From the C-FAX 1070 radio website.
(Note – The St. Alban’s referenced here is not St. Alban’s Ottawa. )
And the ACoC needs our buildings because…..?
Sep 18, 2008
AN INTERNAL REPORT PREPARED FOR THE ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA RECOMMENDS “DISESTABLISHMENT” OF ONE PARISH ON VANCOUVER ISLAND, AND SEVERAL OTHER MERGERS, BECAUSE OF DECLINING ATTENDANCE AT CHURCH SERVICES.
THAT RECOMMENDATION, WHICH WILL BE DEBATED AT A SYNOD THIS WEEK-END, ACTUALLY REPRESENTS A SOFTENING OF AN EARLIER REPORT THAT CALLED FOR DISESTABLISHMENT OF FIVE CONGREGATIONS.
THAT GENERATED A NEGATIVE OUTCRY AND THE PROMISE TO REVIEW. NOW, A CHURCH RESOURCE IMPLEMENTATION TEAM HAS FINALIZED ITS AMENDED REPORT.
SPECIFICALLY IN THE LOCAL AREA IT CALLS FOR ELIMINATION OF ST ALBANS PARISH. ALL SAINTS VIEW ROYAL WOULD BE MERGED WITH THE CHURCH OF THE ADVENT. ST COLUMBIA AND ST MARTIN WOULD MERGE, AS WOULD ST MARY SAANICHTON AND ST STEPHEN. ST DAVID WOULD MERGE WITH ANOTHER AS YET UNNAMED PARISH IN THE TOLMIE REGION.
THE REPORT IS NOT OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE LONG TERM FUTURE, NOTING THERE ARE CURRENTLY 26 ANGLICAN CHURCHES FROM SOOKE TO SIDNEY…AND A NEED, BASED ON AVERAGE SUNDAY ATTENDANCE OF 150…FOR ONLY 19 OF THEM. AND CHURCH MEMBERSHIP IS FORECAST TO DECLINE FURTHER OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
- fms
This was indeed the synod that was held, in what I can only describe as a bullying fashion, in St. Mary’s Building. Here’s an update from the ANiC Newsletter (by Marilyn Jacobson)
Diocese of BC announces at its synod that it is closing churches
The Victoria Times Colonist reports that “Shrinking attendance at Island churches is forcing the Anglican Church of Canada to close one Victoria parish and merge eight others in an effort to shore up the diocese’s finances.” CFAX radio reported that this “downsizing” did not go nearly as far as a Diocese study had recommended. The synod took place in St Mary’s (Metchosin) facilities. (St Mary’s voted to join ANiC earlier this year, but the congregation was forced out of its building temporarily by an interim court decision.)
The Times Colonist concludes its story: “More than 200 church leaders attended the synod at St. Mary of the Incarnation Anglican Church in Metchosin, a parish that has shrunk from a congregation of 150 to less than 50 as a result of many parishioners’ decision to break away from the church in February over the issue of same-sex unions… That argument was a matter of theology and the authority of Scripture, but Cowan says these questions do not affect a church’s attendance as much as other factors. “It’s more about ministry beyond themselves in the community,” he said.”
Not sure who this Mr. or Ms. Cowan is, but I am reminded of how Rick Mercer closed one of his rants: How stunned do you think we are????
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP IS FORECAST TO DECLINE FURTHER OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. . . .
. . . . FOR REASONS WE CAN’T POSSIBLY BEGIN TO IMAGINE.
St Ninian’s, Scarborough ON is hosting a conference “Evangelism for Normal People” by Rev John Bowen (director or the Institute of Evangelism at Wycliffe College). Oct 31 – Nov 1
http://www.stniniansanglican.org/
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Cathy,
I heartilly endorse John Bowen’s ministry of Evangelism. He doesn’t get bogged down in dogma and keeps things simple and direct. Anyone looking for a good primer on evangelism would benefit.
Peace,
Jim
What’s a congregaration?
Groan My tangled up fingers, that’s what it is. I’ll go fix it. I’m surprised nobody noticed it before now though. Yeah, that’s it. I did it on purpose, to see if anyone was really paying attention. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Like glue. Yeah.
It refers to Bishop Cowan.