The Rev. John H. Poole of St. Philip’s says, though, he’s not focusing on potential gain that could result from a schism in the Episcopal Church. His emphasis is on evangelization and attracting more people, especially young families, who are unchurched or are interested in a conservative, Bible-based, liturgical community, Poole said.
“I feel there are people searching for the truth,” he said. “We certainly are welcoming of any Episcopalian that might want to come looking for a lifeboat….
Poole, who became a priest a year ago, had been a deacon in the Episcopal Church for a quarter of a century before leaving the denomination.
“I was looking for a more stable, historical faith,” he said.
The former ironworker from upstate New York said he found what he was looking for when he met Bishop Walter H. Grundorf – also a former Episcopalian – of the Anglican Province of America.
“It renewed my faith,” he said of the religious community with congregations scattered throughout the country.
This story is not untypical for groups that join one of the splinter Anglican bodies in North America–a small, aging congregation worshipping in rented quarters or a small chapel tucked away in a neighborhood, and trying to figure out how to attrack younger people to a traditionalist form of worship with a male hierarchy. That the APA should have only 6,000 members after thrity years of existence does not suggest high prospects for future growth. And this congregation is in the Central Florida heartland of conservative Anglicanism.
Is this a typical rite I church?
Bob, my TEC church only has about 8 members who regularly show up, after 112 years of existence. That doesn’t suggest high prospects for future growth either, does it? We’ve lost about half our membership after each of the last two general conventions.
Dear Bob,
Hence the need for the splinter groups to come together as one body. If a second jurisdiction existed – it could merge the splinters breaking off from TEC parishes – In Pinellas Park they would have 1) a minister and 2) appears to shortly have a building. The orthodox need a leader who can build an institution. With just the REC, APA, AMiA, CANA, other African jurisdictions, Southern Cone churches, and any additional TEC parishes and Diocese that are prepared to make the break – a critical mass is forming. TEC is in what appears to be irreversible decline. Prescience was the fury that Pandora kept in the box – outside of TEC their can be hope for Anglicanism in North America.
Bob, there is an APA church (St Barnabus) in suburban Atlanta that is 250 to 300 folks. It is a beautiful church, well-kept and maintained. They do use the 1928 PB and the old ways. I’m still in TEC, as I have been for 60 years, since birth. But I went to a funeral at St Barnabus a few weeks ago, and it was like walking back to a time before 1970. Very refreshing and worshipful. Very devout (not just because it was a funeral – this was not a sad funeral). You can downplay it all you want, but APA it is definitely an option out of TEC (as I suspect the other continuing churches are).
Billy, whereabouts in the Atlanta suburbs? I’m in Marietta, and might give it a go sometime.
In Dunwoody, on North Peachtree, right next door to St Patrick’s Episcopal Church.
Gracias
I’ve been thinking that these 1928 Prayer Book congregations should link up with a CANA/Southern Cone congregation and have the traditional service at 9:00 or some other time. The thing is, a lot of young folks would become more interested in the traditional worship as they age, so they wouldn’t have to change congregations/denominations as that happens. It would help if there were a unified orthodox province to facilitate that, of course. And the ever-present WO issue would probably be a mess if the new entity were pro-WO. But, that would be a way to be a viable ministry.
As I travel around the country, I do find Episcopal congregations of both reasserting and reappraising stripes that are growing. The common denominator seems to be the energy and enthusiasm of the leadership, lay and ordained.
Good homiletics and zeal for evangelism and mission seem to feed growth in conservative and progressive congregations that I visit.
Reason,
Not a bad idea.
APA and Bishop Grundorf certainly seem to be distinguishing themselves among the Continuing jurisdictions. Long before the currrent crisis in ECUSA they found a way to begin the process of merger with the REC. Bishop Grundorf seems to be the only continuing bishop to understand fully that both the evangelical AND catholic aspects of Anglicanism are essential. APA (and REC) are also the only two continuing jurisdictions, as far as I know, who have shown any interest in merging with Common Cause and the newly emerging orthodox Anglican province in North America. The more I learn about both Bishop Grundorf and the APA, the more impressed I am. He seems to be the single continuing bishop who sees the “big picture” and isn’t pre-occupied with salvation through haberdashery!
As a native Floridian and current resident of central Florida, I would just like to point out that Tampa/St. Pete are in southwest Florida, not central Florida, neither by diocesan boundaries or by the traditional geograhical distinctions of the “locals”.
We left TEC April 2005:
http://www.christchurchxp.net/templates/cuschristchurchxp/default.asp?id=33995
Chris,
Go to the Federation of Anglican Churches website – I think their are other continuing churches at least interested in the possibility. The Diocese of the Holy Cross seems interested as well (not a “continuing Church” form the 70’s though.)
Bob,
Actually, St. Philips is atypical for the APA. It has been through some difficult times in the past, which obviously have affected its size. John Poole+ has only recently arrived.
If you go to the website of St. Mary the Virgin, Delray Beach, FL or St. Mark’s, Vero Beach, FL, or St. Paul’s, Melbourne, FL, or St. Alban’s Cathedral, Oveido, FL, or St. Barnabas, Dunwoody, GA or St. Michael’s, Charlotte, NC or (my parish) All Saints, Mills River, FL, or All Saints, Charlottesville, VA you will see examples of what has been accomplished. The average congregational size for an APA parish stands at about 100; not much to brag about, of course, but also no smaller than the average size of an Ecusa parish.
As for 6,000…yeah, not much. But considering we had been reduced to around 1,000 in 1995, we’ve not done too badly since then. Of course, it’s hard being so counter-cultural 😉
Warmly,
Fr Mark Clavier
Dean of the Appalachian Deanery
Anglican Province of America
Father Clavier,
I can not agree with you more. We are REC (your partners in this fun we call ministry) and we have frequent (at least bi-monthly) joint services with several of the APA parishes in Maryland. You can certainly add St. Pauls in Crownsville (Bishop Loiselle’s Church) to the list of “larger” APA churches. They will be hosting you guys next year at your Diocesan Synod (the new building should be done by then-Lord Willing). The APA seems to have “figured it out” on how to combine growth with maintenance of standards. I have found all of the APA priests (and the two sisters from Florida) I have encountered to be great servants of the Lord. (this includes Fr. Gordon Anderson in Florida who used to be up here in the Maryland area). I met Bishop Grundorf and several others (maybe including you, I don’t remember everybodies names-sorry) at the joint APA/REC convention in Orlando in 2005.
You remain in our prayers as you continue to serve the Lord.
Chip Byers, Holy Trinity REC, Fairfax VA
Fr. Mark,
Aye, God is indeed doing a “new thing”. Thanks.
bl