A local Episcopal church announced Sunday that it has indefinitely suspended all worship services and day-to-day operations due to financial problems attributed in part to declining numbers.
St. Paul’s Church at 903 Main St. will no longer hold Sunday services or Sunday school. The church’s officials and congregation are currently in talks with the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts to determine what to do next.
“St. Paul’s is facing some financial challenges as well as congregational challenges,” said Tracey Sukraw, director of communication for the diocese. “So worship services as well as day-to-day operations have been suspended.”
Sukraw said one problem is that congregants are divided over how to solve the financial problems.
This is not very surprising. From 2002 to 2008 Members fell fom 400 to 150, ASA from 160 to 50, and Plate & Pldge from $70K to $40K. My guess is that this suspension of services will become a permanent one. Statmann
Yay, Statmann. Keep up the good work!
Well done, Statmann. I am afraid that circumstances like this parish is encountering will become more prevalent as TECUSA goes farther and farther from Christianity. Alas, there are not many faithful left in TECUSA.
#3,
Hmmm, yes and no. Yes, the grim fate of this church is undoubtedly symptomatic of many more dwidndling TEC churches like it in the future. That’s a very safe bet, given the relentless decline of TEC over the last 40 years, a severe decline now accelerating in many places.
And yes, [i]”there are not many faithful left in TECUSA.”[/i] But as your own +Mark Lawrence has pointed out, there are almost certainly more faithful Christians left within TEC than are in the new ACNA (and I say that as someone in the ACNA). It’s easy to feel all alone out there. Rather like the prophet Elijah, who thought he was the only faithful prophet or worshipper left in Israel. And God had to encourage him, [i]”There are yet 7,000 who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”[/i]
David Handy+