CONGREGATIONS in the York Diocese are being warned that unless parishes raise more money they could lose their vicar.

Canon Francis Hewitt, Rural Dean of Pickering, said the diocese needed an extra £160,000 for pensions for its clergy.

Some parishes are not paying their quota to York in full and as a result the shortfall is having to be met out of reserves.

"Consequently the diocese is facing a deficit next year of £1m and that is more than the reserves can stand" he said.

"It can only be met in two ways.

"You either put up the parish shares by an amount way above inflation or you reduce the number of clergy."

But Canon Hewitt, who is also Vicar of Pickering, said that contributions from parishes could not be raised much more.

"The problem of meeting our quota is hard enough already. So the diocese may be forced to take the second option and reduce the number of clergy by about 18, or one per deanery."

Keeping a clergyman in his vicarage costs about £25,000 a year, said Canon Hewitt.

He warned that quotas for next year are already being fixed and will increase.

Meanwhile, a meeting is to be held on September 11 when church wardens and treasurers in the Pickering deanery will discuss the crisis.