Having escaped from St. Hilda’s, Martha Tatarnic has become a compulsive building sharer and is now borrowing a Lutheran congregation in Orillia.
Anglican, Lutheran churches merge
The merger of two local churches is a sign of the times – and it just makes sense, say congregation heads.
St. David’s Anglican and Holy Cross Lutheran churches recently joined to become St. David’s Anglican/Lutheran Church.
“We were sharing a building and resources and decided that was working well. We thought we could go one step further and become one congregation,” said Pamela Harrington, diaconal minister.
The notion of a merger was presented to the two congregations, as well as the one at St. Athanasius’ Anglican Church. That congregation decided to remain independent.
Average attendance at Holy Cross was 30 to 35, while it’s about 50 at St. David’s.
Rev. Martha Tatarnic said it’s important to put a “strong emphasis on grassroots decision making.”
“A bishop isn’t going to get far with a top-down approach,” she said.
The last sentence is a lesson Martha learned from Niagara bishop Michael Bird’s top-down approach; even though his top isn’t too far from his bottom.
There used to be a “real parochialism,” but things have changed, Tatarnic said.
We used to care about doctrine and stuff.
“We can stand up and say, ‘This is not the faith we were handed down.’”
Got that right.