Wiltshire vicar ‘guided by the Holy Spirit’ refuses to quit

Father Oliver Learmont, the Vicar of St Mary the Virgin Church in Steeple Ashton, was subjected to a unanimous vote of no confidence at a recent annual parish church meeting.

Parishioners say the church has “drifted and declined” under his five-year ministry and that improvement projects, including restoring the 18th century church organ pipes, have been brought to a grinding halt.

The church choir has put singing ‘on a pause’, and the Parochial Church Council’s treasurer and secretary decided not to stand for re-election.

In the latest blow, St Mary’s last remaining church warden, Michael Moore, has indicated that he wishes to step down when his term of office ends.

Michael Moore, the churchwarden at St Mary the Virgin Church in Steeple Ashton, is intending to step down. Photo: Trevor Porter 69901-2 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Mr Moore, 60, of Hinton Lane, who has given 20 years of devoted service to the church, sent Father Learmont a letter on December 31 saying he would only stay if the cicar gave an assurance that he was intending to move on.

In the letter, he said he had concluded he could no longer put up with the “drift and decline” of the parish church under Father Learmont’s ministry.

He said: “If I have received a written assurance from you by June 13 2023 that you are intending to move on from the parish within a year, I will continue to offer you my support until July 2024.

“Furthermore, if I have received a written assurance from you before the 2023 APCM (annual parish council meeting) that you are intending to move on from the parish I will extend my offer of support up to advent 2024.

“If, however, I have not received a written assurance from you by the June 13 2023 that you are intending to move on from the parish within a year, I will then be obliged to cease my support at the end of June 2023.”

At the APCM on Tuesday, May 30, Mr Moore said he had received “no reply” from Father Learmont and would therefore not be standing for re-election as church warden.

A parishioner who attended the meeting said: “Father Oliver was difficult to hear as he spoke quietly (he did have a microphone) but replied that he did not respond to ultimatums.”

At that point, a vote of no confidence in the vicar was proposed and seconded, with around 41 people present voting unanimously for him to go.

Lord Geddes, chairman of the St Mary’s Preservation Trust, asked whether Father Oliver was getting a message from the meeting to which he replied, “I am listening".

The parishioner added: “Father Oliver was keen to move on to the agenda on the paper but was reminded that he had had an overwhelming vote of ‘no confidence’ which he should address.

“Father Oliver replied that he would not and that if anyone didn’t like it, they could leave.

“At this point there was a general exodus that was briefly halted by a clearly shocked Rural Dean who tried to steady matters. To no avail. Most people left the church to have the meeting continue with a bare bones PCC committee.”

Lynda Beaven, one of St Mary’s bellringers, said: “Last night the vicar said that he would not respond to an ultimatum, but he would be guided by the Holy Spirit.

“From the show of hands supporting the long-suffering churchwarden and the same hands showing no confidence in the vicar, I would hope that it will not be long before the Holy Spirit gets the message and starts guiding the vicar. The message could not have been clearer last night.”

Father Learmont said: “I don’t really have a comment. Nobody has resigned from the PCC. The organist retired but we do have an organist in place. There is a choir but it is not singing at the moment.”

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Salisbury said: “We continue to offer pastoral support for Steeple Ashton and its vicar, as with all of our parish churches across the Diocese of Salisbury.”