An Amherst rector and three other Episcopal priests from out of state have been nominated to become the 11th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Buffalo, diocesan officials announced Monday.
The Rev. Canon Barbara J. Price, rector of St. Peter’s Church on Longmeadow Road in Amherst since 2000, is among the nominees to succeed Bishop J. Michael Garrison, who is set to retire in 2011.
The other nominees are: the Rev. Michael N. Ambler Jr., rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Bath, Maine; the Rev. Canon Michael A. Bamberger, rector of Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Sierra Madre, Calif.; and the Rev. R. William Franklin, senior associate priest at St. Mark’s Church in Philadelphia.
Western NY experienced a disaster during 2002 through 2008 with Members down 24 percent, ASA down 24 percent, and Plate & Pledge down 20 percent when adjusted for inflation. The 4 candidates come from parishes with rather good records in these 3 stats during 2002 through 2008. The diocese is not well positioned for the future. In 2008, there were 41 of its 63 churches with ASA of 70 or less and 12 of the 41 had ASA of 20 or less. As for Money, in 2008, 54 of its 63 churches had Plate & Pledge of less than $150K which means that each “rich” church had 6 “poor” churches to help support. And for Aging, in 2008 there were 199 Infant Baptisms and 309 Burials. I don’t envy the new bishop. Statmann
Forgot to mention that there are 16 TEC churches in Buffalo and that (for large cities) Buffalo has the second highest poverty rate of 29.9 percent in the USA. Statmann