A CHURCH without a vicar, or even no church at all, is the stark warning to the people of Grayshott from two churchwardens at St Luke's, which is facing a financial crisis.
Sheila Austin and Michael Lugg have been churchwardens for five and six years respectively but they say that the crippling costs of keeping the church going is putting intolerable strain on resources.
"At the moment our expenditure is exceeding our income, and based on predicted figures, by 2005 we will be in major deficit and running the church will not be viable", said Mrs Austin.
"It is a huge worry. If the church burnt down, money would be found to help out. But to go out and request money for routine, day-to-day expenses becomes very difficult."
And Mr Lugg, who has lived in Grayshott for 24 years, believes the first financial casualty could be the parish vicar.
"If we continue without funding we may lose our vicar, and if it came to having a shared ministry, it would mean fewer services. And without our own vicar, the community could not be served properly.
"The worst-case scenario is that the church would have to be closed and we would have to sell off the land which would be devastating.
"People are used to a church being here even if they are not regular churchgoers and it would be sorely missed if it wasn't here.
"It would be the most massive culture shock and not something we want to contemplate."
Mr Lugg and Mrs Austin attribute the funding problems to Grayshott's population which is predominantly elderly people on fixed incomes.
The village has just 160 on the electoral roll and there is a gradual decline in those attending church.
"We have had some very generous gifts and good responses to our last appeals but we are looking to raise an additional £15,000 a year to keep the church going and we've only been able to raise £5,000.
"The problem is that we are always drawing from the same pool and many people who were once churchgoers move on. To keep asking for donations from a handful of people is always going to be difficult."
To secure the church's future, they know that attracting more young people will play a big part of the recovery.
Last year, St Luke's combined with three other parishes - Tilford, Churt, and Hindhead, to employ a youth worker to promote the churches to young people and encourage them to become part of the church family.
"We weren't able to afford a youth worker on our own, but we combined with the other parishes.
"The youth worker, Christine Owens, has made progress but it will take time before we see real results."
"We are keen to sponsor our young people to do activities they want to do and we'd like to run a Sunday School and a bible group but all these things are under threat without funding."