The Anglican Church of Canada is very shy about how many people attend its churches on a Sunday: there have been no attendance statistics since 2001. Even in 2001 or in prior years, the average Sunday attendance is not mentioned, rather the total members on the parish roll is given. Since I still receive a paper copy of the Niagara Anglican – a moment in the month that I have come to cherish – I have an uneasy suspicion that I am still on the “parish roll” of a Diocese of Niagara church.
The figures are almost certainly inflated, perhaps grossly inflated.
According to statistics published here, in 2001 there were 641,845 people on parish rolls. The total number of clergy was 3591.
In 1961, the church’s heyday, there were 1,320,649 on the parish rolls and 2380 clergy.
I’m surprised no-one has noticed this before, but, as the number of clergy increased by 150%, the number of laity decreased by 211%. Church membership is varying inversely to the number of clergy: far be it from me to concoct a spurious causal relationship, but it’s hard not to come to the conclusion that the clergy are driving out the laity.
This isn’t as surprising as it first might seem. If orthodox faith is to be found in an Anglican Church of Canada parish, the last place I would expect to find it would be in the clergy; lay people in numerous parishes are busy praying for the conversion of their leaders. Seminaries churn out sceptics rather than Christians, bishops complete the process by weeding out candidates whose faith miraculously emerges intact from seminary and, of course, scour the continent for “married” gay candidates in order to solidify their credentials as non-homophobic.
What’s the solution? Fire all the clergy – beginning with the bishops – and start again with missionary priests from Africa.
Once I received a curt note from the Brandon Cathedral that I was being removed from the rolls. Apparently they do that every ten years or so. Using that logic I am probably still on two other ACoC churches lists.
Statistics don’t lie, statisticians do.
Maybe people aren’t buying what the ACoC is selling.
A tree is known by the fruit that it bears, and the tree that bears bad fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire.
I just returned from visiting relatives in Alberta, one who is a recently retired executive in the petroleum exploration business. At the height of his career, he received an annual salary close to seven figures. He is what we would all call, a rich man.
Although not raised within a church, he found his way to the Anglican Church about 20 years ago when he started to investigate his Anglo roots. Although he did not tell me that he tithed, his elderly father hinted that to me, which should have put him on most clergy’s “top ten VIPs in my parish” list. We know that this should not entitle him to special privileges, but we would be fools not to say that in most parishes, it likely would have. I assure you that he is a good man who would not take advantage of that.
This recent visit, he told me that he has not worshipped in his Anglican Church for some time now because of the various issues at work in the Anglican Church. The straw the broke the camel’s back was when his much loved pet dog died, an injured stray he rescued off of a highway years ago. He wanted to sit quietly alone in his church building to grieve.
When he arrived at the church, the priest said that he couldn’t let him in because, the priest needed to go away to a meeting and had to lock the doors and he did not want to leave anyone alone in the church. “Not just for five minutes” my relative pleaded. “I will close the door behind me when I leave.” “Sorry, no can do” said the priest. My relative walked away and never returned taking his enthusiastic faith and chequebook with him.
He was willing to overlook the ordaining of active gay priests because he knew that the Church has been doing that for quietly centuries. He was willing to overlook the blessing of same sex couples because he was divorced and he knew that was sinful on his part. He was not willing to overlook a career-orientated priest who put a meeting with his peers over the pastoral care of a parishioner even if was just over a funny looking stray dog that he once showed compassion to.
I note that Saint Johns Anglican Vancouver is now squeezing in a third service on Sunday mornings. They can’t keep the folks from coming to church.
I’m sorry to hear about the story of your relative and his dog, Saskatchewan Lutheran Farmer. Clearly that priest was wrong. I worship at Christ Church Cathedral in Montréal, and I’m absolutely certain that the response of our clergy here would have been different. The Anglican Church in Québec has its own challenges, and they have very little to do with orthodoxy or lack thereof. The clergy here is extraordinarily dynamic and active at all levels of the community. You will be in my prayers.
My family has been in the Anglican Church for centuries and I have very fond memories of attending the small church that I grew up in. My father was the Warden and my mom grew up in the Rectory. Unfortunately I have to agree with the statement of how Liberalism does separate the Church goers from Bible believing Christians. Many things that goes against Biblical teaching has slowly entered the church ranging from divorce to same sex blessings. How can we entertain these ideas? If the church is not following the Bible what is it following? It is very sad to see what this great heritage has become. I left years ago and found a Bible believing church. I actually really didnt leave the church it left me.