[WARNING: the following post may be dangerous to one’s mental health. The panoply of unbelievably large figures in it may also cause one’s eyes to glaze over. For those who cannot wade through it all, here is the bottom line:
The Episcopal Church (USA) has spent, and further committed (in its adopted budgets) to spend, a total of $42,675,466 on suing fellow Christians in the civil and ecclesiastical courts over the first eighteen years of this century. When one adds in the estimated additional amounts spent by individual dioceses on such litigation, the total amount exceeds Sixty Million Dollars.
Can’t believe it? Well, then, read on — you have been warned.]
As ever, totally beyond comprehension.
Once again, I copy and forward Haley’s material to old and conservative Episcopal friends, and, once again, they ignore the facts.
Meanwhile, our tiny ACNA parish continues to support our small town’s outreach needs and our staunch friends in South Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania in the awesome efforts to win souls for Christ.
Personally, when we vacation, in ME and in the Caribbean, we cannot find “clean” congregations we can readily get to.
“Come, Lord Jesus…”
Essentially, like in the corporate world, what is happening is a hostile takeover of a once-Christian denomination. Like any hostile takeover, the acquirer uses the assets of the target organization to pay back the litigation costs of acquisition, and then liquidates the acquired organization, keeping what it wants and selling off the rest. It doesn’t particularly care about what happens to what it sells off, as long as it does not become a threat to it. So it is not surprising that instead of letting Christians continue to use former church assets, it will sell them off for other uses and then use the proceeds to fund its own goals.
Church resources have likewise been expended against the denomination and individual dioceses by defendant parishes and clergy…surely making the sap against the vitality of the once vibrant denomination even that much greater…
#3–That Satan guy is pretty smart.
This will be a warning to future generations, so do not think it is all wasted.
The church is also re-learning the value of the work done without big money, and relying instead on small groups, congregations and individuals.
Luke at No 1, the faithfulness of your congregation will not return without result, even if it is hard to see now. Keep up the good work and a mighty harvest will be reaped. The best foundation for the church has always been small faithful congregations.
#2 I really like your corporate imagery describing what TEC is doing. I like it particularly because that is one place, I believe, TEC went off the rails, and a long time ago. Sometime in the early part of the 20th century (like the 1920s), the Episcopal Church decided it would no longer use the family as its image of the church, but rather the corporation.
Well, friends, we are reaping what was sown then — in spades. May God lift the blindness from our eyes. May God give all of us the courage to bring the sinful deeds of the past to the cross of Christ for healing and redemption.
5. Oh, we see God/Christ/Holy Spirit at work all the time. Today, half of our small group journeyed to Covington, KY to share services and a potluck lunch with a church that struggled to begin about the same time. Our server was a co-chalice bearer; I rec’d a birthday blessing for my 83rd tomorrow.
Through very hard work on the part of their priest/rector, who is a full-time chaplain, as well as rector, they now have 55 on the rolls! We, with our 20, support them financially in various ways, and provide encouragement in various ways. What a joy it was for us to be there today to see the goings on in a parish we’ve helped birth.
In July, they’ll visit with us. We’re about an hour away, up river.
Come, lord Jesus…encourage us on our path.
Sue the Bishop and make her pay it back. Teach the next ones to leave it alone or get their theology in line.