About us.

The Major Churches Network (MCN) is an independently run organisation that all Major Churches are eligible to join.
Formerly the Greater Churches Network, the MCN arranges conferences, regional meetings and other resources specifically aimed at supporting Major Churches.

The MCN’s mission is to

Enable Major Parish Churches to proclaim Jesus Christ afresh in every generation through:

  • Support

  • Advocacy

  • Training

Many years ago a group of Vicars, from what are now known as Major Churches, got together to support, moan, socialise and recognise the struggles that running something bigger than a normal parish church. This support group grew and became a formal network known as the Greater Churches Network. After many years of growth and lobbying, the Church of England (through the Church Buildings Council) formally recognised Major Churches as a new classification of churches. As part of the Church Buildings Council’s work to support keeping churches open and sustainable, the Council has been looking to better define the different roles of church buildings. Major Parish Churches comprise over 300 of the largest and most significant churches in England.

A major parish church has all or most of the following characteristics:

  • Physically very big (over 1000m2 footprint)

  • Grade I, II* or (exceptionally) II listed

  • Exceptional significance and/or issues necessitating a conservation management plan

  • Have a role or roles beyond those of a typical parish church, and make a considerable civic, cultural and economic contribution to their communities

They are recognised as historically significant parish church buildings with a different scale of opportunities and challenges faced compared to the vast majority of other Church of England church buildings. Major Churches are likely to require a higher level of attention from the diocese and the Council due to their special functions, significance and potential.

The newly named Major Churches Network represents the next steps of the journey which was started by those few Vicars all those years ago.
We want to see all our member churches thrive, and be at the heart of the communities they are in, sharing the Gospel and maintaining the heritage asset they have been made custodians.