The call has gone out to help save a local church dating back almost 150 years.
The All Saints Church in Lawrence is one of five Anglican churches in the Maclean parish.
All Saints warden Terry Bird said the Grafton diocese had ordered a review of Maclean Parish and wanted one, possibly two, local churches to close.
“As in many other country dioceses, the Grafton diocese has requested the Maclean Parish review the number of centres and reduce the number by at least one,” Mr Bird said.
This is indeed a tragedy. Beautiful historic churches in rural areas are being closed. But let’s be clear about the origin of this trend – this diocese and many others have tolerated liberal teaching among their clergy and bishops. It is a poison, a slow-acting poison to be sure, but nevertheless deadly.
Liberal teaching, whether by John Spong or the latest trendy liberal theologian, always leads to withering, dying churches, the same as what we are seeing across swathes of the Episcopal Church in USA.