HAVING a priest-in-charge, rather than a vicar who is traditionally bound to that one church until retirement or death (the so-called freehold for life), is a way of ensuring the church keeps up with society, says the Rev Michael Wedgeworth, secretary of the Blackburn Diocese.

The move comes after the General Synod in York decided to order savings of nearly £4million in 13 dioceses nationwide. Blackburn would lose £669,000 in the cash squeeze, caused by the increased payouts in clergy pensions.

The Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Rev Alan Chesters, has set up a task force to look at how the financial problems can be tackled - and one initiative is to install a priest-in-charge.

Church bosses say that because of the financial pressures, they had no option but to consider mergers and a review of parish boundaries is being carried out in Blackburn with Darwen deanery by a special commission team.

And the Mr Wedgeworth said it was a way of keeping up with the times.

He said: "When the Rev Brian Stevenson retires from St Silas', Blackburn, at the end of the month, a new vicar will replace him. But in a different capacity."

He said: "The post will be that of a priest-in-charge, rather than an incumbent.

"This simply means that instead of having the right to remain in post until removal to another parish, retirement or death, there will be a limited term of office.

"The Church of England nationally is having to review its resources in order to maximise opportunities for Christian mission.

"The appointment of priests-in-charge is a way of handling this kind of change creatively and ensuring that new forms of ministry - involving both ordained and lay people - are developed alongside the traditional to meet the needs and opportunities in our rapidly changing society."

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