From here:
Although I am not an Anglican I am wondering what would the Anglican Church of Canada do with the half dozen or so church buildings they plan to reclaim from the dissenting congregations given they already have more churches then congregants in the first place and are closing churches. What use is an empty church to them or God?
Sara WoodsA very good question. My answer may be overly cynical, but I believe it relates to money. For years now, The Anglican Church of Canada has been losing members, congregations and the national office has been downsizing and their finances dwindling. The church is cash poor – but land rich. Many churches have existed for decades and in some areas, the value of property has skyrocketed. The national church leaders have already closed churches and sold them to cover their administration costs. I have been told this practice follows the economic theory of self-cannibalization: they eat their own to stay alive. Of course, if that is the case, it can only last so long …
I think you’ve hit it on the nose.
Below the 49th Parallel (USA) the Episcopal Church (TEC) is running into the same situation. They say “sell the churches -but the Congregations that have vacated are being prohibited from purchasing them back”. This is not a quote, but I have read it somewhere in the past 6-9 months. Go figure.
I would think that any of the Congregations that have voted to cede from ACoC to ANiC would likely be glad to come to a “reasonable” settlement with the ACoC Dioceses concerned dependant upon certain conditions such as:
If they owe the Diocese any back payments.
if there are any mortgages upon the said buildings, etc.
If there are large mortgages upon the buildings, the Dioceses are saying “Mine, mine, mine”…..then the congregations should walk away and build a new, more efficient building if possible and take out a new mortgage.
If everything is all paid up, if the congregation (parish) is totally up to date and have been so for many, many, many years then I would think a reasonable purchase price for them to pay to get the papers transferred from the Diocese to the Parish would be $1.00.
For sure, the Dioceses will not be willing to pass over ownership to the Congragations that are going south or I have them totally figured wrong.
The Dioceses will make it more than miserable for the Parishes.
The above thoughts are just that, ‘thoughts’.
It’s all about money! That’s a shocker.
I thought it was about “Luv”.
what i just cannot grasp is ..why makers of violent movies … child molesters …anyone …is given ”rights ” .And yet Anglicans are denied the right to their own quiet opinions …. . it really is an ontario human rights commission case .
what a strange ..evil …tragic thing .that we will be put out of our wonderful churches after years and years of sacrificial giving financially and with the heart and mind . we will have a long to time to worship God iamidst ascetics in Heaven beyond our wildest dreams … but how how tragic that amidst the stresses of life here ..this will be denied us for the rest of our lives …
I may be wrong, but in order to not be sued for property over the residential school issue, dioceses said that they did not own the property. It was in the hands of individual parishes. But not the boot is on the other foot, and they claim the property, not the parishes. The rules change according to the circumstances it seems.
Rev. Mac, that has indeed been brought up on other forums.
I hope it is brought up in court tomorrow.
Rev Mac: Yes, a point we and are lawyers are well aware of. Thanks for pointing it out, though.