Or, to use voguish Ecclesi-Speak, it is repurposing them. If the bishop does manage to find a purpose for his churches it will be a first for the ACoC, an organisation that has been meandering aimlessly in a theological wilderness of solipsistic ecclesiolatry for decades now.
From here:
The Anglican Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland will discuss ways to develop greater community partnerships under the possibility of repurposing or divesting themselves of their current inventory of property and buildings.
Bishop Geoff Peddle says this month’s Synod will examine the ongoing process of decided what they keep with them “on the journey forward.”
Four parishes in Trinity South recently closed their churches, choosing instead to amalgamate into the repurposed Epiphany Elementary school in Heart’s Delight-Islington.
Bishop Peddle says they have seven parish churches in the St. John’s area, and they’re working with parishes on how to reshape themselves into the future.
Synod takes place April 21 to the 24 in Mount Pearl and St. John’s.
More here.
It is sad really to see. It is always sad to see an organisation that once did good dissolving from the folly and selfishness of those who obtained power in it.
This is a continuation of a policy started by Don Harvey, consolidating rural parishes. A century ago every outport village had its own church (or at least a school chapel), because there were no roads and travel to neighbouring villages was by boat or footpath. Now, with roads linking the communities, there may be three or four churches within a 10-minute drive of each other, served by a circuit-riding priest who can’t celebrate the Eucharist in every church each Sunday. By consolidating, regular Sunday worship is assured, a larger congregation means more participation and better quality worship, and fewer buildings to maintain means more money is available to spend on outreach and evangelism. (Of course the consolidation has to be done right, with adequate consultation and input from the people involved; otherwise, if the diocese just decides to close churches and force everyone to go to one, most people just leave the church. Eastern and Central Newfoundland have both been pursuing bottom-up consolidations, and many of them have greater attendance in the new church than in the old churches combined.
The problem is definitely NOT caused by Bishop Don Harvey but rather failure on the part of the ACoC to stand for the Gospel. By actions taken by various dioceses within the ACoC it no longer stands for the truth but simply worships the god – notice the small “g” – of political correctness and rejects the GOD of the Scriptures. The ACoC will continue to fade into memory unless and until the apostates such as Fred Hiltz and those so-called bishops that support him are removed from office.
Frank: It seems to me that you have the same answer to most questions or issues about the Anglican Church of Canada. You are wrong about the situations in Newfoundland. Please go and visit the Anglican churches in the outports there before you say one more word about Newfoundland. You may ask Bishop Don Harvey to arrange such a visit for you in the near future. I have known him since 1992 and he will be the best person to explain to you the situation of rural churches in his province.
I am also acquainted with Bishop Don Harvey and am well aware that he is totally orthodox and a very solid Christian leader. The only way for there to be any reform within the ACoC is for apostates to be removed from office and replaced with clergy that are true to the Gospel.