Tucked away at the end of a long driveway, partially covered by trees and multi-story buildings on Mott Avenue, is Grace Episcopal Church. It is this quiet lot, just seconds from the bustle of Connecticut Avenue and I-95, that Grace Episcopal Church has called home since 1964.
And it is here that the church may have to close its doors.
“In bold terms, we do not have enough money to last more than two years,” said the Rev. Lois Keen, pastor at Grace Episcopal.
The church’s budget is approximately $300,000, most of which is spent maintaining its aging building. Members are doing their part to sustain their church, with members giving $1,600 to $1,800, more than the national average of $1,200, but it is not enough to cover the church’s expenses. It also isn’t enough to cover additional expenditures, including needed repairs to its slate roof, Keen said.
“If none of these options are viable, Keen said she is prepared to close the church”
I hope that this turn of phrase represents the uninformed understanding of a secular journalist, and not the cleric’s understanding of her perogatives vis-a-vis continuing ministry in that place. If not, then I suspect the Bishops who have jurisdiction over the exercise of ministry would be happy to “set her straight.”
I would say that this parish is typical of many that I encountered in the Diocese of CT while I lived there–beautiful old buildings, once meaningful histories, currently aging congregations, just enough members to keep things on life support from week to week. Two congregations in the Diocese actually built new buildings while I lived there. The bishop invaded one, changed the locks, and chased away the core membership. He is suing the other for their new building.
[blockquote]Two congregations in the Diocese actually built new buildings while I lived there. The bishop invaded one, changed the locks, and chased away the core membership. He is suing the other for their new building.[/blockquote]
I think it behooves the orthodox not to get too impatient. It’s really just a matter of waiting for this decrepit organization to implode and then just moving into the buildings.
The comments attached to the article are… “interesting”.
I am glad you found the comments “interesting.” ;^)
You can read The Rev Lois Keen’s blog [url=http://ramblingswithlois.blogspot.com]here.[/url] I was curious about what the thoughts of someone in her position would be.
You do seem to like walking in lion dens, robroy.
Totally different topic, but comments of a like tone:
http://www.lohud.com/article/2009905030364
The prediction of a friend (ex-TEC now RC): TEC won’t go under but probably will dip below a million members on the rolls.
[url=http://sergesblog.blogspot.com/]High-church libertarian curmudgeon[/url]
A really consistent trend in the graph – ASA of 140 in 1997 and of just over 50 today — each year a decline on the last.
http://12.0.101.92/reports/PR_ChartsDemo/exports/ParishRPT_542009122042AM.pdf
Interestingly, the article says none of the churches founded by the Apostle Paul are still around…..Hmmm, I can’t recall if he “founded” the Thessalonian community, but it did get a letter or two and IS alive, alive-o. Same for the Romans, other ancient communities have their descendants from those communities. The article doesn’t mention that the groups who actually *teach* what Paul *taught* aren’t dwindling. They are always new. As C.S. Lewis wrote, all that is not eternal is eternally out of dare. It lends a little staying power. Worth a try, whatever the location.
With about $100,000 in Plate & Pledge (2007) and a budget requiring about $300,000, the parsih must be drawing down its Trust Funds at a rapid rate, as implied in the article. I would suggest closing NOW and giving the remaining funds to the poor. No need to give the funds to Bishop Smith as he will sell the property. Statmann
The militant GLBT lobby no longer needs The Episcopal Organization in Connecticut, since the passage of Gay “marriage”. Look for declining support and continued hostility toward any vestages of genuine Christian faith. They may keep one or two of the TEO folks around to parade in the media when needed, but that’s about it. Mission accomplished, time to move on to some new social barrier and destroy it. I predict a big push to lower the age of consent and to relax laws against sex in public. Both of these have historic and international precedent. I am praying to move out of the state, as God leads and provides employment. I am tired of living in a moral cesspool. Oh yeah, Wicca is enjoying a revival here too.
What no infusion of persons since the ECUSA/TEC/GCC/EO-PAC went into hyperculturalafiliation mode? Paging VGR! Paging VGR! Surely a visit will resolve this minor problem. Apparently the people haven’t heard …………………………………. or aren’t buying.
Did I read that correctly, members are giving $1,600 to $1,800 per year? Is that all?
Jeffersonian wrote:
[blockquote] I think it behooves the orthodox not to get too impatient. It’s really just a matter of waiting for this decrepit organization to implode and then just moving into the buildings.[/blockquote]
Of course we are impatient – souls are being lost, and the money from the sold buildings (which can be sold to anyone but orthodox Anglicans) is used to perpetuate the apostasy.
#14, I believe the article meant $1600 – $1800 per person per year.
Karen,
Yes, I got that – hence my astonishment. We teach tithing in my congregation…
In Connecticut, the buildings are not being sold. They stand empty, no longer used by the orthodox who used to worship in them, not able to be used by anyone else, a financial strain on the Diocese. Meanwhile those who have moved on are meeting in school gymnasiums and doing quite well, no longer having to pay lawyers to fend off lawsuits, and no longer having to pay expensive maintenance on beautiful but OLD buildings. The Diocese of CT now gets to do that.
The one exception is St. John’s, Bristol, which has a rump congregation, half its previous pledge and plate, and a Diocesan supplied Vicar rather than a Rector. Loyalty has its rewards. They did get the privilege of having KJS pay them a personal visit.
If you go to their website, you will find a link to a slideshow entitled [url=http://www.photoshow.com/watch/UU7jD4tC]”Remembering Trinity,”[/url] in which one will see photos of a now empty building–almost as if the congregation had been mysteriously kidnapped. It is perhaps significant that what is remembered is the building. The people, including many former members of St. John’s, now meet in an [url=http://www.holytrinityanglican.net/index2.html]elementary school.[/url]
Isn’t Lois Keen one of the bloggers over at preludium who is predictably in lock-step with Mark Harris? …and wasn’t the Rev. Dr. Cynthia Black the dean of a failed cathedral (mostly a lesbian activist/photographer, and a kinda, sorta dean) also at the helm of a dying church? WHAT do these have in common? They are loud proponents for the “New Thing” of progressive/liberal Anglicanism. Problem is, that they can’t sell it in their own communities…and yet they push for its widespread endorsement all over TEC. Seems to me that those who preside over deaths of churches should just be very silent as to their opinion or their strategies. Just be quiet.. really.
Be they don’t.
…sorry.
That should be “BET they won’t.”
Re: #6
Ah, yes, Lois Keen has a blog. Why didn’t I guess that immediately. The failed dean of Michigan (Cynthia Black) had her lesbian activism and photography. Lois Keen has her own pursuits…including a blog site.
It is beyond me how a person can be riding the hearse each day of their professional clergy life (presiding over the demise of their own parish), and have time to go on jaunts or hammer away at their own blog. I think that all of my free time would be hitting the streets and compelling people to come in. (Hanging out in coffee shops won’t cut it. Churching the unchurched is hard enough when you have a message, much harder when you don’t have one and don’t look different than the culture. No. Her place should be among the de-churched. Anglicans that dropped out. Look for THEIR need. Oh, that’s right, THEIR need probably isn’t pansexuality and liberal revisionism). It must be that Lois Keen, like so many others, doesn’t really believe her own message so she doesn’t sacrifice much for it. Why is it again that we should ALL adopt this New Thing?