How innocent am I?

[trooper]

This could get complicated, but to make a long story short...

My parish is going to be without a regular priest for about six months. So, we requested a meeting with the Diocesan Canon Missioner to discuss what we should do to have someone fill in. I must be really innocent because I expected some real help from the powers that be. Instead, we got a lecture on fundraising and some cheerleading on how to not let the church go to pot after 6 months of supply priests. In other words, we're on our own.. hope it works out for you.

I am so mad I could spit. We have an obligation to the Diocese to support their needs (financially), what obligation to they have to us? Besides a visit from the Bishop once every three years, what have they done for us? Even if you subtract the money thing, my Bishop barely knows that my congregation exists. Maybe he should be writing pastoral letters to us (see Paul) or counseling my priest, or SOMETHING.

There was a sense that while some congregations have enough money to survive a priestly sabattical, we do not. So, what about the apostles and folks "sharing all that they had equally." There is something inherently Un-Christian about this whole set up.

Is this how other Orthodox Churches handle parish concerns? And if not, how can we change it?

I am really disillusioned.

HELP

[Father Rick]

This could get complicated, but to make a long story short...

My parish is going to be without a regular priest for about six months. So, we requested a meeting with the Diocesan Canon Missioner to discuss what we should do to have someone fill in. I must be really because I expected some real help from the powers that be. Instead, we got a lecture on fundraising and some cheerleading on how to not let the church go to pot after 6 months of supply priests. In other words, we're on our own.. hope it works out for you.

I am so mad I could spit. We have an obligation to the Diocese to support their needs (financially), what obligation to they have to us? Besides a visit from the Bishop once every three years, what have they done for us? Even if you subtract the money thing, my Bishop barely knows that my congregation exists. Maybe he should be writing pastoral letters to us (see Paul) or counseling my priest, or SOMETHING.

There was a sense that while some congregations have enough money to survive a priestly sabattical, we do not. So, what about the apostles and folks "sharing all that they had equally." There is something inherently Un-Christian about this whole set up.

Is this how other Orthodox Churches handle parish concerns? And if not, how can we change it?

I am really disillusioned.

HELPWelcome to the world of Church politics...

It should not be this way, but sadly it is sometimes.

[Father Rick]

BTW... there are some other options to having 6 months of supply clergy.

While I know it's not the first choice, there can also be prayer services held instead of a full eucharist. There can also be a "deacon's mass" which uses pre-consecrated elements.

You might want to check with some of the other parishes near you to see if any of them have a deacon they can 'lend' you sometimes.

[gtsecc]

In some diocese it is that way.
It is not that way in all dioceses.
God will provide, even if you bishop does not.
But, I am beginning to see the bishop as extremely important, so I think you have a real problem.
I can offer my prayers, and tell you to not be afraid.
God really will work it out.

[benedictine]

I thought that a parish had to have an episcopal visitation once every year, rather than three?

[gtsecc]

Once every three years?
You should get the Bishop at least every other year, and the Suffrigan Bishop in the between years - at least.

My parish has had 3 this year from the regular Bishop:
Confirmation (Preached)
Mandy Thursday (Sat in the big chair)
Easter (Preached/Celebrated)

[TomUK]

We had an exceptionally long interregnum ( spelled something like that) and were totally reliant on the kindness of retired Priests living in the surrounding area.

[SirTimothy]

We're in an interregnum, at present, too. However the Dean of the Cathedral is organizing everything, for which we're extremely grateful. We've found a couple of the supply ministers ourselves, but the Dean is dealing with all the rest.

Timothy

[UberLutheran]

...and something which worked very well for us was to arrange for the use of an interim pastor from our area synod's supply list. He was our interim pastor for eighteen months -- and actually, he was one of the greatest and most effective ministers I've ever encountered!

We would have offered the pastorship to him (and we did), but he let us know at the beginning that he had a terminal illness (liver disease) which he eventually died from after we had called our permanent pastor -- and we also named our education building after him!

So, that's a suggestion I can offer which worked for us.

[trooper]

It is really horrible that this so many of you have gone through this, though I suppose that I feel a little better just hearing from you. My innocence has gone and I still think that this is a horrible state of affairs for Christians to be in.

Bummer....

[Bonifatius]

Hi Trooper and all!

I can perfectly understand your situation. We are currently facing the same situation.

We are just a small chaplaincy in the middle of continental Europe and therefore in C of E terms totally out of the way. We were very lucky to have a priest here from the Church of South India (a member church of the Anglican Communion) for serveral years who worked for a German mission society and took our services. But this priest and his family will go back to India in November and he will not be replaced.

So we got in touch with our Bishop and he sent his Archdeacon to talk to us. The result of the talks were more than discouraging. The outcome was like: we like you and are happy that you are here, but we can't help as long as you are not able to pay your own priest full time.

It is very difficult for us as we only have about 35 people on the electoral roll which does not give us the financial potential to pay a priest full time. But the next Anglican churches are more than a one hour drive away, and the local Old Catholic priest is willing to help but certainly will not be able to take more than one service per month.

So we feel a bit lost and unsure about our future - all prayers from your side will be most welcome!

All the best
Tom (Bonifatius)

[trooper]

Tom,

Prayer will be offered. A lot. Please feel free to reciprocate. This is the example that we need to show the un-beleiving, that we are a family that takes care of each other. Let's start a movement!

Lord, Have Mercy.