Welcome

Thank you for visiting our website. This website is intended to give visitors an insight into our parish, its two churches, our church life and our outreach activities.

 

The Parish of Par is in the Diocese of Truro in Cornwall and is situated on the south coast of Cornwall, between the town of St Austell and the Port of Fowey.

 

The parish has two churches, St Mary's Church, Biscovey, and the Church of the Good Shepherd, Par.  Further information on both these churches is given elsewhere in this website.

 

Within the Diocese we are registered as a Fairtrade Parish for the sale and use of tea, coffee and sugar.

We are always delighted to meet new people in our church whether they are visitors to the area or locals who wish to know more about our worship and special church services that are available for our local parishioners, for Weddings, Baptisms and Funerals.

 

The days and times of our regular services are shown on the "Church Services" Menu Tab of this web site.  

 

For Weddings, Baptism and Funerals, please access the "Weddings etc" tab for further details.

 

Refurbishment of St Mary's Church
 
Between 2017 and 2020 we have had a project for the refurbishment of St Mary's church.  The main aim of the project was to refurbish the tower and spire fit for the future of our parish with concurrent complementary refdurbishment of the remainder of the church.
 
Phase 1 of the project to Save Our Spire is now completed.
The nett cost of the capital works amounted to £304,651. Associated fees, connected to the  project, £765 and professional fees paid to the  Chartered Surveyors £8969.
 
Internal works to the walls will be completed  within the  next couple of years, once the now exposed  walls have dried out, and  will cost a further £24,550 - which we have no grant funding for!
Once we are through Covid19 then fund raising will once again begin!
 
The project team and the whole congregation wish to sincerely and gratefully say Thank You to all who have donated, fund raised, in so many different ways and given hours of their own time in support of the Save Our Spire Project. We have raised to date £98,658 of our £100,000 target... in just  3 years...WOW!

 

 

SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT

 

Ensuring that children and young people as well as adults are kept safe whilst in our care is an integral part of our church life. If you have any concerns about safeguarding please contact:

 

In the Parish: Ruth Wyatt,  Parish Child Safeguarding Co-ordinator, Tel contact – 01726 832811

 

In the Diocese: Sarah Acraman Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser, 01872 274351

 

Out of Hours for after 5pm and weekends: 01208 251300

In emergency situation:

 

Local Authority Children’s Social Care: 0300 123 1116

Local Authority Adult’s Social Care: 0300 1234131

 

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE

St Mary’s Churchyard

 

In 2013 the gravestones in the Churchyard at St Mary’s Church Biscovey were inspected by Cornwall Council, and some were declared unsafe.  It is the legal responsibility of the descendents of the deceased to make them safe.  Notices for further information were attached to each headstone that required attention.

 

If you are descended from anyone buried in the Churchyard please visit and check whether your family headstone is one that needs to be made safe.

 

In 2016, Cornwall Council commissioned Cormac Solutions to carry out a further survey of the graves and gave notice that there were still headstones that required safety work.  They recommeded that the safest remedy was for these headstones to be either laid on their respective graves or against the nearest wall.  This work was carried out in 2017.

 

 

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