Church of the Holy Comforter
Dear Friends,
This past Monday I was sorry to learn that your rector, The Reverend Chuck Reeder, has tendered his resignation effective October 1 and that simultaneously the members of your vestry have also resigned effective October 1. These actions follow soon after a meeting I had with your rector, wardens, and treasurer on August 8 during which I was informed that The Church of the Holy Comforter is currently facing significant financial challenges. These difficulties, I am told, stem from the fact that 42% of pledge income to the parish is currently being withheld by members of the parish who are unhappy with The Episcopal Church””members who, as it was explained to me, have no intention of contributing to ministry of The Church of the Holy Comforter so long as it remains a member of The Episcopal Church.
During that same meeting, I explained to your parish leadership that our Diocesan Canons have a provision by which my office will work with the leadership of any parish that is so “imperiled” to thoroughly assess the situation and to develop a viable plan for the future of the congregation. Over the past several weeks, my office, working with your Senior Warden, John Bosio, began taking steps to put that process in place. Subsequently your rector and vestry decided to resign. Even so, you should know that this process of assessing the life of the parish and developing a plan for recovery will continue to move forward under the direction of my office. For those of you that have concerns about the buildings and property, they belong as always to the Episcopal Church, and I am committed to seeing that the Episcopal Church continues to exercise its ministry in that location in the days and years to come. Moreover, your parish leadership has graciously expressed their intent to work with my office to that end without engaging in any disputes over the ownership of property. For their thoughtfulness and good will, I am indeed grateful.
You should know too, that although they have already tendered their resignations, your wardens and vestry have stated their desire and commitment to cooperate with my office to provide for a smooth transition as we identify the steps that will be necessary to provide The Church of the Holy Comforter with new pastoral leadership and guidance in the days ahead.
Over the next week, I will be in conversation with your rector and wardens to identify the specific steps and the timetable for the upcoming transition. Just as soon as that work has been done, you can expect to hear directly from me. To that end, I have scheduled a parish meeting for Thursday, September 6, at 7:30 p.m. at The Church of the Holy Comforter to update you on the situation and to outline the next steps that will be taken to reorganize and redevelop The Church of the Holy Comforter.
Although I am indeed saddened to know that some members of your congregation have expressed a desire to leave The Episcopal Church, I trust that they do so in good faith and out of a heartfelt desire to respond faithfully to the call of God in their lives. I want you to know that I continue to hold those individuals in my prayers and to ask God’s blessing on them in the same way I hold all of you in my prayers during these difficult days.
Just as The Church of the Holy Comforter has had a wonderful and vibrant history of ministry in the Broomfield area and in The Episcopal Diocese of Colorado in the past, I am confident that it will continue to do so in the days ahead. I am committed to working with you to that end, and, as always, I am confident in the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit working within us and among us to bear the fruit of God’s purpose in our lives. For now, God’s peace and blessing be with you. I will look forward to speaking with you soon.
Yours faithfully in Christ,
–(The Rt. Rev) Robert O’Neill is Bishop of Colorado
That’ll hold them on stun while they figure out who to sue.
I don’t know anything about Bishop O’Neill, but this sounds like a very gracious letter and I pray for all concerned that they are able to work things out without resorting to legal action.
[blockquote]For those of you that have concerns about the buildings and property, they belong as always to the Episcopal Church, and I am committed to seeing that the Episcopal Church continues to exercise its ministry in that location in the days and years to come.[/blockquote]
I am surprised the bishop didn’t type this this sentence in bold face.
Not true. The property valued at 3.4 million (but in reality is apparently worth much less on the open market) has a 1.6 million dollar mortgage. Thus, the property belongs to the bank.
The meeting was last night. I wonder how that went? We go through the motions, again. Finding a few octogenarians who are willing to stay Episcopalians and then the farce that yet another church has not left the TEC.
I’m sure the good bishop realizes that there are many more to come and has piles and piles of cash to cover the expense of holding on to empty buildings. Not to worry, all is wonderful in TEC.
In the areas of the countries where churches still have significant debt, it is often harder for the diocese to hold on to the property than it is to “sell” it back to the parish. Most dioceses are facing financial issues right now and can’t afford to “keep” congregations which are not self sustaining. While I appreciate Bishop O’Neil’s letter and the spirit with which it was given and I pray that Holy Comforter does become viable again, I doubt that this will happen because if 42% of the people are made enough to withhold all money, I suspect that more that 42% will join the “new” congregation that Fr. Reeder will undoubtely start.
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
I believe that dioceses like CO and VA that are trying to hold onto these megamillion parishes are going to be bankrupted by the costs or end up selling the buildings for ten cents on the dollar.
If the property belongs to the Diocese and/or TEC then let them pay for it and/or maintain it.
Ecclesiastical pride prevented the diocese of Colorado from selling the property to the departing congregation 20 years ago, and that property eventually became “The Church” night club where partiers revel in being able “to get nasty in a church” and the altar is said to be used as a bar. If the bank dictates terms of the sale, perhaps the departing congregation will be able to purchase the property.
It’s all Gene’s fault. At least that’s what some people say.
Prelude to waging reconciliation?
{Sigh} from either side of the divide, it’s still sad.
I agree that this is a gracious letter, and I also think that the resigning rector and vestry deserve credit for the own graciousness.
I don’t believe that many of these churches fit what with those that can afford them want, the modern mega type churches are looking for modern buildings that are large and efficient or modified to fit thier needs. In many ways these churchs are white elephants.
42%. Mercy. I wonder how often this is taking place in churches about which we know nothing because they are below the radar. If 42% of their income disappears, then a 1.6 million dept would seem to be intolerable, even if the church has a substantial endowment. I wonder what the real market value of a church like this is? In today’s market, it cannot be much, and its tax value tells us very little about it market value. Could we have been a fly on the wall, we would be listening to a church commit seppuku.
LM
Larry,
When I served in the Bay Area of California I helped complete a merger. We ended up with a spare building. In the late 90’s it was insured for several million. We were happy to finally unload it to preschool company for $500,000. We had a preschool use permit so no hassle for them. The neighborhood would have fought us selling it to a developer.
On the open market, Church buildings are not worth what people think they are.
Md Brian
While we have time, let us cast lots for this Dude’s vesture. It’s seamless.
I am not being sarcastic when I suggest that some badly overdue image adjustment has begun.
Well I wonder how long this $1,300,000 mortgage will be held by the diocese before they decide to get rid of it??
I was at the meeting the bishop held last Thursday at Holy Comforter (I’ve been pretty busy and am just getting to the blogs tonight).
O’Neill made a statement that sums up all that the revisionists are to me. He said “God is always doing something new,” I presume to try to explain away what those of us who are striving to be faithful to Biblical Christianity are doing. I guess that he didn’t remember the part about God being the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. God wants us to do something new with our lives, to abandon our worldly lives and live for Him.
Also interesting to note that O’Neill used Col 3:1-4 for meditation, then skipped down to verse 12. I guess that verses 5-6, about the wrath of God and other Old Testament stuff, is too inconvenient.
No Plainsparson it is not all “Gene’s fault” – it is the obvious result of what happens when a Church once known as the Republican party at prayer gets hijacked by new age leftists. Gene merely brought clarity to an increasingly bizare situation. The gay rights agenda will be seen as the bridge too far.
I believe there are at least six churches in that Colorado diocese which have simply closed in the past year or two [ I think two were in, interestingly, Colorado Springs ]. O’Neill used to be more or less “normal” until he drank the Spiritual Kool Aid.
Juandeveras, one of O’Neill’s first official action was to vote to approve the ordination of VGR. This is not normal. I would describe him as a traditor. Now, after he repents can he return to eccleisastical normalcy or do we take the Donatistic hardline of all the voted such? Probably a moot question, because he will never repent.
O’Neill is what Sarah Hey would refer to as a “stealth” liberal trying to fly under the radar.
robroy wrote:
[blockquote] one of O’Neill’s first official action was to vote to approve the ordination of VGR [/blockquote]
That is incorrect. The ninth Bishop of Colorado, William J. Winterrowd cast the vote from Colorado for Gene Robinson.
JimS