According to statistics and a recent pew sheet of my church; the Anglican Church has been in decline in the West for over 100 years. Numbers of Anglicans in Australia have also been in steady decline since 2001.
Being part of a traditional parish in the Diocese of Sydney, the challenge of growth and decline is more than just cyclical, it is generational. While the majority of the diocese has moved its worship form away from traditional setting, parishes like St Paul’s Burwood has the challenge of protecting and using the liturgy regularly while still focusing on outreach.
There is a beautiful evocation of the meaning of the eucharist here, which – I do not mean to be unkind – is surprising as it comes from a parish in the Diocese of Sydney, which is at the further end of the evangelical spectrum. Indeed I doubt if the writer’s confreres would be happy with the reference to the altar. Still: a joy to read this, and the broader message about being a welcoming, nurturing parish is thought-provoking.