Some Episcopalians cut back donations

The parishioners are responding to support for an openly gay leader

BY ALBERTA LINDSEY

TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

January 17, 2004

Some Virginia Episcopalians, angered by actions the denomination has taken in support of homosexuals, are showing their displeasure by cutting back on donations and pledges. Giving to the Diocese of Virginia, the largest in the Episcopal Church’s USA, is about $230,000 short of the dioceses $4 million-plus budget for 2003, said the Rt. Rev. Peter James Lee, the dioceses bishop. In addition, pledges for the 2004 year are running about 18 percent behind last year at this time, he said. The Rt. Rev. David C. Bane Jr., bishop of the Diocese of Southern Virginia, said church members pledges are coming in slower than usual. Churches pledge to the diocese based on what members pledge to their churches.

A great deal of our budget is being prepared with a pencil instead of a pen, Bane said. We have set priorities as best we can, but there probably will be a couple months before we will know what we have. We are continuing with our mission and ministry.

At the Episcopal Church's General convention last summer in Minneapolis, the Rev. V. Gene Robinson, an openly gay priest who had been living with another man for 13 years, was confirmed to be the bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire. Lee voted for Robinsons confirmation. Lee said at the time that Robinson was selected by the people of New Hampshire, who knew he was gay. Lee said he thought he should respect the Diocese of New Hampshire's decision. Bane, on the other hand, voted against Robinson’s confirmation. Lee and Bane lead dioceses that are largely traditional.

They do not bless same-sex unions and do not ordain noncelibate gay or lesbian priests. Still, they have received phone calls, e-mails and comments from parishioners angry over the general convention's confirmation of a gay bishop. William H. Goodwin Jr. denied a rumor circulating in some Episcopal Churches that he and his wife, Alice, are withdrawing a matching grant they gave the Virginia diocese in 2000 to start new churches.

The Goodwins are members of St. Stephens Episcopal Church’s in Richmond. Goodwin said yesterday that he and his wife pledged $5 million to the diocese to be paid over five years. We will honor our pledge.

We have always honored our pledges, he said. We indicated at the time that we might pledge another $5 million. We probably will not renew that. We don’t necessarily agree with the bishop on his vote to confirm Robinson.

Some churches are telling parishioners to write on their checks if they do not want their contributions to go to the diocese or to the Episcopal Church’s USA, said the Rev. John A.M. Guernsey, rector of All Saints Episcopal Churches in Woodbridge. Restricted money will be given to mission work, he said.

We will still give away 43 percent of our budget. We are not withholding  money from the diocese and spending it on ourselves, Guernsey said. This is not aimed at Bishop Lee personally. People just have strong feelings of grief and disappointment with the way he voted, Guernsey said. Lee said he hopes no churches split from the denomination.

The American Anglican Council, a conservative organization within the Episcopal Church’s, may provide an alternative for unhappy Episcopalians. It’s a network of

churches that will support one another, Lee said. If people don’t want their donations to go to a diocese, Lee hopes they will look at other ministries where they can continue to participate with conscience.

The council is a part of the Diocese of Virginia and the Episcopal Church’s, said the Rev. Jeffrey Fishwick, rector of Christ Episcopal Churches in Charlottesville and a council member. One thing the council is looking at, Fishwick said, is to have a church pick a different bishop if they don’t like the views of their current bishop. Christ Episcopal 2004 budget will stay the same as its 2003 budget, which is $725,000, Fishwick said. Staff is not getting a raise. We have done well in

previous years.

There are good seasons and not-so-good seasons he said. St. James's Episcopal Church in Richmond also will keep a flat budget for 2004, said the Rev. Randy Hollerith, rector. Money pledged to last years $1.4 million budget is still coming in, he said. I’m hoping we will be no lower than that, Hollerith said. Fewer than 10 families have left St. Jamess because of the general convention’s actions, he said. But each has been very, very painful, Hollerith said.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church’s in downtown Richmond is discontinuing its women’s prison ministry. The stock market rather than decreased contributions is to blame, said the Rev. Robert Hetherington, the rector. The church runs a halfway house for women who have been released from prison. Four women currently live there, Hetherington said.

The house, which is to close March 31, is being financed though St. Paul’s investment income and grants. The grants also are running out. Efforts to find someone to take over the program have failed, he said. Some churches are trying to put last summer’s general convention behind them and go on with the work of the church.

At Christ Church, we have decided we can’t be paralyzed by this one issue, Fishwick said of the Charlottesville church. It’s time to get on with the greater mission of the church. We are all fired up about our mission and the things God is doing here.

END