![\"\"](\"https:\/\/anglicansamizdat.net\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2019-10-26_140843.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Since 2001, the average Sunday attendance in the Diocese of Huron has been declining at a rate of 3.13% per year, so the new bishop has an interesting time ahead of him.<\/p>\n
It will come as no surprise that his sympathies align with his predecessor, Linda Nicholls. On his Facebook page we find this:<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/anglicansamizdat.net\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2019-10-26_140707.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
You can read all about his views and vision for the future here<\/a>. Those with the stamina to wade through the clich\u00e9s and boilerplate will discover that Townshend thinks he has too many white English-speaking people among his parishioners. Imagine the outrage if he had said \u201cblack\u201d instead of \u201cwhite\u201d. \u00a0He is himself white and speaks English \u2013 well, Canadian, at least so unless his first act is to resign, it seems to be a case of the pot calling the kettle white.<\/p>\n I would go so far as to say that the \u201cflock that is Huron\u201d suffers from a painful lack of diversity when compared to the Anglican Communion world-wide. In terms of language and ethnicity, most churches in our diocese are more \u201cwhite\u201d and \u201cenglish\u201d than the Church of England! We can cherish parts of that heritage but we\u2019ll be much better off if we can insist on transforming our communities, wherever possible, so that the proportion of \u201cwhite\u201d and \u201cenglish\u201d is better balanced by a more prominent place for the presence of our indigenous sisters and brothers and, generally, if we make a strong move towards a rainbow of colours and the sound of many languages (and music!) in our churches. This would better reflect the genius of God\u2019s human population and the creative potential of \u201cdifference\u201d in the Christian body.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Since 2001, the average Sunday attendance in the Diocese of Huron has been declining at a rate of 3.13% per year, so the new bishop has an interesting time ahead of him. It will come as no surprise that his … Continue reading