[The] Rev. Nicholas Holtam has smoothed over many conflicts in his long career as an Anglican vicar. Before he leaves his central London parish this month [to become the Bishop of Salisbury], he wants to bring peace to one more group of warring factions: the Pearly Kings and Queens.
The “Pearlies” are no street gang. They are groups of mainly aged “Cockney” Londoners who sew mother-of-pearl buttons on their clothes in lavish designs and sing sentimental pub songs. Begun in the 1870s by an orphan London street sweeper, the Pearlies are mostly known for raising money for charity.
But all is not well in their world. Their ever-dwindling ranks have splintered into three factions. Years ago, a feud over finances caused several Pearly “families” to split off from the Original Pearly Kings and Queens Association to form a new group, the London Pearly Kings and Queens Society.
Is this the extent of news from England – that a bishop wants to settle a local dispute?
I think it is admirable.
Actually Michael it is one of the things Bishops after all need to be skilled at …conflict resolution ..given the lack of unity within the ranks at present!
There is another yet to installed Bishop, Justin Welby, the new Bishop of Durham. who has been a superb Dean of Liverpool and is to be installed as the new Bishop of Durham in October.
Justin is a former oil executive of some distinction, and has had extensive experience in conflict resolution over many years, especially with local inhabitants in the Niger delta who were understandably very suspicious of some of the motives of the oil companies drilling there.
During his ministry at Coventry Cathedral prior to coming to Liverpool, he was actively involved in exercising ministries of reconciliation, and helping others to do the same…forgive me if I am wrong, but wasn’t God in Christ reconciling the world to himself, or am I just imagining that?
Rowan Williams has asked him to mediate in several disputes during his time at Liverpool. Shouldn’t a Bishop be skilled in this area especially today and isn’t the best place to do it at the local level?
He has just been appointed to the 4th most influential episcopal seat in England without any prior experience as a suffragan.
A very brave move which I think is truly Spirit inspired and I know that many in Durham are very excited at the prospect of Justin leading mission and church life forward in their area.
#1: Nick Holtam is one of the driving forces in the pro-gay Inclusive Church” group. One of the canons of Salisbury Cathedral is in a “civil partnership”. If you think Holtam will help with “conflict resolution”, I have a bridge to sell you.
Regarding Durham Diocese, it would be helpful to have some statistics to ascertain whether Anglicanism grew or declined during the years of its last globetrotting prince bishop, Tom Wright. I wonder how he considers his years there, now he is back in academia.
The stats I’ve checked from the internet indicate Durham diocese declined dramatically (the worst in England) in church attendance under its liberal evangelical bishop Michael Turnbull:
‘usual Sunday attendance’ 1989-99: -28%
but decline in ‘average weekly attendance’ 2001-09 was 4.7%
London grew 8.7% in AWA 2001-09.
Southwark grew 3.6% in AWA 2001-09.
It wiould be interesting to know where and why the growth has happened:is it to do, e.g. with growth of HTB churches, All Souls, St Helen’a Bishopsgate, Co-Mission churches or increased cathedral attendance?
kmh1, that’s okay, I know who Holtam is. Yet one more of Rowan Williams one-eyed liberals.
Its just that the event in this article just seemed rather a non-event. Like “bishop greets parishioners at bake-sale”….!
kmh1, re your #4, given the rate at which Co-Mission et al, are planting churches, I don’t think the answer is hard to find!
#5: my reply in #3 was meant for #2 – sorry, my mistake.
I think there are some indications from England that cathedrals are seeing increased numbers. I wonder if this is from people in declining ‘middle of the road’-high congregations. Cathedrals can usually offer good choral worship for those who like that style, but usually not much in the way of youth work or old fashioned fellowship and pastoral care.
kmh1
I think you make some salien points but this is not the case on a Sunday morning at Liverpool Cathedral if the service I attended recently is indicative of what happens on a weekly basis there, which I think is the case.
A choice of two services at the same time – a traditional choral eucharist attracting 150 or an All age contemporary creative worship service aimed at younger families which since its inception less than a year ago has grown to about 50-60 each Sunday.
The coffee and fellowship after the service was very warm, although I cannot comment on the longer term pastoral care during the week etc
There is work to be done in the youth sector that is for sure.
I cannot speak for other Cathedrals but I did meet a very disffected charismatic-leaning evangelical who had been hurt deeply elsehwere and was finding it a safe, healing haven for the time being. She may not be an isolated case.
knmh 1..I have been intending to comment on your statistical evidence and will do so shortly.
PM has commented elsewhere about the lack of statistical evidence re non-Sunday worship attendance, and this does need to be done, but there are probably many more in Durham Diocese who do not attend on Sunday, but are involved in other worshipping communities. I am surprised you were unaware of this as it has been a source of serious discussion for about a decade now.
I shall discuss this more when I have time as I need to go out for a while.
“…there are probably many more in Durham Diocese who do not attend on Sunday, but are involved in other worshipping communities. I am surprised you were unaware of this as it has been a source of serious discussion for about a decade now.”
If you mean Anglicans who don’t go to church on Sunday but do on other days, I think the figure must be – “probably”! – quite small. I am well aware of this “serious discussion” among CofE statisticians. If you exclude compulsory school groups, funerals, home groups, carol services etc, I would be surprised to learn of many who attended a mid-week communion but didn’t show up on Sunday as well. If you have other stats, I’d be glad to hear of them. We must be wary of attempts to massage figures.
#8: “I did meet a very disffected charismatic-leaning evangelical who had been hurt deeply elsehwere and was finding it a safe, healing haven for the time being”.
Charismatic-leaning evangelicals – I speak as one myself! – are often “disaffected” and “deeply hurt” – it’s what keeps Vineyard and other churches going!
(with apologies to kindly Vineyard folk who *don’t bruise easily!)
kmh1
Never fear..I can play “disaffected” with very the best of them lol.
I have this recurring nightmare that so disaffected might I become that I might end my days in a Co-Mission type church plant up here in the North! Because I guess that is where they are heading next!!
As for Vineyard, I heard Eleanor speak (the first time I had heard her speak) on the main platform at New Wine last year and she something else altogether…no wonder they have had, and are having such an impact.
And yes…it is thanks to the many “Ive had enough of this lark” Anglicans in their midst…but…if we don’t give them what they need to grow and thrive as Christians and remain amongst us…why shouldn’t they go elsewhere…I for one don’t blame them at all.