'Large, viable remnant' wants to continue as Episcopal congregation

Episcopal News Service ^ | Tuesday, December 19, 2006 | Mary Frances Schjonberg

[Condor 63]

The 30 or so members of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Heathsville, Virginia, who opposed a recent vote by the majority of the congregation and the rector to join the Anglican Church of Nigeria say they want to continue as the Episcopal presence in their community.

"We are prepared to continue to operate St. Stephen's as an Episcopal Church, and I think we have people who will agree to accept leadership positions and to continue to carry on the work of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church," said Dawn Mahaffey, one of the people who voted against what some members are calling "the secession."

Sandra Kirkpatrick referred to that slowly organizing group as a "large, viable remnant."

Their determination comes not without some pain.

[VOA]

In my church, volunteers keep the place clean, mow the lawn, and
pitch in to handle any maintenance that needs done (including
roofing, plumbing, etc.). Thirty is more than enough to handle the job.

This isn't just about liberal Episcopalian churches...
but the average age might be so high that they couldn't afford
the Aleve needed to do the jobs.

And maybe they're top heavy with retired college profs and other
elites that wouldn't know how to start a lawn mower.

I've seen a few congregations like that around town.

[Grampa Dave]

-- The Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg is national correspondent for the Episcopal News Service.

She may have trained at the same school were the NY Slimes's drugged out lying homosexual, Jayson Blair trained. This headline of hers shows mental problems with reality: "'Large, viable remnant' wants to continue as Episcopal congregation/"

How can 30 members or so (is it even 30) make up a large viable remnant?

Their total monthly pledges probably couldn't pay the utility bill at this church.

[AnAmericanMother]

EGG-xactly!

[Condor 63]

How can 30 members or so (is it even 30) make up a large viable remnant?

Large & viable is Libspeak meaning not everybody. Large & viable doesn't have to be even close to a majority just enough to say there were plenty of correct thinkers - just not enough to suit their purposes.

Kinda like the Red State/Blue State malarky.

[EDINVA]

when I started to read your post, I thought maybe my husband had posted it! You have the same exact take on the organizatin that has replaced the church of your youth.

[BnBlFlag]

Episcopal Church Ping!

[AnAmericanMother]

You may be an Episcopalian if . . .

. . . you think people go to Hell for using the wrong salad fork.

[AnAmericanMother]

LOL!

We joined the Catholics. All the fun, and adult leadership too!

[hinckley buzzard]

Why would a church of 30 pay to have the lawn mowed?

Because they are all over 70 years old and their arthritis is too bad for them to be doing that sort of thing. Plus, they are used to paying others to do their manual work.

[hinckley buzzard]

from the pulpit and from everyone connected with the leaving-the-Episcopal-Church-side that there is one way, there is one truth and that they know what that one way and that one truth is… that anyone [who] believes, says, [or] accepts the idea that anyone could find truth in a religious life any way except through Jesus Christ in this particular narrow revelation of him is not a Christian."

Exactly right. So what is the big deal? All pagans, please meet at the door. The busses are now loading for Anaheim, Azuza, and Cucamonga.

[Kenny Bunk]

Hrey Dave thanks for the new tag line idea!

[Grampa Dave]

Check my new tagline out with a little modification.