But Bishop Linda Nicolls is attempting is to resuscitate it, mainly by doing what she is telling parishes they should not do:
Some churches might look to draw on the principle of reserves and trusts to pay for everyday expenses, even though such a strategy can’t last.
At the same time, she is closing and selling churches on scale that makes Century 21 look like amateurs; all to stave off the financial collapse of the diocese a little longer. Or, at least, until retirement.
Read it all here:
At Synod in May, she will call on each parish church to develop a five-year plan – with measurable benchmarks – for financial stability and building upkeep.
“At the same time,” she says, “we have to be working at discipleship, working on why we are the church, working within churches and on the spiritual needs of the community around us.”
“It’s very daunting” to have to address both tracks simultaneously, she admits, but adds, “We don’t have time to wait; we don’t have time for people to wake up to this.”
These two sides – finances and discipleship – are not disconnected in Bishop Linda’s view.
“When people are passionate about what the church is called to be, they will support it… It’s not just about the money; it’s about being realistic and hopeful. And that’s where the discipleship piece comes in. What is God calling you to do and be in this community?”
Sustainability
Financially, Bishop Linda says, there are four “non-negotiables” for parish churches: having a balanced budget, not using reserves for operating expenses, paying full apportionment, and paying the stipend and housing of clergy.
One thing that no-one in the diocese seems to want to try is a return to Biblical orthodoxy. Instead, we have a familiar attempt to appease the zeitgeist by parading on a gay pride rainbow crosswalk waving crosses and an umbrella. As you can see by the crowds, it generated a lot of interest:
“When people are passionate about what the church is called to be, they will support it… It’s not just about the money; it’s about being realistic and hopeful.”
Notice it’s all about the church; nothing about Christ. It’s self-referential. People are not called to be passionate about Christ, not the church.
Is it just me or does this come across as using discipleship as a way to raise funds and balance a financial budget? If so it certainly ignores the living example given to us by Jesus Christ when he sent out the Disciples in pairs without money, but with great Faith, saying to trust in God that He will provide. The Disciples were sent out not to raise money but to spread the Gospel.
The ACoC can only expect to continue decline in membership as it has totally rejected the Gospel in exchange for “political expediency” and that deceptive term “political correctness”. Until it returns to the truth it will only continue its decent into oblivion/.
I find it a very sad picture. Without Jesus, this group looks like a cartoon carnival….but without joy or purpose. I’d rather watch the Jays than this group.
Incidentally, pity the ratepayers* of any city that felt moved to paint such rainbow crosswalks.
I’d love to see what the final bill was, for you can be sure that, as a “custom” job, it would have been very expensive relative to normal crosswalk repainting. Worse still, because fancy, less-wear resistant paint would have been used, the crosswalks will need repainting much sooner.
* Oh yeah, right, that would be me here in rural Ottawa; they did this on Bank Street downtown too. And I note the paint – with the exception of the regular utilitarian white and yellow – is wearing away quickly.
It looks like a collection of colored strips, duct-taped to the roadway.
Probably not permanent, and probably not installed by the city.
I was in London, Ontario yesterday – and passed over one and by another one near city hall. They are painted. Whether the city did them – I don’t know.