|
The
Future of the Church - 'Lean and Keen' |
It is
extraordinary how time flies because it seems only yesterday
that we welcomed Captains Margot and Ian Walford to the
Fakenham Salvation Army Citadel. I have enjoyed their
friendship and support for 5 years and now going to Stamford
to take up a new post. With new Captains coming from King’s
Lynn, Jeff Smith, the Methodist Minister retiring, and a
new Pastor at the Baptist Church – it’s all change in
Fakenham.
Over the years I
have had very good relations with clergy from other
denominations, and here in Fakenham it has been a very
special time as we have recently created ‘Fakenham Churches
Together.’
What binds us
together is a love of God and the wish to promote the
Gospel. But we know that all major denominations are seeing
a dramatic decline in congregation numbers. The recent
statistics Clergy Diversity Audit shows that all
churches are declining in numbers, and that the Church of
England is actually doing better than many dominations in
keeping numbers at church, although even we have seen a
dramatic decline in the last 10 years.
Where are we
going? I believe that as the country is coming to terms with
the changes from the recent Budget, also all churches will
have to come to terms that they can’t live in the style of
the 19th century and survive.
I know that as a
stipendiary minister, with a final salary pension, and a
beautiful 1850 listed 4 bed roomed Rectory that I am a dying
breed. Never again will there be so many paid clergy, and we
are going to have to rely on non stipendiary and part time
clergy to pay our way.
Over the years I
have tried to make sure that every church in my care
actually lives within its budget, does not borrow and make
the best of everything that God has given it.
Coming from a
family of 4 children, with my parents paying school fees,
and holidays to finance, and mountains of clothes to buy, my
parents had to be careful and make sure that every
opportunity was used. From a teenager I used to have a part
time job and gradually began to buy my own clothes and to
care for myself. This experience I have passed on to my
children who likewise have been very careful in how they use
the resources.
I believe that
the recent Budget, and the financial crisis hitting many of
the churches will be actually a good thing in the long run.
The sale of over large Bishop’s houses, the use of lay and
non stipendiary clergy and the maximising of local income
will be very good for the church. For too long we have been
‘fat and happy’ and living on past income and resources.
Finally I leave
you with a true story of a daughter who fell out with her
father because he would not give her any more financial
help. So she left home, found a job in a local shop and
worked her way up to head office and became manager of the
Oxford Street branch. After marriage, she and her new
husband sold their house in London and bought a hotel on the
Isle of Wight. She puts her success down to her father
saying ‘no’ to any more loans or gifts.
The days of
loans and living off money we have not earnt have now gone.
It is going to be painful for the country and for the
church. In the case of the church it will be leaner and
fitter in the future and may just start to create priorities
and targets that actually mention Almighty God.
Adrian Bell
|
