SIR,

I am not altogether happy to publish this letter beyond the aegis of the churches, but I have laboured the point within the churches for more than 50 years, and I believe that many, both leaders and lay, fail to see the urgency of necessary action.

Christmas sales will even now be in the planning stage for most of the Monmouth churches, and all the churches will celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in January.

I suspect that God's answer to that prayer has always been, 'what's stopping you?'

Should we not question the need for all the buildings and staff which these sales and the various denominations finance?

There are seven Anglican churches, a Roman Catholic church a Methodist church and a Baptist church, and also a Christian Fellowship.

Two of the Anglican churches belong to the diocese of Hereford, and five to the diocese of Monmouth.

Successive bishops of the two dioceses have failed to bring the seven Anglican churches into the same administration. The congregations of all these churches shop in the town, and have no distinctions in their social behaviour. Their health and happiness respond to the same human needs.

It is many years since most members of these churches could give a good reason, that is a reason compatible with the teaching of the gospels, as to why they should need to worship separately.

Of course, we all have preferences, but it is odd that those preferences should have such force as to compel our separation, and we are all free to worship as we wish.

That separation has been now so long and so established that it has ceased to scandalise people, but it should. The churches are too many for the community to sustain.

I had a parish in Manchester which, shortly before I arrived, raised £390,000 to adapt the building. The Methodist church a hundred yards away raised £385,000 for their building.

While I was there, the churches united in a shared building. The unity came about after I pointed out that the community (a very poor one) had paid twice the sum needed for a single agreed building.

I believe that the Church, in which I include all Christians, in Monmouth needs to make similar calculations, and that the denominational parent organisations ought to better harness the efforts of a faithful and willing people to the preaching of the Gospel.

I wish Churches Together a happy solution to their endeavours and that the Christmas Fairs may have their reward.

Jim Cross

(Monmouth)