Jersey churches 'must keep paying Winchester diocese'

Anglican Churches in Jersey have been told they must continue to pay their Parish Share to the Diocese of Winchester for the time being.

The money is raised by congregations to help fund the wider ministry of the church and to pay the clergy.

The Channel Islands split from Winchester in January after a dispute over how abuse complaints were handled.

However, the island's dean said church finances would remain with Winchester for at least the first quarter of 2014.

The Church of England in the Channel Islands pays hundreds of thousands of pounds each year to Winchester, which is then used to pay clergy, training and other costs.

However, relations between Bishop Tim Dakin of Winchester and Jersey's dean, the Very Reverend Bob Key, broke down in the abuse complaint row.

As a result, Bishop Dakin handed temporary oversight of the islands to the Bishop of Dover Trevor Wilmott, who is based in the Diocese of Canterbury.

Some island churches had wanted to pay their parish share direct to Canterbury and to sever the financial ties with Winchester.

But, in an email, Mr Key has asked congregations to make the payments due for the first quarter of this year to Winchester as usual.

He suggested that measures may be put in place to allow the rest of this year's contributions to be paid to Canterbury.