Anglican mammon

Some years ago I attended what was supposed to be an ecclesiastical pep talk by the then primate, Fred Hiltz. As I listened to him with drooping eyelids, it occurred to me that his delivery, reminiscent of Marvin the Robot, was not amenable to inspiring enthusiasm in others. Eventually, though, the archbishop’s eyes lit up, the voice became almost animated, the arms began gesticulating with excitement. “This is better”, I thought, we are about to hear that revival has broken out against all the odds. Perhaps someone had come back from the dead after prayer.

Alas, no. Someone had donated $160,000 to the church.

Nothing inspires activity and passion in the ACoC so much as the prospect of acquiring or losing money. Hence, with a looming $1.6 million deficit, Archbishop Linda Nicholls has appointed a committee to find radical solutions for accumulating more lovely cash.

From here:

A draft 2022 financial statement initially shared with CoGS, intended to be presented by the financial management committee, shows General Synod with a $1.6-million excess of expenses over revenues. Meanwhile, Nicholls said, statistics show the church’s membership is aging and declining. Cultural shifts in Canadian society and a newly redefined relationship with the Indigenous church, she said, also demand new ideas.

“Every organization needs to ask itself periodically whether the framework for the life of the institution is helping or possibly hindering its professed mission,” she said. The new committee would therefore be tasked with bringing recommendations to CoGS and to General Synod in 2025 to address these needs. Nicholls said it would be composed of theologians, bishops, clergy and laypeople “with a mandate to listen well and offer creative, lifegiving solutions—even radical solutions.”

5 thoughts on “Anglican mammon

  1. You know I joined St John’s (Shaughnessy) in 1982 & after the 2002 split in the Diocese Of New Westminster was the start of a process that now has ended the condition of the Anglican Church almost unrecognizable from what it was when I’d first joined was a very charming & romantic, stable, old-line denomination very much a staple in mainstream Canadian society. The Anglican Church that -I remember is almost gone. Both the 2 Canadian & American Provinces being suspended & the Archbishop Of Canterbury visiting both the Canadian & American Provinces for the 1st time in history & these letters in the Church Narthex or Nave about things showed to family members became upset. So, my last name if Payzant was respelled from Paisant am Norman French Huguenot & we landed on Jersey Island in 1740 joined St Helier’s Church Of England & then the brand new St John’s Lunenberg in 1753 is how far back our roots go in the Anglican Church. Our Church joined a New Province called The Anglican Church Of North America took the Diocese to Court over a Deed on St John’s (Shaughnessy) in 2002 at Granville & Nanton (W28th) only to lose thus leaving the building & moving to Oakridge Adventist Church as St John’s Vancouver. We’re now (Conservative, Orthodox, Evangelical, Anglicans). What a lot of labels never heard of such talk in 82 was just a really well running Church with Regent College influence from UBC. Well, what am I in all of this never heard the words ‘Liberal’ & ‘Conservative’ before? Met some interesting persons there as years went on. But one day was this older man I’d had an interest because he was so old & still rode his bike to Church but stopped at about age 90 or so is so good to see older persons that are still able to get around. Well, one day after Church was either the 11am or the 10am replacing the 9 & 11am. Walked into the Lobby & saw the man sitting down sensed there was something wrong asked, “Is he ok”, only to be replied back from the Organist, yelled, “John, leave”, went over to another staff asked the same question, replied also, “John, leave”, as well. Well, I will leave is the last straw. Talked to old friend Street Priest Matthew Johnson about all this said, “These Staff are doing this behind the Priests’ backs & you should mention this…”. I did & contacted Rev James Wagner Pastoral Care at St John’s Vancouver. Another guy I knew had the same thing from Church Staff too asked, “Why…?”, said, “It’s because I don’t -have enough money is what it’s all about…”. My mom’s family are Portuguese Roman Catholics attend there too like him.

    236-818-5135 John Payzant

  2. Maybe, for all I know, God might’ve allowed this to happen to get me going more according to His Will get a lot out of where I am now have had persons come up & comment, “John, what’s happened, you look like you’ve had a buiden taken off of you…”. Or, “John, you look so good, what’ve you been doing…”. Or, “John, when you first came to St Patrick’s Catholic Church 2 & 1/2 years ago you looked so sad but now you look so good”, is what I’ve had said to me.

    236-818-5135 John Payzant

  3. Next to “mammon” is the on-site incitement of the ‘Palestinian’ cause – two state final solution; culminating in three letters to the Prime Minister and Global Affairs Minister about an IDF disrupted Palestinian cell IN an’ East’ Jerusalem Church, and the January 3/23 toppled gravestones in the Protestant Cemetery. To date: no response. Why would there be when between their combined attack on true Christian voices of all Denominations they are proving to be its unrelenting enemies. Yet they all invoke “international law” as their ultimate authority. Archbishop William Temple, in his March 23, 1943, address to The House of Lords invoked Holy Writ as The Church of England’s Supreme Authority for the Ingathering of Israel to their Biblical homeland; ratified in international law by Balfour/San R’emo (April 25, 1920).

    • The silence of the nominal Christian Churches in Canada before and during the Shoah (1930-1945) has transmuted into anti-Israelism. How ironic it is that they are silent now about Federal and Provincial Government persecution of their flocks protesting to defend their rights and freedoms against the tidal wave of Cultural Marxism Even more ironic that ‘Rebelnews’ is preparing a documentary ‘Save The Christians’ to give them their rightful voice in the public square. Support for this project will help it to tell the story the MSM and the complicit Churches are suppressing. Shalom.

      • The International House of Prayer is invoking an + Isaiah 62 Fast for Israel’s 75th Anniversary on May 14, 2023/5783; The ACC, UCC, PCC and RCC are holding a forum on “advocacy” for ‘Palestine’ at St. Paul’s, Trudeau Foundation connected U of Ottawa on April 27 – one week after Israel’s April 18, 2023 Holocaust Memorial Day, and two days after the April 25, 1920, San Remo anniversary, the spirit of the November 2, 1917 Balfour Note was ratified under International Law by the Mandate delegated to the United Kingdom

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