Right on the back of a really great 'feel good' story comes this saddening (and concern-making) piece:
The Church of England's Chichester diocese has placed a temporary moratorium on recruiting as a response to the diocesan finances having 'deteriorated'!
The diocese is looking to the BOPs (Bum on Pews AKA congregations) to dig deep to overcome the situation and although the person quoted (Rural Dean of Dallington, The Reverend Stan Tomalin) tells us that (at the current rate) the unrestricted funds would be gone by the middle of next year, he also says that it's 'not a crisis'!
Nope, apparently that will only come if things don't improve markedly over the next twelve to eighteen months. So to help balance the books there will be no appointments made until November (at the earliest).
That's the troubling news out of the way.
Now comes the bizarre piece in that the (many) articles on this all quote Stan as saying:
"It hasn't yet got to the point where we have to justify each and every post - although that may well be not far off”.
I would have thought that no one appoints without being sure that the post is justified - or am I being insanely naive here?
Diocesan Secretary, Angela Sibson, adds a bit to the story with the quote:
"... the diocese is examining its financial position rigorously as a matter of good housekeeping, recognising the financial challenges ahead and that it has to keep a close eye on income and expenditure."
Colin Blakely (editor of the Church of England News) told the BBC that the CofE was facing some serious problems as numbers attending declined. he pointed to diocesan mergers and a membership in terminal decline (what would you call 125,000 members - which is what they predict in 2057 - from the current 1.25 million today?)
Would all senior clergy please make their way to Decks 'A' and 'B' where help is needed re-arranging the deckchairs.
All together now:
Nearer my God to Thee . . . . .
Nah - Our Lady hasn't sung yet - this is all far from over and rumours of our demise have been greatly aided by some poor money management, vision, Golgafrincham mentality and a desire to make the Church look like the world!
Still be of good cheer - Sunday's coming (and He is risen indeed!)
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