic parishes share a boundary with the sea – yes even St John’s! Within these parishes there are five churches: St James, Dalby; St Michael and All Angels, Kirk Michael; Holy Trinity, Patrick; St German’s Cathedral, Peel; and St John the Baptist, St John’s (often known as The Royal Chapel). Under the Western Pastoral Scheme all of these will jointly become parish churches. This is a new status for Dalby, which up until now has been a chapel-of-ease. Nigel Godfrey said ‘With Dalby now having a designated Local Minister in Cheryl Cousins, the church has reached the stage of maturity as a congregation that it can be aligned equally with these other churches.’

The Cathedral will continue to have Cathedral status. Nigel Godfrey, who is also Dean of the Cathedral, commented ‘We are determined as Christian communities living in different localities that each parish church will strengthen and develop its own style and gifts in co-operation with local ministers so each place can focus on its pastoral care and mission. We want more than one or two priests running around churches just taking services.’ The combined parishes have on the team Revd Margaret Burrow, a non-stipendiary Local Minister with particular responsibility for Patrick; Canon Malcolm Convery, part-time Priest with particular responsibility for Michael; Revd James McGowan, Curate of the Parish; and Lay Readers Nigel Dempsey-Moore, Robert Quayle and Iaen Skidmore.

The new combined parish will have a single Parochial Church Council (PCC), replacing four separate ones. This PCC will provide oversight, direction and policy for the five churches, while leaving each free to engage in mission locally in the way that best suits them. Each church community will have a team which oversees local need and reports regularly to the PCC.

There will be two Churchwardens from each of the churches, one central Treasurer, one Secretary and one central Electoral Roll Officer. These officers will work with the team from each church to deal with local finance, local membership rolls and local groups.

The reorganisation follows a consultation process instigated by the Manx Church Commissioners in compliance with the Bishop of Sodor and Man’s Recommendations for Mission and Ministry that were agreed by the Diocesan Synod (the church’s Tynwald) in September 2009. This is the second combined parish to be formed, following the inauguration of the new parish of Andreas, Ballaugh, Jurby and Sulby earlier this year.

In the words of the Bishop’s Recommendations “This (reorganisation) will result in smarter, lighter and more effective working and will reduce costs.”