Sir, - It's mighty generous of the General Synod to vote in favour of the Living Wage (General Synod, 30 November), which would put many small businesses out of business (Letters, 23 November) because they can't afford to pay more than they already do.

But let's have a look in the mirror. As an NSM Assistant Curate, I used to be paid two-thirds of the fees for weddings and funerals. For one funeral (£38) earlier this year, taking into consideration the funeral visit, phone calls, travelling time, the church service, and the service at the crematorium afterwards, I estimate that it all took approximately six hours - which works out at £6.33 per hour, slightly above the Minimum Wage.

Now that I have risen to the dizzying heights of Associate Priest, however, I would get paid . . . not a penny! Is this a joke? No, it's a farce. A whole string of words come to mind, such as pots and kettles, practising and preaching, beams and specks, events in breweries, etc.

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