Voting for new pastor?

[Paidiske]

Effectively, yes. A federation of parishes sharing a single budget and unified resources, but with the ability of member parishes to restructure their relationship with the federation if their condition changes.

Well, I guess they kind of have that in a combined parish anyway. I mean, it would need to be negotiated at a diocesan level, but that oversight is probably healthy anyway.

 

[The Liturgist]

Well, I guess they kind of have that in a combined parish anyway. I mean, it would need to be negotiated at a diocesan level, but that oversight is probably healthy anyway.

Indeed.

And I think you perhaps might see what I object to, which is not your combined parish situation, but rather a scenario like Mars Hill. And correct me if I am wrong, but I feel like Mark Driscoll could be described as antithetical to you in terms of the effort you put into pastoral care, liturgy, respect for individuals, respect for your community, etc, vs. the notorious scenario that ultimately blew up in his face, but unfortunately there remain many other megachurches like that, including I think a few in Australia.

 

[Paidiske]

Look, I don't know Mark Driscoll, I only know about him from various sources. He's not someone I find sympathetic to my understanding of ministry, but I'm reticent about criticising someone I don't know. I think it's fair to say that the ecclesiology expressed in a church like Mars Hill doesn't fit my understanding of a healthy church. I don't think that's necessarily about church size - I think it's possible to be a large church and be healthy - but that takes intentionality that we don't always see in practice.

 

[The Liturgist]

Look, I don't know Mark Driscoll, I only know about him from various sources. He's not someone I find sympathetic to my understanding of ministry, but I'm reticent about criticising someone I don't know. I think it's fair to say that the ecclesiology expressed in a church like Mars Hill doesn't fit my understanding of a healthy church. I don't think that's necessarily about church size - I think it's possible to be a large church and be healthy - but that takes intentionality that we don't always see in practice.

It’s not the large church I object to but rather the specific concept wherein one megachurch has smaller satellite “campuses” and these basically function as glorified cinemas in which the sermon of the pastor at the central church is broadcast on a larger screen.

There are several churches with large congregations that I quite like, for example, most cathedrals, Anglican, Catholic or Orthodox, as well as other denominations, for example, Park Street Church in Boston, which is a Congregationalist parish with a very large congregation. But all of these have in-person clergy, and indeed most have a multitude of presbyters, so there are enough, depending on the church, for multiple services, concelebrated liturgies, or for pastoral care for the large congregation.