To gain a better understanding of boosting rural churches amid falling congregation numbers the Church in Wales is urging people of all ages and backgrounds to get involved and have their say in shaping the future of rural churches in their communities. - Powys County Times
Commentators may have their say but will anyone be listening if what is said is not what 'progressive' Anglican bishops want to hear?
One newspaper report claims that a witch, Harmony Nice, has so many devotees on social media she is outdoing the Church of England. She boasts "more than one million followers on YouTube and Instagram combined, compared to the church’s 335,000."
The archiepiscopal diocese of Swansea and Brecon has dabbled there but with entirely different results.
In 1996 the Church in Wales claimed a membership in excess of 91,000. Regular Sunday adult attendance slumped to just over 26,000 in 2018 and probably lower when the 2019 figures are published.
In their attempt to become more relevant to society, parts of the Anglican Communion have departed so far from the Christian message that they appear more akin to an arm of social services.
A highlight of the Church in Wales 2020 celebrations is a visit to the Welsh province by the Archbishop of Canterbury, described by The Conservative Woman as the 'Archbishop of Woke' who 'slanders his own flock' after he apologised for the Church of England being ‘deeply, institutionally’ racist.
The Gospel message is no longer good enough for progressive Anglicans.
The result can be seen in the above photographs published by Mail Online in 2013:
"The photo on the left shows St Mary's Church in Cable Street while the photo on the right shows worshippers gathered for Friday midday prayers outside a nearby mosque in Spitalfields, both in East London.
"What these pictures suggest is that, on current trends, Christianity in this country is becoming a religion of the past, and Islam is one of the future."
Postscript [19.02.2020]
From A Badge of Disgrace: The Fall of the Boy Scouts
"Right now, too many churches, Christian colleges, even businesses are dangerously close to making the same mistake [as The Boy Scouts of America]. They're so desperate or fearful -- or both -- that they're willing to water down who they are to protect the small space they're standing on. There's just one problem: the gospel's truth isn't up for negotiation. And in their rush to soften the blow of its confrontation, some believers are selling out their identity as followers of Jesus."
But there are flourishing churches, even in Wales! This is Highfields, Cardiff - not necessarily a place where I'd feel comfortable (not that I've ever been), but clearly doing "something" right to have two services like this each Sunday morning: http://tiny.cc/1o75jz. And I can think of other thriving churches such as Penarth Baptist Tabernacle, Bethel Pontyclun, Ararat Whitchurch. It's not all doom and gloom.
ReplyDeletePP. I agree with Baptist's view. There are several examples of thriving churches across denominations. As for the CiW, perhaps a different style of worship, outreach might help.
ReplyDeleteBut if we look at the effort of CiW during this current Dennis flooding, we can see some good examples of CiW Churches in the Monmouth and Llandaff dioceses getting sleeves rolled up and helping.
Today the churches need to diversify be more enterprising in communities. Newport Cathedral is a good example, look at the community initiatives happening there, its homelessness project, opening hours, etc. Then Pontypridd St Catherine's another excellent project.
Arguing over litergy, methods of eucharistic administration. The Church needs to be seen, active in communities.
We need to flag up the positives going on, not bash the Bishop's.Some my disagree, but we are the Church after all, arnt we? So, the doom mungers are arguments so vital or partially to blame for shrinking members.
"shrinking members"?
DeleteNo. They are just small because they are old, and young people are taller. They are not actually shrinking.
No, no, no, no! No more trendiness; and less social activism and more piety needed.
ReplyDeleteRob
Maybe Wilberforce should have spent more time at Mass and less on silly campaigns?
DeleteThat's right Rob - you stay happily ensconced in your ivory tower where you are less of a liability. Leave the Lord's work to us.
DeleteLast to Rob from La Sophia
DeleteI thought my deliberate use of 'piety' and my old friend La Sophia's misunderstanding of it would get people going. It would pay them all to consult a dictionary definition. And, yes, Evangelical Ed, I do wish silly campaigns to be avoided. The campaigns of Wilberforce and the like arose as a result of their faith, not despite it.
DeleteRob
Rob bach, I was thinking of the dictionary definition as I was writing, and how you have become confused between piety and self - righteousness. So much of the elder brother from the Prodigal son about tou in your words, and I daresay your actions too. Druan.
DeleteLa Sophia
DeleteAre you a lady? You write like one.
DeleteFra Angelico
Thank you for thinking of the condition of my soul. What particularly indicated se!f righteousness? so that I can avoid it.
DeleteRob
Fra Angelico - why is my gender in question? You come across pretty confident for a sexist imbecile. Down boy.La Sophia.
DeleteMy personal impression is that community is lacking within some parishes, and that position in the ‘hierarchy’ is of paramount importance to many.
ReplyDeleteShould a person be deselected from the PCC,it is taken as a personal insult.
And then there is the flower arranging,when someone may claim to always be responsible for a certain location in the church, and similarly “ I always clean in front of the altar!”
This all means that a newcomer becomes quickly aware that they might be wise to serve time in the background.
Or leaves, realising that newcomers aren't really wanted despite the "All Welcome" sign outside.
DeleteMy experience on the whole wasn't 'that community is lacking within some parishes', because many of them had a very real sense of community; but rather that the community was essentially inward rather than outward facing.
DeleteIn that there was no significant interest in the community beyond the congregation except to seek to extract money from them via fund-raising events; and while newcomers and neophytes alike were very welcome, that welcome was conditional on their acceptance of 'the way we do things here at St Gertrude's' and even quite mild suggestions in support of any change were routinely greeted with an indignant 'they've only been here ten minutes and they want to take over'. Such things have a discouraging impact on initiative and enthusiasm!
But perhaps you had just that in mind when you alluded to "position in the (parochial?)‘hierarchy’" being "of paramount importance to many".
George Congar said on Anglican Unscripted 576, as he lamented on the lack of 'spiritual heft' of the Bishops he had served under said, "Part of the failure of Anglicanism in this stage in its life is the failure of the episcopacy."
ReplyDeleteWhat should be the jewel in the crown of being in the genuine and historic apostolic succession is the spiritual authority and authenticity of our bishops.
Instead of looking for those who are exuding spirituality and wisdom in teaching the orthodox faith, we look at gender and sexual preference among other base considerations in appointing our leaders. Sad to say what we have is technocrats, over-promoted women and those who have rejected orthodoxy for the spirit of this age.
The future very much depends on a fundamental change of personnel on the bench. The next 5-10 years will be make or break if it isn't too late already. Am I wrong in saying it looks like Anglican Essentials Wales has fizzled out already?
Very well put, Whamab. I would add, also by members of the Governing Body of the CinWs in recent years.
ReplyDeleteRob