YOUR article, (Hereford Times, November 6), concerns fears of local clergy that Hereford churches (some or all?) are drifting rapidly towards financial 'rocks' or else "meltdown" unless, claims one, every member of our city's congregations donates the equivalent of £1 a day which he says would entirely dispel the problem.

Probably very true. Last Easter day, I chanced to attend the morning parish Eucharist at one such church at which the priest/preacher sprang into the pulpit before celebration of mass and forthwith sought enthusiastically to address the congregation on the biblical subject of unleavened and leavened bread.

We were assured that one or other smelt like "a mixture of horse pee and vomit" and this apparently malodorous fact was stressed several times during the sermon, when the preacher mused on the prospect of experiencing such in one's own domestic airing cupboard if attracted to home baking of this kind.

If parishioners feel queasy at prospect of donating £1 a day throughout the year to help support that dismally disappointing (at least) standard of ecclesiastical debate upon the principal day of the Church's year, those like myself who unexpectedly find themselves on the receiving end of such spouted drivel will surely donate their supportive funds to more fruitful ends.

That is exactly (quote) "why does the Church get what's left in the purse at the end of the week?" as the Rev Andrew Mottram laments at conclusion of the article. It is because worshippers on Easter morning resent a shower of "horse pee and vomit", I do anyway!

MICHAEL ELLIS-JONES,

Hopley's Green,

Almeley.