Timothy Goode ViaMedia.News The Body the Church Forgot: Reimagining Sacred Space from the Margins
Phil Groves ViaMedia.News Some Things You Never Forget
The Bishop of Hereford has responded to Monday’s announcement of the Church of England national spending plans, as reported here in the Church Times.
Shrink grants in favour of funding parish clergy, Bishop of Hereford urges Church Commissioners
In both 1900 and 1915 Hereford had 352 beneficed clergy and 81 other clergy. In 1948 it had 157 beneficed clergy and 174 other clergy. In 1984 it had 98 beneficed clergy and 43 other clergy. Now, according to the CT article, it has 72 clergy (though it is not clear whether this is the aggregate number or just stipendiary clergy). I could go on at length about what I have seen in Hereford diocese, from parish to parish – I will be there tomorrow – but I would question Bishop Jackson’s claim that there is “Clear evidence that maintaining… Read more »
Then there is a lot of extra work to do to make lay ministry by volunteers a lot more of an attractive prospect and need to address the questions around regular Eucharist in lay-led parishes that are acceptable and congruent to the canons of the church.
I think the situation is a lot more complex than either you or StP claim it to be. However, I am certain that the answer does not rely on volunteers doing the work of professional priests.
I agree that volunteer ministry is a problem, partly because of the remorseless decline in the pool of likely volunteers (a problem amplified by the age distribution of the pool), and because of the effort which would need to be made in order to effect even the most basic provision relative to the time and energies of the likely volunteers. The age of the willing volunteer is perhaps behind us. So I am certainly not suggesting that there are any simple solutions. What I am suggesting is that the model of stipendiary ministry as we have known it is effectively… Read more »
I wonder if an ecclesio-darwinian future is inevitable, whether or not desirable, theologically, or otherwise?
Local churches with critical mass of finance, volunteering, ministry and mission capable of gathering and discipling new members, will continue to generate the committed giving capable of paying for stipendiary ministry. With decent leadership this can sustain generationally.
Local churches which don’t have this critical mass capable of sustaining faith, funding, full time professional and community through time…will die sooner or later (whatever the prevailing central thinking or funding)?
Thank you. I think that, based on present policy (whether on the basis of the existing financial settlement or that proposed by its opponents) will result in much the same outcome: of a small residue of ‘viable’ churches, and a vast mass of closures. It need not be this way, of course, as I have been suggesting here (and elsewhere) for many years. However, it does seem to be the most likely outcome, given that fewer than 1% of the thousands of churches where I have attended services have both an adequate critical mass and healthy age distribution. Yet what… Read more »
Hopefully John Spence’s approach to finance will soon be consigned to history. Completely agree with the Bishop of Hereford. Any coincidence that many Diocesan synod motions are appearing along similar lines now that Welby has gone?
In regard to Timothy Goode’s article: I sit on the vestry of my TEC parish and, since my wife is semi-disabled (a polio survivor), I have taken a lead role in efforts to make our space more accessible…and run into some real obstacles. First is just the logistics of dealing with a building that is 125+ years old. It was designed and built in a time when “accessibility” was an unknown concept, and the cost of making it so is prohibitive. Second is practicality. It’s more than a putting in a few ramps–because building codes require those ramps to meet… Read more »
I remember a former archdeacon of Ely describing a church where if you put ramps in for greater access, you would end up with a switchback ride.
That’s just about what we’re dealing with
I can wholeheartedly agree with your comments. As part of the re-ordering committee I spent many hours getting our DAC to agree to plans for a permanent ramp. Temporary ones were unacceptable and acceptable permanent ones would have reached halfway down the main aisle. Eventually a compromise was found.
I’m really, really grateful that for the last 24 years of my ministry I worked in a new building (built in 1996), where everything on the main floor was at ground level, and there was a wheelchair-accessible elevator to the basement. We had other accessibility issues, but nothing like what people have to deal with in older buildings.
One thing will I never forget is a gay member of synod standing up and saying she felt as through she had been ‘thrown under a bus’ by LLF and its supporters, I not suggesting that this comes under the category of murder, but she certainly felt strongly that her identity as a Christian first and foremost was being threatened by a church that she thought should protect her. I am not sure she, or those like her, ever got a clear response. Anyone?
Thank you for the link to the Phil Groves article.