I Am Doing a New Thing... Do You Not Perceive It?

One of the problems with doing a ‘new thing’ is when it is not recognized, or even perceived. As nearly every parish in the diocese is struggling with finances, demographics, and overall sustainability, the Parish of St. Michael and All Angels is bucking trends in our approach to setting a new vision. Instead of considering options to share clergy with another parish, we are looking for ways to share a building with another congregation, without having to cut staff.

At a time when we need to talk about the future of our diocese in ways ‘beyond bricks and mortar,’ St. Michael’s has risen to that challenge in a radical way. At an annual meeting in April 2022, the congregation voted to explore options to sell our brand new church building and seek a sharing arrangement with another Anglican parish that would allow us to maintain our traditions, style of worship, and community. Instead of working to preserve the building at all costs, even if it means reducing ministry, we have chosen to preserve the ministry, even if it means sacrificing the building.

The decision was not an easy one, and came with pain and tears for many. Some people started to talk as if ‘St. Michael’s is closing.’ Others believed that the building had already been closed. Our parish family had already faced the upheaval of selling a building on St. Clare Avenue, and spent years without a building, worshiping in a funeral home chapel while the new church was being built. But this was the first time we had considered selling a building without plans to build or buy a new one.

Without having to pay for and maintain a church building, we would have more freedom to focus on the mission and life of the church. By sharing space with another parish, each parish could have their own Vestry to deal with the administrative concerns of their respective congregations, and their own distinct worship and worship style, with opportunities for joint worship on special occasions. However, they could have a shared Mission Committee, which would give members of both congregations the opportunity to cooperate in outreach and mission projects. Such a shared committee could also allow for a larger pool of people to be involved in the church’s ministries. And this could all be done without losing the integrity and autonomy of either parish.

This radical approach is precedent-setting in the diocese, and we have had to wait for the Diocesan Finance and Executive Committees to create new policies and procedures for a church in our situation. There have been times when we’ve struggled to keep the congregation hopeful about the possibilities of new life in a new location. But the opportunities are tremendous: too much so to pass up. We cannot wait for someone else to tell us how to solve the problem of too many unsustainable churches. St. Michael’s is doing a new thing by trying to blaze a trail forward for others to follow.

Originally published as part of an appendix to the Bishop's Charge to the 32nd Diocesan Synod in the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador.