A Pastoral Letter from Bishop Love
September 7, 2007
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
At our Diocesan Convention in June, I spoke of what I have come to see as a “spirit of poverty and fear” that has come over much of the Diocese, negatively impacting our ability to serve God and His people. Far too many parishes are in a survival or maintenance mode, due to limited finances and fear. As I stated at the Convention and will say again, that is not what God wants for us. Satan knows all too well our human vulnerability when it comes to money and material possessions, and he is using it against us, to bring chaos into our individual lives and to limit our effectiveness in serving God and growing the Kingdom.
What many regard as a financial issue is really a spiritual issue. With rare exception, such as a major medical emergency or loss of job, the majority of the financial struggles in our individual lives and our parishes is self-created, not because the expenses aren’t real, but because we have listened to the ways of the world and failed to trust God with our money, which in fact, is really His money on loan to us. Martin Luther once said, the last part of a person to be converted is their wallet. Unfortunately, as I look at how few people tithe, and how money is often used as a weapon, I believe there is more truth in that statement than most of us would like to think.
The world would have us believe that if you have enough money, if you live in this particular neighborhood, if you drive that particular car, if you wear these particular clothes, if you have this particular job, if, if, if”¦then you will have peace and happiness and fulfillment. The reality is, without God as the center of our life, we will never have peace. Far too many people have believed the lies of the world, and now find themselves hopelessly in debt, trying to work two or more jobs, totally exhausted, with no time for themselves or their family, and even more tragically, no time for God. Approximately 50 percent of all marriages are ending in divorce, with financial issues being a major contributing factor. More and more children are growing up in single parent families or homes where both parents are working all hours of the day and night with little to no parental supervision. Our jails are overflowing with young men and women who came from such backgrounds.
I could go on and on with an ever growing list of societal woes that are either directly or indirectly related to society’s quest for material wealth and possessions. The bottom line is, for far too many people, life is tragically out of balance. The quest for the “almighty” dollar and all that can be bought with it, rather than blessing us, is destroying us.
For our own spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional health and well being, and that of our families, it is essential that we bring balance back into our lives. To help us achieve that goal, I have invited the folks from Crown Ministries to come to the Diocese. An informational meeting about the Crown Ministry Program that I would like to see shared throughout the Diocese, will be held as follows: Sept. 10th ”“ Potsdam; Sept. 11th ”“ Unadilla; Sept. 12 ”“ Johnstown; Oct. 1st ”“ Elizabethtown; Oct. 2nd – Coxsackie; and Oct. 3rd ”“ The Cathedral of All Saints, Albany. Each meeting will begin at 7 p.m..
As your Bishop and Brother in Christ, I am asking that every active priest and deacon in the Diocese as well as the key lay leadership from every parish in the Diocese, attend one of these meetings to learn more about the program and how it works. It is my sincere hope and prayer that every parish in the Diocese of Albany will offer the Crown Ministry Ten Week Program beginning this January. Based on everything I have seen and the people I have talked to, the Crown Ministry Program is an excellent, sound, biblically based program that has a great deal to offer. They have helped countless people throughout the world reprioritize their financial affairs, learn to budget more effectively, get out of debt and come see money and material possessions as the blessing God intends them to be, rather than the curse they can become, when our priorities become confused and misguided. God has given us money to help us ”“ not to control us.
To the naysayer out there ”“ Will Crown Ministries solve all our problems? Probably not, but it is a good start. Is it perfect? No, but it has much to offer if we give it a chance. I invite you to join me, as we move forward in an attempt to bring a greater sense of balance into our financial lives.
For those who have come to trust God with their money and material possession, they have been set free of the huge financial albatross that drags so many people down, wreaking havoc and misery in their lives. True financial freedom can only occur when God is in control of our finances. Crown Ministries can help us learn how to more effectively invite Christ into our financial lives, in order that we might become better stewards of that which He has entrusted to us. I look forward to seeing you in the coming days and weeks. God Bless You!
Faithfully Yours in Christ,
–(The Rt. Rev.) Bill Love is Bishop of Albany
Perhaps the finances are in such disrepair because many in the pews do not want their money to go to TEC to support their legal war against orthodox parishes!
An excellent letter. All should read it. We always live in “tomorrow.” If only I had more money, a better job, a nicer house, or if only whatever, I would be happy. God desires us to be happy NOW and to be happy with what we have. We are to be happy with little or with much. As Americans, we spend a lot of money on “stuff” to make us happy (iPods, phones, computers, games, entertainment systems, etc.) and then spend a lot of time fiddling with the stuff in order to get the stuff to make us happy. True happiness comes, not from stuff, nor even from family. True happiness comes from God.
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
A good letter, and hopefully, a worth-while ministry. Good for Bishop Love for meeting his flock where they live & work.
I would guess giving is down not because they can’t give but because they won’t. The question then becomes – why won’t they give to the local Episcopal Church? Where are they giving their charitable money?
Crown is a wonderful para-church ministry. We are using their material in order to help us handle our cash in a Godly manner. It has allowed us to give more to our local parish because we have more funds that are not going to pay for the stuff we really don’t need. Praise God that the good bishop has a heart to help his flock understand the role money needs to play in a Christian’s life.
Kate – yes I too read it more as “you won’t give” than “you can’t give”.
So why hasn’t he looked at the reasons behind the won’t — for all it is a gracious and well phrased letter, you do get the impression of an elephant being ignored.
I am in the Diocese of Albany and I like my minister, my parish, and Bishop Love. Until the crisis in TEC is resolved, though, I’m not giving any significant money to the church on Sunday because I don’t want to support TEC.
The willingness of Christians to wise in their financial affairs and open to giving the wealth of the excess of their ‘personal harvest’ springs from their full and unqualified acceptance of the Christ as Messiah and Savior, their acceptance of God as their spiritual Father and as the Creator ‘of all that is’ and their openness to the guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
Wealth in a church comes first and foremeost from the success of its ongoing efforts to carry out the Great Commission. For Anglicans, this means that we have to bring the Message of C~hrist to people outside of our comfort zones. The primary comfort zone is the after-service conviviality of the undercroft where we all know each other and spend some pleas
Somehow, my blog entry (#8) was truncated.
I am completing that entry starting with its last incomplete sentence,
“The primary comfort zone is the after-service conviviality of the undercroft where we all know each other and spend some pleasant minutes before going our own ways.
However, the undercroft is not where we are going to find the people who need our evangelical efforts and who will respond to them by becoming part of our parishes.
This means that we have to ‘reach out’ into the community and bring people into our churches. This can be done, people are doing it and I believe that it will work in the Diocese of Albany.
Therefore, I believe, that rather than developing our financial management skills, we should be developing our Christian witness and evangelism skills.
With increased evangelism comes increased commitment and increased congregations and increased Christian giving to the ministeries of our parishes and our diocese.
#4 Kate #7 has a good comment. In the small Episcopal Church that I worship in I know of more than one parishoner withheld money from the TEC and instead gave it to local charities and food pantries where it would be wisely used.
Elves,
Please correct,
“Diocease of Albany.”
to read,
“Diocese of Albany.”
#11: first rate pun.
AS to handling the church’s money in a Godly fashion: When we were told to render unto Caesar, He wasn’ kidding. One handles the church’s money as if it were money, which for some reason it is. It is not Godliness and it is not God’s gift to the church nor is it God’s money (which I suspect He doesn’t need) It is the church’s and should be dealt with the way the world deals with money. This is the vestry’s business and, believe it nor not, it is business. Is the money to help the church prosper? Then use it that way, and spare us all the guilt trip.
LM
I believe that it would be very easy to ignore that the Diocese of Albany encompasses the vast wilderness areas of New York State.
The Adirondack Park Agency alone controls some ten million acres of land, most of it in that diocese. That translates into severe restrictions on the development and jobs where they operate. Add into that a very poor economic environment for that Northern most part of the State of New York and you get the picture very quickly. (Aside from a couple of more prosperous pockets of economic opportunity, such as the City of Albany and maybe Lake George, the huge geographic area Albany covers is actually very impoverished).
On the other hand, as I understand it, Episcopalians in the Diocese of Albany tend to be very faithful and committed to the faith. I think this Bishop needs to be commended for addressing the real issue, “The dark side of the American Dream . . . the lie that wealth solves all problems.”
Let’s face it, what he has stated could just as easily be directed toward the parishioners of almost any other diocese in the U.S.A..
My wife and I are two who left in 2003. Beyond the obvious VGR issue was the fact that we did not one nickel of what we give going to the support of the liberal diocese or TEC at the national level. Yes, one can argue about designating gifts to the local parish; but that does not work, as the funds are commingled anyway.
Here’s my suggestion. The Diocese ought to pay clergy directly. There should be a standard scale for years of service and, perhaps, the complexity of assignment. Churches that do not pay their assessment can’t call a priest. The enormous excess in the Church Pension Fund ought to be used to fund mission clergy, as this is the principal cost of most parishes today.
Leonidas, so you are punishing your minister and the bishop? You don’t like them as much as you say you do. You certainly don’t love them. “Where your treasure is….”
Dear John Wilkins (#16),
I don’t see it that way. Until the crisis in TEC is resolved there is no way to separate the minister and the bishop from TEC. Bishop Love has indicated, I believe, that the Diocese of Albany will review its status after the NOLA meeting of HOB.
Besides, I am not boycotting the offering plate, I’m just reflecting in my offering the reservations I currently have about TEC (of which my parish is a part).
If I were being truly unloving towards the minister and Bishop Love, I’d leave the church right now. I want to see what happens because in the Diocese of Albany things may work out in a good way.
[blockquote] “Besides, I am not boycotting the offering plate, I’m just reflecting in my offering the reservations I currently have about TEC (of which my parish is a part).” [/blockquote]
That has to be one of the most worldly, self-centered statements I’ve seen here in a long time. It smacks of being just another dead-beat Christian . . . claiming membership in the family, while leaving others to pay the financial obligations.
Have you ever considered becoming a Congregationalist? They have no compulsion about engaging in the sort of behavior you advocate.
RE: “That has to be one of the most worldly, self-centered statements I’ve seen here in a long time.”
Sounds like good stewardship to me. Never a good idea, I think, to support a national church that does not offer the gospel but instead offers a Trojan Horse gospel.
Look, For Bishop Love’s sake, and the sake of Leonidas, I’m just glad his brothers and sisters in Christ don’t see it that way. They support the salary and ministry of his conservative church while he practices “good stewardship.” Unless Bp Love and the priest have personal fortunes, Leonidas benefits from the generosity of others who prioritize the mission of their conservative local church over national debates.
Let’s remember the spiritual disorder around debt and spending is our Bishop’s real point.
As for folks no longer supporting or limiting their support of the local parish due to the state of the broader TEC, my question is always do they tithe to the work of the Kingdom in some other way — like Food for the Poor or such things? Otherwise, let’s face it, the state of TEC becomes just an excuse for avoiding honest stewardship.
19. Sarah.
A few years ago some people I knew were using e-mail to advocate a national boycott against select oil companies, because of their “global manipulation of oil prices.” Several of these folks were surprised when I asked them if they were hell bent on putting “George,” (a well liked local man who owned a garage/service station) out of business. Of course they weren’t. They simply wanted “to get the message across to the honchos at the top of Big Oil.” Really? And should this effort to get a message across be conducted at the expense of inflicting pain, and maybe financial disaster on the local guy, all in the name of “communicating dissatisfaction?”
In a very similar vein, I happen to be a member of a very small (orthodox) Episcopal parish comprised of less than 30 families, which wouldn’t even be open if it weren’t for our non-stipendiary Priest. He also hates what TEC is doing, but that doesn’t stop him from tithing his non-Church pension in support of the mission of Christ in the parish and the Diocese.
Trust me, the National Church doesn’t give a hoot if select individuals withhold their support, but it certainly impacts the local parish and the Diocese. I think I can honestly state that three or four “Leonidas’ ” in my congregation would spell the end of this faithful little 100 year old parish for sure. Afterall, the fuel oil bill keeps going up. But then again, so what if you have to sacrifice the family to make a point you believe in. Right?
RE: “But then again, so what if you have to sacrifice the family to make a point you believe in.”
Absolutely, Albeit. I am surprised that you would even ask such a thing. When you find something that is truly immoral, it is wrong to do it.
It appears that Leonidas believes that it is wrong to support the national church. Thus he will not do it.
Again I ask, do these people tithe elsewhere for the good of the Kingdom — clinics in the Sudan, anything? If not, it’s just a dodge and an unconverted wallet.
Albany, as one who left, I can attest that we tithe and then some, more than we gave to ECUSA before August 2003. God has 100% us. As we have dearly loved family and friends who still remain at our old parish in TEC, that’s all I wish to say, but your implication that one is using this as an excuse to give less in total is, umm, some-big-word-that-I-should-take-the-time-to-look-up.
Immoral? And turning your back on those with whom you worship every week isn’t immoral as well?
Well, based on your rational, those of us who don’t believe in government sponsored and financed abortion should refuse to pay our taxes. If you don’t like the local school administration, withhold or redirect your school tax. If you think that your health insurance company doesn’t treat people in a moral way, withhold the premium.
Likewise, you would have me help sink my parish and diocese by, both of which are orthodox and keenly forthright on issues of morality, by withholding my support? Sarah, if you’re going to toot up your commitment to principles of morality, at least be consistent and act on them across the board.
By the way, “the family” I’m most concerned about is my parish and my diocese. The Episcopal Church is much further down the list, in my book. I suspect that you have no idea of what it’s like to try living out your Anglican expression of the faith when you are but a tiny parish some thirty miles from the next closest parish. It is an Anglican’s life in isolation, to be sure.
Well, at least we’re not consumed by issues surrounding property and endowments as we read about time and again on the blogs. We don’t have much, but then again, we also don’t have any debt and no paid staff. It’s like they say, “Those who have little, risk little,” for which we are eternally grateful.
#25 I am delighted that such is not so with you. No critque will be true in every case, and it is not about offending anyone. If the shoe doesn’t fit, don’t wear it. Clearly, it doesn’t fit your foot and blessings upon you. However, it is not fair to attack the critque as unfair simply because it doesn’t apply to you. It does apply to many — and much in the same way as those who cut their pledges because they don’t approve of this or that the vestry is doing with the money. Let’s face it, it’s a real problem in parishes. There’s a type, as anyone who has done parish ministry or served on a vestry knows all too well.
RE: “And turning your back on those with whom you worship every week isn’t immoral as well?”
Not certain how not supporting the national church financially is “turning your back on those with whom you worship”.
I don’t support a lot of immoral institutions — loads of them, in fact — with money. How is that “turning your back on those with whom you worship”???
Gosh, I didn’t realize I was the problem with church finances or that I am such an immoral person.
If one doesn’t approve of what TEC is doing, is one still obliged to support them financially as much as possible?
What is an acceptable way to show concern short of leaving TEC entirely, which I have to think affects a parish most of all?
(By October this entire conversation could be moot anyway.)
28. Sarah:
I’m not certain that you know this, but some time ago the Diocese of Albany at it’s Convention voted to allow parishes to determine the disposition of that part of their Diocesan Assessment earmarked for “The National Church” would be used. A parish could elect to give it to the National Church or Overseas Missions or any of a number of other ministries.
My comments were directed at not support one’s local parish and/or diocese. In my particular instance, both are very orthodox and sound in their commitment to Christ Jesus and his Church. I suspect that, depending on what lies ahead, my parish and my diocese will face the future together. Regardless, I am absolutely certain that we will not sell out on “the faith once delivered.”
I goes without saying, we can’t do that as a parish if we no longer exist. Orthodox parishes and dioceses, no matter where they are, need support and encouragement in these tough times, and not the rod of someone’s anger in response to the actions of the National Church.