May I wish my readers a happy new year! And, as popular custom dictates, I shall make my last post of 2008 a mini review of the year past- with a tiny prediction for the year ahead. The prediction will touch on church and parish! It is only fun- and I am in no way attempting anything scholarly or robust. But for what its worth -here are my thoughts. Lets get the gloomy one out of the way first!
The Anglican Church
2008 was a total disaster for the Anglican Church. It is impossible to find positives. The Schism finally arrived in America as several Dioceses split from the Episcopal Church in disgust at the continuing loss of orthodoxy there. This development could have proved positive…except that those breaking from the heretics have chosen to take with them a few heresies of their own! (women’s ordination and lay celebration). Thus the end result is a confusing mess in which neither faction can actually claim to obedience to the faith of the Apostles. We simply have two different varities of pick and mix. That said- the emerging one is vastly more Christian than the body it is leaving!
Add to that disaster the Lambeth Conference. Some came, others refused to take part. Everyone talked – but none were allowed to decide. The whole thing descended into farce much to the amusement of the watching press. Oh and it left debts running into millions of pounds. It is hard to dispute that Lambeth 2008 was largely pointless, very expensive and a PR nightmare.
Synod. They met. They did not listen. They did not understand. They made nonsensical decisions. They broke their own promises. They made assurances they have no intention of keeping. They confused feelings of guilt and shame -as a feeling of pain on our behalf, they ignored the Archbishop (but then who doesn’t)….and in so doing they did their best to bundle faithful, orthodox Christians out of the Church of their birth. A disgrace. But an expected one given that the C of E, by creating Synod, handed decision making to a group of untrained volunteers.
2009. Promises much of the same. It is fair to say that none can guess the development of the New American Province. It could yet decide to choose orthodoxy and grow in grace and truth….or just become a bizarre, confused offshoot united only by a hatred of homosexuality. I fear the latter. Still no matter how bad it becomes it can only remain better than what was left behind – which is frankly sinister in its refusal to stand up for the faith. But neither will prove terribly attractive to orthodox Catholics…of that I am certain. If forced to choose at present – it would be like opting for hemlock over cyanide.
No Lambeth Conference-phew! But Rowan will need to find cash to cover those costs. He therefore needs to be nice to Schori- (the American Primate with loads a lolly) which will plonk him on the side of the liberals. This will, I predict, lead to many African provinces allying themselves to the emerging American province and thus accelerating a split in the church worldwide. By refusing to lead Rowan will render himself utterly impotent. It will prove very messy with Evangelicals in England begining an exodus…and in all the infighting I guess we Catholics will fall down the middle…a largely forgotten sideshow unless we are careful. (That may be no bad thing in one way- as we will be left alone! Continuing to look to our own bishops and networks and simply getting on with things on the ground!) But before we get too happy -2012 looms before us and a Code of Practice will not do
Synod will continue to pretend a Code of Practice works. We will continue to explain it does not. They will continue to ignore us. Then they will (laughably) be genuinly surprised when it fails becuase we are unable to accept the legal validity of a female Diocesan. We will thus begin to plan (I hope) for two eventualities. With structural provision (unlikely) and with the dreaded Code (v. likely) and we will continue to look to our fine Bishops for guidance. Beyond 2009 and I think two factions will begin to open up within Anglo-Catholocism. There will be those who leave and those who stay…..’when’ ‘where’ and ‘how’ are the more interesting, vital and currently unanswerable questions.
S. Barnabas’ Parish
2008: Aside from the glorious worship, devotion and communal life here- 2008 saw the birth of this blog! It also saw the birth of a new youth group and preschool for S. Barnabas’ parish. We raised (and largely spent) over £150k developing a new playground, car park and getting the proposed community centre past the planning phase. Internally and we finished redocorating Lady Chapel and high altar and passed our Quinquennial. And those are just the things I can think of! Overall it was an industrious and hugely successful year. We really moved forwards with lots of hard work. Well done to all involved! Whatever may be happening elsewhere- God is blessing S. Barnabas’ church, parish and people.
2009 More of the same I hope. With God’s help we will find the elusive suitable Director of Music and curate. In the new year we will launch a mini build phase on the hall. Creating new doors onto the playground and replacing the windows. (financed through an LEA grant) We will push ahead in earnest raising funds for the main building project (which will prove harder now the recession is biting). We hope to replace all electrics in church -and if possible – re light the entire building. (This is vital as the electrics were condemned under the qiuinquennial) We will continue to live out our faith in joy- and hopefully continue to grow as a congregation. My personal hope is that people will really committ to Sunday attendance- that the ‘once every fortnight’ crowd might become an ‘every week’ crowd….then we can work on daily Mass!! But most of all we will offer prayer and praise to God.
So in conclusion I expect only mess, pain and confusion from the Church of England at large- but joy, growth and reward from the parish on the ground. And whatever happens- we know God goes with us and he never abandons those who love him. Keep the faith my friends, it is a fascinating time in which to be Christian. And with our mutual love and prayers- I have no hesitation that the suprises, in the long run, will ultimately prove glorious for all faithful and orthodox followers of Christ! He never said it would be easy- only worth it! And to my fellow blog writers a proposition- another meet around the time of the February Synod? Just a thought….
