Faith in the East End
Sir: Whilst agreeing with your criticism of the proposed closure of St George-in-the- East (Leader page, 11 January), you did scant justice to the full extent of the Church's foolish and defeatist proposals for the East End and the misery and suffering that they will cause.
It is proposed to reorganise the Stepney area into parishes of 5,000-10,000 which will be run by team ministries, although there is nothing to suggest that the present team ministries, e.g. the Poplar Team, Holy Trinity, Bow, are more effective than the smaller parishes with one priest, e.g. St Barnabas, Bethnal Green, St Mary's, Cable Street or St Paul's, Bow Common. The plan will of course require the closure of other churches besides St George's. One of these churches is St Barnabas, Bethnal Green. This parish receives no funds from the diocese, its priest is non-stipendiary and the church building is in excellent condition. Even the Government only planned to close uneconomic pits. Perhaps St Barnabas's fault is that according to the authors of Faith in the City it ought not to have the character it does; the parish is traditional in its theology and liturgy, and its congregation of local East-Enders, im- migrants and middle-class professionals works well together and is growing in numbers.
J. S. Livingstone
Member of Diocesan Synod for Tower Hamlets, 8 Vivian Road, London E3
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